Moose Jaw, SK – A weekend homestand for the Moose Jaw Warriors opened Friday with a narrow overtime loss to the Regina Pats.
Close to four minutes into the game the Warriors were on the attack in the Regina zone. Connor Schmidt controlled the puck at the right circle then made a cross-ice pass to Landen McFadden at the bottom of the left circle where he scored his fourth of the year to give Moose Jaw an early lead.
The Warriors special teams took control of the rest of the period.
On a two-man advantage just before the midway point, Luke Moroz moved the puck to Aiden Ziprick at the blue line. The 19-year-old blasted a shot to the back of the net, his ninth of the year putting the Warriors up by two.
Three minutes later and back on the power-play, Ziprick was able to get a shot through from the top of the Regina zone. Pavel McKenzie jumped on the loose puck on the right side of the net, his eleventh goal made it 3-0.
Regina was able to battle back in the middle period. Cohen Klassen scored close to seven minutes into the frame, and then just o er a minute later, Cameron Kuzma scored to pull the visitors to within one. Playing four-on-four with five and a half minutes remaining, Julien Maze scored on a Regina rush, tying the game at three.
The visitors had momentum to end the second period and they were able to carry it over to the third when Keats Fawcett scored 49 seconds into the frame, giving Regina their first lead.
In the back half of the period, the Warriors were given a five-minute power play when Pats veteran Braxton Whitehead was given a major and game misconduct for a hit to defenceman Connor Schmidt.
Needing an equalizer, the Warriors pressed on the man advantage, and with five minutes left in regulation, they were able to push the puck to the Regina net where Ethan Semeniuk knocked in a rebound, his tenth goal of the year tied the game at four.
The game eventually went into overtime, 50 seconds into the extra period Regina’s Zach Pantelakos crashed the Moose Jaw net and jammed in the game-winner, handing the Warriors a 5-4 loss.
Aiden Ziprick had a goal and three points for the Warriors, Luke Moroz had three assists in his home debut, and Connor Schmidt picked up two assists.
Moose Jaw was 3-for-5 on the power play and 3-for-3 on the penalty kill.
The Warriors weekend homestand continues Saturday with their season’s final meeting against the Lethbridge Hurricanes. Tickets are available at www.mjwarriors.ca and at the Moose Jaw Events Centre Box Office.
Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. with the pre-game show starting at 6:40 p.m. on Country 100.