It was one of those nights where they Moose Jaw Warriors had to keep pressing and pushing to find success, but like so many games at the Moose Jaw Events Cenetre recently, they found a way to get things done.
Atley Calvert and Lynden Lakovic scored 20 seconds apart late in the third period and the Warriors would go on to a 3-1 victory over the Prince Albert Raiders in Western Hockey League action.
The Warriors improved to 29-16-0-2 with the victory -- their 12th win in their last 14 games -- and thanks to Brandon’s 4-1 win over Red Deer, are now tied for third in the Eastern Conference in addition to moving back within two points of Medicine Hat for second.
Seeing a close, hard-fought game against the Raiders was of no surprise to head coach Mark O’Leary, give the recent past between the two teams.
“I think we knew what to expect with P.A., we’ve played them eight times now and it was no different from the previous seven,” O’Leary said on the WHL Live post-game show. “They make you work for every inch of ice and it was going to come down to puck battles. I felt that along the boards, the net front, and face-offs, those areas were most important and by the end of the game I thought we won our fair share and gave our skill a chance to win.”
Atley Calvert had a great chance 51 seconds into the proceedings, setting up in front of the net and perfectly redirecting a pass from Lucas Brenton, only for the puck to go straight into Nathan Preston’s glove.
The Warriors had the lion’s share of scoring chances as the period progressed and that showed on the shot clock, with Moose Jaw outshooting the Raiders 14-5 in the frame.
One of Prince Albert’s five shots was a doozy, though, requiring Jackson Unger to get across for a huge pad save on a two-on-one early in the period.
Moose Jaw didn’t take long to get on the board in the second frame. Working on their second power play of the game, Brayden Yager broke to the net off the boards and sent a pass cross-ice back to the face-off circle for Jagger Firkus, with the Seattle Kraken prospect wiring a one-timer home for the 1-0 lead.
The goal was the 38th of the season for Firkus and continued his scoring streak to 20 games -- a point in every game since initially being snubbed by Team Canada for the World Juniors.
The Raiders had some pressure of their own late in the second period and Unger again came up big, making a point-blank save on Aiden Oiring after a defensive zone turnover.
Prince Albert kept hanging around despite Warriors chances, though, and a Warriors power play midway through the third period gave the Raiders the opening they would need.
A simple dump into the Warriors zone led to Harrison Lodewyk stealing the puck from Unger behind the net and tucking in a wraparound with eight minutes gone.
Calvert then restored the Warriors’ lead with 8:46 to play, forcing a turnover in the neutral zone, breaking into the zone and going to the net before putting home a shot low glove side. The goal was Calvert’s 39th of the season and extended his point streak to six games.
Twenty seconds later, it was 3-1.
Lakovic scored his 10th of the campaign, taking a spinning backhand pass from Rilen Kovacevic in the corner and putting a quick shot over Preston’s shoulder.
Prince Albert had a few chances with the goaltender pulled in the final two minutes, but Unger stood tall and the Warriors had their win.
Unger finished the game with 27 saves for his team-record 11th-straight win. His 24th win of the season is also tops in the WHL.
Preston capped his night with 31 saves.
The Warriors are right back in action on Saturday night and can take over sole possession of third in the Eastern Conference when they take on the Red Deer Rebels. Game time is 7 p.m. at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.
