The Moose Jaw Warriors have pulled one off the rarest runs of success in team history.
The Warriors went undefeated through a six game swing through the U.S. Division, capping the trip with a 3-0 win over the Wenatchee Wild on Sunday evening in Wenatchee,
Warriors goaltender Jackson Unger had 35 saves for the shutout as Moose Jaw capped the most successful west coast trip in modern-day team history.
All told, the Warriors claimed six of the eight contests through their 14-day road trip.
The win also sees the Warriors hit the always-vaunted 40-win mark, with their 40-19-2-0 record moving five points clear of Medicine Hat for second place in the Eastern Conference.
Moose Jaw had a couple of great chances just after the five minute mark, as Brayden Yager missed on a breakaway and on the same shift Pavel McKenzie nearly snuck a deke through Brendan Gee’s five-hole.
The Warriors had far more luck on their first goal with 8:45 gone in the period.
Kalem Parker got off a shot from the top of the left face-off circle and the rebound went right to Jagger Firkus, who did what Jagger Firkus does for his 50th goal and 106th point of the season, at that time
The game was largely back-and-forth until the second period, when the Warriors ended up with a handful of opportunities on the power play.
In an unusual turn of events for the top-ranked power play in the league, Wenatchee ended up with the majority of chances, requiring Jackson Unger to make a handful of solid saves.
The power play broke through on their fifth chance of the game. Atley Calvert was in the right place following up the rush and put the rebound off a Matthew Savoie shot home for the 2-0 lead at 7:28.
The goal extended Calvert’s point streak to 20 games, with 19 goals and 39 points in that span.
Moose Jaw then extended the lead to 3-0 with 9:32 to play in the second, and it was the product of a play that will be on the WHL highlights this week.
Yager sent a spinarama backhand pass to Firkus off the rush and then took the backdoor pass for the goal and his 31st of the season.
The pressure kept up, as Lynden Lakovic had a great chance in close and Savoie nearly scored on a breakaway, only for Gee to make the save both times.
Neither team would score through the remainder of the period, and Unger had his shutout win.
The Warriors are back in action on Friday night when the Regina Pats are in town. The Warriors Booster Club has put up a $20,000 50-50 guarantee, with sales going online at www.mjwarriors,ca on Monday and a massive pot expected for the contest.
Game time is 7 p.m. at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.
