MOOSEJAWTODAY.COM -- The Moose Jaw WINMAR Warriors weren’t leaving anything up to chance when it came to potentially locking down a spot in the Circle K Classic on Wednesday night.
Despite falling behind by a pair of goals in a high-scoring first period, the Warriors would go on a tear in the second frame and go on to a 9-6 victory over the Notre Dame Hounds in Sask Male AAA Hockey League action at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.
The victory sees Moose Jaw improve to 10-2-1 on the campaign to sit in third place in both points (21) and winning percentage (.808). With the Circle K Classic -- the ultra elite showcase tournament held in Calgary over the Christmas holidays -- traditionally selecting the top four teams from the SMAAAHL as of the Nov. 15 deadline, odds are extremely high the Warriors will hear their name called when the teams are announced soon.
Joining Mioose Jaw in the top four in winning percentage heading into Friday’s deadline are the first-place Regina Pat Canadians (12-1-1, .893), second-place Swift Current Legionnaires (10-2-0, .833) and fourth-place Saskatoon Blazers (8-3-1, .708).
There was still work to get done on Wednesday to enhance that possibility, though, and the Warriors would come through.
Notre Dame got off to a great start, with goals from Ryker Aaran and Ryder Gilroy in the first two minutes staking the Hounds to a quick lead.
Moose Jaw got those right back, though as Ryan Gibbs and Carson Deichert scored on separate power plays two minutes apart to tie the game.
The Hounds responded in kind, with Cale Livingston and Ryan Kowalsky each scoring on a head-contact double minor at 11:25 and 9:09 to make it a 4-2 Notre Dame lead.
Gibbs then picked up his second with 1:18 to play in the period to close out scoring in the first.
The second period was all Moose Jaw, as Brennan Brown scored twice to go along with single markers from Deichert and KIerein Osberg, putting the Warriors ahead 7-4 through two.
Osberg scored his second of the game shorthanded to make it a four goal contest early in the third, but the Hounds didn’t go away -- Chance Regush and Carter Hudyma had goals in the final five minutes to get Notre Dame back within a pair with 1:54 to play.
There’d be no miracle comeback, though, as Kaden Costley scored the first of his SMAAAHL career into the empty net with 1:31 remaining, giving Moose Jaw the 8-6 win.
Gibbs finished with four points on the night and has climbed into fourth in SMAAAHL scoring, a point back of Saskatoon’s Kayden Stroeder and three back of Regina’s Maddox Schultz.
Kaleb Page got the start for Moose Jaw and stopped three shots before being replaced by Luke McKechnie after Notre Dame’s fourth goal. McKechnie turned aside 21 shots the rest of the way.
Steven Wawryk faced 54 shots in the Notre Dame net.
The WINMAR Warriors are back in action this weekend when they travel to Yorkton for games on Saturday and Sunday. Notre Dame returns to the ice Saturday when they host the Prince Albert Mintos.
