EDMONTON -- The Moose Jaw Warriors have a long-standing reputation as a disciplined team, but Friday against the Edmonton Oil Kings wasn’t one of those games.
The Oil Kings took advantage of four Warriors minor penalties in the first period to score a pair of goals and would go on to a 5-1 victory in Western Hockey League action in Edmonton.
Moose Jaw fell to 10-29-4-2 and are now winless in their last 10, while Edmonton improved to 25-16-1-2 with their third-straight victory, good enough for sole possession of fourth place in the Eastern Conference.
Edmonton received the first power play of the game a little over a minute in and would get a couple of solid scoring chances, but Warriors goaltender Josh Banini would come up with the the saves -- including a cross-crease stop where he was able to get an arm down and turn aside a pair of grade A opportunities in tight.
Aided by another penalty moments after the first expired, the Oil Kings kept up the pressure and would continue to get chances in close. Even though the Warriors were able to kill off the minor, Edmonton would break through shortly after.
Lukas Sawchyn got to the front of the net and had a couple of cracks at a puck in the crease before knocking it in for the 1-0 lead 10:16 into the game.
The Oil Kings then took advantage of their fourth power play of the period to make it a 2-0 contest with 4:42 to play in the first, with Adam Jecho hammering home a one-timer from Sawchyn.
Moose Jaw was able to stay out of the penalty box to start the second period, but Edmonton still had the majority of pressure and would extend their lead midway through.
Miroslav Holinka gathered up the puck behind the Warriors net and would get off a shot in front that Banini would stop, but the rebound would go back to Holinka and his backhand would go top shelf for the three-goal edge with 8:08 gone in the period.
Edmonton took a pair of penalties late in the second period to put the Warriors on the two-man advantage for 1:24 to open the third, but Moose Jaw would only get a handful of chances as Ethan Simcoe maintained his shutout.
The Oil Kings then made it 4-0 just before the five minute mark, with Cole Miller having a centering pass to the front of the net going off a Warriors’ defender’s stick and in.
Moose Jaw had a great chance to get back into the game with 8:42 gone in the third when a flurry in front of the net led the Warriors getting off no less than five shots in close, but Simcoe would hold the fort.
Edmonton’s sixth power play of the game led to their fifth goal, as Sawchyn scored his second of the game on a one-timer from the right face-off circle at the 9:27 mark.
The Warriors snapped Simcoe’s shutout 49 seconds after that goal. Aiden Ziprick found Krzysztof Macias with a pass from the point to the boards, and Macias would take a couple of strides into the face-off circle before ripping a shot top shelf blocker side.
That would be as close as the Warriors would get, though, and Edmonton had their four-goal win.
Banini ended up facing 42 shots on the night, while Simcoe stopped only 15, 10 of those in the third period.
The Warrior are back in action Saturday night when they travel to Red Deer to face the Rebels. Next home action is Friday when the Brandon Wheat Kings are in town.
