Swift Current, SK – Moose Jaw showed a lot of battle on Friday but could not overcome a four-goal first-period deficit and fell 5-3 to the Broncos in Swift Current.
The Broncos burst out of the gates in the early moments and had the Warriors pinned inside their zone. Four minutes into the game, Rylan Gould scored on a back-door tap-in to give the home team an early lead.
With nine minutes left, Swift Current snagged goals from Parker Rondeau and Luke Mistelbacher 21 seconds apart to go up by three. Three minutes later, Brady Birnie jumped on a loose puck beside the Moose Jaw net to make it 4-0.
The Warriors were able to create pressure off the rush inside the final five minutes of the period. With two and a half minutes remaining, Krzysztof Macias made a cross-ice pass to Owen Berge who then drove down the Bronco right boards. The second-year Warriors reached the faceoff dot and then blasted a shot past Reid Dyck, his 12th of the season made it a three-goal game.
That late first-period goal gave Moose Jaw momentum entertaining the second period. Four and a half minutes into the second stanza, Pavel McKenzie had the puck along the Bronco left wall and made a pass to Lynden Lakovic streaking through the middle of the ice where he deflected in his 25th of the season to cut into the deficit.
The quick pace continued in the third period as the Warriors tried to battle their way back into the game.
Just past the midway point, Swift Current got some breathing room with a goal from Luke Mistelbacher. However, 38 seconds later, and with Moose Jaw on a power play, Lynden L
ynden Lakovic led the Warriors with two goals and Luke Mistelbacher led the Broncos with two goals and three points.
Josh Banini finished with 41 saves in the loss and Reid Dyck made 25 in the win.
Moose Jaw finished 1-for-4 on the power play and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.
The Warriors are back at home Saturday for a rematch against the Broncos, which is also their regular-season finale.
The organization will hold its annual YARA Awards Night before the puck drop. The on-ice ceremony is scheduled to begin at 6:50 pm.
akovic was able to score his second of the game pulling the Warriors back within two.
There were moments throughout the rest of regulation where the Warriors were able to generate quality scoring chances, but they were not able to finish and ended up falling to their Trans Canada rivals.