MOOSE JAW -- The Moose Jaw WINMAR Warriors made things interesting but couldn’t find a way to pull off a sweep of the Estevan Great North Bears in Sask Male AAA Hockey League action.
The Warriors opened the weekend with a 5-1 victory at the Moose Jaw Events Centre on Saturday before dropping a 7-5 decision in the rematch Sunday.
Moose Jaw continues to hold down first place in the SMAAAHL with a 26-7-2 record, while Estevan improved to 16-15-2 and are comfortably in the eighth and final playoff spot.
Warriors 5, Estevan 1
Things were as close as could be through the first two periods, as Keaton Lesperance scored for Moose Jaw in the opening frame and Gunner Moore tied things up for Estevan in the second for the only offence though 40 minutes.
The Warriors got things rolling in the third, though, with Ryan Gibbs giving Moose Jaw the lead at the 1:51 mark, followed by Kierin Osberg with 9:06 to play, Maxx Fuessel with five minute remaining and Brennan Brown with 1:02 to play.
Brown, Fuessel and Lesperance each had two points in the contest.
Luke McKechnie stopped 27 shots to earn the win in goal, while Cole Ivey had 30 saves for the Bears.
Estevan 7, Warriors 5
The Warriors would twice get to within a single goal in the third period, but Estevan always had an answer and would hold on for the win.
Jase McNicol, Cooper Flath and Kobe Wotta all scored in the first period for the Bears as they built a 3-1 lead. Maxx Fuessel had the lone goal for Moose Jaw in the opening 20 minutes.
The second period was back and forth, with Flath making it 4-1 at the 9:03 mark before Brown replied with 6:16 to play. Roan Burgess restored the three-goal lead 56 seconds later, but Maxon Johnston got one back for Moose Jaw with 2:32 left in the second.
Carson Deichert scored on the power play with 5:19 gone in the third to get the Warriors within one, but Brendan Jones replied for Estevan on the man advantage just over a minute later.
Moose Jaw looked to pull off a late-game comeback when Gibbs scored with 8:41 remaining, but Dylan Brass capped scoring for the Bears with 3:59 to play.
Brady Carr stopped 42 shots to earn the win, Kaleb Page had 29 saves for the Warriors.
The Moose Jaw WINMAR Warriors return to action on Saturday, Feb. 1 when they host the Saskatoon Blazers for a two-game weekend set. Puck drop is 1:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.
The Estevan Great North Bears return to the ice on Thursday when they host the Yorkon Kinsmen Maulers. Game time is 8 p.m. at Affinity Place.
