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Portland, OR – The Moose Jaw Warriors captured two points in a thrilling back-and-forth win over the Portland Winterhawks on Wednesday.
The Warriors and Winterhawks traded blows in an exciting game at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum with Moose Jaw coming away with a 4-3 victory over the U.S. Division leaders.
“It was a really fast-paced game, you’ve got two really good teams and everyone was hungry for these points to push for the playoff spots, so it was fast-paced, back-and-forth hockey,” Warriors assistant coach Curtis Pereverzoff said.
“At the end of the day, the guys knew what they had to do, just stay with it, make sure we did our job even when we got on our heels, I think that sums up junior hockey.”
Matthew Savoie had two goals and three points, while Atley Calvert finished with three assists in the win.
Warriors captain Denton Mateychuk became just the third defenceman in franchise history to surpass the 200-point plateau with his goal in the third period.
Pereverzoff said it was a fast game, but in the first two periods, both sides defended well to keep it a 1-0 game.
“Both teams were tracking well throughout the defensive zone and the neutral zone and as well in the offensive zone, I thought all three areas were very important and a back-and-forth first and second period where we left a little bit on the table,” he said.
The Warriors led for much of the game after Savoie scored his 22nd of the season with 6:32 left in the first period.
That goal held up until the third period when Mateychuk added to the Warriors’ lead, sliding home his 15th of the season just 2:52 into the frame.
That started the back-and-forth between the two sides with Jack O’Brien getting Portland on the board with 8:04 gone in the third to make it 2-1.
The Warriors moved back in front by two 2:50 later when Savoie potted his second of the night, and 23rd of the season.
Portland would answer right back to cut the lead back down to one as Nate Danielson tipped home a shot with 7:52 to play in the third.
Moose Jaw retook its two-goal lead on an empty net goal from Jagger Firkus, his 46th of the season, with 2:22 left in the frame.
That was short-lived as the Winterhawks answered right back on a goal from Gabe Klassen only 18 seconds later, but that was as close as Portland would get.
The Warriors have now won three straight games to open their U.S. portion of their eight-game road trip. They’ve also knocked off the leaders U.S. and B.C. Divisons this season.
“To be able to come into a tough building like this against a really strong team and the guys stay with it, come together to get the job done as a whole unit, it’s awesome to see as a coaching staff and more importantly for the guys in the room,” Pereverzoff said.
Jackson Unger made 27 saves on the night as the Warriors were outshot 30-26 by the Winterhawks, including 12-6 in the third period.
Neither team was able to convert on the power play with Moose Jaw finishing 0-for-2 and Portland going 0-for-1 on the night.
The Warriors will now close out their road trip with a busy three games in three nights this weekend, starting on Friday in Everett.