MOOSEJAWTODAY.COM -- The Moose Jaw Warriors showed as much heart as a team could show on Saturday night, but it wasn’t enough to find a win in Western Hockey League action in Swift Current.
Despite dressing only 10 forwards due to a rash of injuries, the Warriors found a way to tie the game three times in the third period before falling 6-5 to the Broncos at the InnovationPlex.
Luke Mistelbacher scored the winner 1:42 into overtime after the teams had combined for six goals in the third period -- with Moose Jaw finding a way to answer each time Swift Current took the lead.
The Warriors fell to 3-6-2-0 and are in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, Swift Current improved to 6-5-0-0 and moved into fifth.
The back-and-forth battle started quickly, as Swift Current successfully killed off a penalty early in the first period and not long after got on the board with the first goal of the game. Caleb Potter got off a shot from the point that found its way through traffic before deflecting off a Warrior stick in front of the net and past goaltender Jackson Unger.
The goal was the first in the WHL for Potter, who played in the Sask Male AAA Hockey League with the WINMAR Warriors.
Moose Jaw got that one back at the 9:58 mark, and it was the product of a nice passing play by the Warriors’ top line. Pavel McKenzie sent Brayden Yager into the Swift Current zone on the rush and the Warriors captain would find Lynden Lakovic for the backdoor pass and tap in goal, tying the game 1-1.
Reid Dyck had to be sharp in the Broncos net on a couple of chances in close by Yager and Lakovic on the same shift not long after the tying goal, but the tie would remain.
There was little Dyck could do on the Warriors’ go-ahead goal with 2:20 to play, with the aforementioned duo combining to strike again. Lakovic led a quick rush up the ice after a face-off in the Warriors zone and would find Yager breaking to the net in an almost mirror image of their opening goal.
Moose Jaw looked to have make it three unanswered when Riley Thope scored with 45 second to play in the first, but the goal was called back due to a Warrior making contact with Dyck in the Broncos crease.
It was Unger’s turn to come up with some big saves early in the second, including a big glove save on Clarke Caswell on a two-on-one five minutes into the frame.
There was no stopping Caswell on the tying goal with two minutes to play in the period. Josh McGregor got off a hard pass from the point to the Broncos veteran at the side of the net, and he’d sneak the puck home five-hole after Unger just missed getting across for the save.
Swift Current then regained the lead 4:15 into the third. McGregor got off a shot from the point and the rebound went straight to Luke Mistelbacher at the side of the net. A quick shot later and the Broncos had a 3-2 lead.
The Warriors didn’t give up, though, and Landen McFadden tied things up with 8:42 to play in the game. Deegan Kinniburgh got a pass from behind the net out front to McFadden at the top of the crease, and he’d slip the puck past Dyck for his second of the season.
Yager nearly gave the Warriors the lead seconds after that goal, but Dyck would make the save on the breakaway. On the ensuing rush back up the ice, Calin Dezainde dipsy doodled around a Warriors defender and got off a shot in close that eluded Unger, giving the Broncos a 4-3 lead with 12:21 gone.
Sure enough, Moose Jaw tied things up once again. McKenzie found space and time in front of the net and took a pass from the right boards from Kalem Parker before redirecting the puck into the Broncos net with 4:07 to play.
A miscue between Unger and Parker led to Swift Current regaining the lead only 36 seconds later. Ty Coupland pounced on the loose puck and put it home to put the Broncos up 5-4.
Moose Jaw went into desperation mode from there and it paid off.
With Unger pulled for the extra attacker, Yager got off a shot from the point that found it’s way through traffic and beat Dyck five hole, with the goal coming with 1:20 remaining in regulation.
There things would remain until the 1:42 mark of overtime, where Mistelbacher got off a shot from the high slot using a Warriors defender as a screen and found the top shelf glove side
Despite giving up six goals, Unger was outstanding, facing a total of 56 shots on the night, including 21 in the third period. Dyck was far less busy, stopping 25 shots.
Yager capped his night with two goals and four points, giving him seven goals and 13 points in seven games this season, easily the highest points-per-game total in the WHL at this point.
Caswell picked up a goal and four points and now has two goals and 15 points in nine games to sit 12th in WHL scoring, while Mistelbacher has eight goals and 16 points to six fifth overall.
McKenzie had his best game of the season with a goal and three points.
The Warriors are back in action Tuesday when the Seattle Thunderbirds are in town. Game time is 7 p.m. at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.
Swift Current is back on the ice Friday against the Lethbridge Hurricanes,. Game time is 7 p.m. at the InnovationPlex.
