Moose Jaw, SK – Red Deer scored three goals in the third period Saturday and handed the Warriors a 3-0 loss at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.
Throughout the opening period, space to be creative was scarce. Although both teams were able to come up the ice with speed, they made plays defensively inside their zones. They combined for eleven shots in the period but no goals.
Red Deer had more attack time in the second period and used two power plays to drive more pucks towards the Moose Jaw net. The Rebels had a 17-6 advantage on the second-period shot clock, however, the game remained scoreless through forty minutes.
The visitors picked up the game’s first goal close to three minutes into the third period when Noah Milford scored his first WHL goal. Red Deer added to their lead just past the nine-minute mark with a goal from Jhett Larson. The Rebels put the game out of reach in the final moments with an empty-net goal from Derek Thurston.
Warriors’ goalie Matthew Hutchison made 31 saves in the loss while Chase Wutzke made 16 in the shutout win for the Rebels.
Moose Jaw was 0-for-2 on the power play and 3-for-3 on the penalty kill.
The Warriors’ busy weekend closes on Sunday with a trip to Saskatoon to take on the Blades. The squad returns home on Tuesday, February 4 with their only game of the season against the Wenatchee Wild.