Warriors overcome slow start to take win over Brandon

The Moose Jaw Warriors have had more than their share of games this season where they deserved a better result.

On Wednesday against the Brandon Wheat Kings at Mosaic Place, the shoe was on the other foot.

The Warriors struggled in the first period and through the first half of the second but were able to hang on for a 2-1 victory in Western Hockey League action.

Goaltender Jackson Unger was the main reason, as despite a slew of offensive zone turnovers in the first -- including four on one shift midway through the frame -- the Warriors were able to escape only trailing 1-0.

Unger would end up with 25 saves through the first two periods while Moose Jaw was able to generate only five in the first and seven in the second on Brandon’s Ethan Kruger.

“There were some nerves in the first period, you could see it with the guys turning over pucks and us not getting off to a hot start, but we stuck with it,” Unger said of the slow start. “I was able to shut the door after the first one they got early and it just worked out in the end.”

Brandon scored the opening goal 7:09 into the game, as Ben Thornton took a lead pass from Vincent D’Iorio and went in on a breakaway before beating Unger high blocker side.

That goal led to the ice tilting seriously in the Wheat Kings’ favour, and the Warriors’ play in their own zone could at best be described as discordant the rest of the frame, but Brandon would be unable to beat Unger again in the period despite a late power play.

Things carried on that way for much of the second, but after being outplayed for the first 13 minutes of the frame, the Warriors were finally able to break through.

Matthew Gallant did the honours, pinching in on the rush and taking a cross-ice pass from Robert Baco before ripping a shot high glove side on Ethan Kruger with 6:31 to play in the period.

Brayden Yager then made it 2-1 Warriors 37 seconds later, taking a pass into the slot from Denton Mateychuk and making no mistake with a quick shot to give Moose Jaw the lead.

“Obviously it’s not ideal to (be outshot like that), but all that matters is that we kept getting better through the second and even better in the third and were able to get the win,” Unger said.

While the Warriors have seen their share of contests where the opposition pressed in the third period and eventually pulled away or pulled off a comeback, it was their turn to get things going. It all led to a slew of glorious scoring chances -- especially on their second power play of the game five minutes into the third -- but they’d be unable to find an insurance marker.

The Warriors outshot Brandon 14-5 in the final frame and ended up with 26 shots on Kruger; Unger would put together a 36-save performance for the win.

Neither team scored on their two power play chances.

Moose Jaw improved to 12-12-1-1 and leapfrogged Brandon into fifth place in the Eastern Conference, one point back of Saskatoon and one point up on the Wheat Kings.

The Warriors are back in action Friday when they travel to Swift Current to face the Broncos, before hosting the Broncos on Saturday night for their annual Teddy Bear Toss game.

Fans are asked to bring a new and unwrapped toy to the game to toss on the ice after the first goal. If possible, fans are asked to have their Toss items in plastic bags to keep them safe and protected.

For the latest standings and more WHL information, be sure to check whl.ca.