The Warriors followed up a 5-3 loss in Regina on Friday night with a 4-3 loss back home at Mosaic Place on Saturday, suffering their first two losses of the season.
Moose Jaw fell to 4-2 on the campaign and now sit in second, four points back of Regina in the Sask Male AAA Hockey League South standings.
“You know what, they played well, and we were just too inconsistent,” said Warriors head coach Trevor Weisgerber. “At times we looked really good and other times we just weren’t good enough. They were consistent more in both games and they made us pay when they had the opportunities and we didn’t.”
The Warriors found themselves chasing throughout Saturday’s contest.
WHL Warriors draft pick Ben Riche opened scoring only 1:20 into the game with the lone goal of the first period, but Wyatt Wilson would get that one back with a power play marker 11:27 into the second. The tie would last less than five minutes before Tate Schofer scored with 3:55 left in the period.
Sam Oremba made it 3-1 Regina 1:36 into the third before Max Wanner pulled the Warriors back within one just over a minute later. Austin McLean put Regina ahead by two once again with 8:35 remaining, but the Warriors would once again find a way to get back within one as Atley Calvert finished off a two-on-none shorthanded break with Riley Niven with 5:49 remaining.
The Warriors had a handful of chances late with the goaltender pulled, but wouldn’t be able to find the tying goal.
“We had a couple unlucky bounces here and there and a couple unlucky goals,” Weisgerber said. “The effort is there, but there have been some serious breakdowns that cost us in both games. We obviously better shore that up and do a better job of that.
“There’s lots of things we need to work on as a team, as a group and as coaches with this group. I think it might be a good thing for us to take a step back and see what we need to do to be better as a hockey club.”
Chase Coward made 37 saves in his first game with the Warriors this season, former Prairie Hockey Academy netminder Dazza Mitchell had 36 saves for Regina.
The Warriors are back in action Saturday, Nov. 28 when they travel to Yorkton to face the Maulers.
