MOOSEJAWTODAY.COM -- It might seem strange to describe winning a pair of hockey games at the beginning of November as important, but with what’s on the line in the first part of the season in the Sask Male AAA Hockey League, it makes perfect sense.
The Moose Jaw WINMAR Warriors picked up a pair of crucial wins over the Tisdale Trojans this past weekend in Tisdale, taking a 3-2 shootout victory on Saturday and following up with a 4-1 win in the rematch on Sunday.
As a result, the Warriors improved to 7-2-1 on the season and are currently tied for fourth place with the Saskatoon Blazers, with their .750 win percentage giving Moose Jaw sole possession of fourth.
If the Warriors can hold that spot or improve through the Nov. 15 weekend, it’s highly likely they’ll book a spot in the Circle K Classic U18 AAA tournament, which takes place in Calgary during the Christmas holidays.
The event -- formerly known as the Mac’s tournament -- annually features the best U18 teams from throughout North America. Traditionally, the top four teams from the SMAAAHL at the Nov. 15 deadline earn invites, and the berth is considered a major accomplishment given the high profile of the Classic.
Moose Jaw 3, Tisdale 2 (SO)
As the score would indicate, things were exceptionally close between the two teams in regulation.
The Warriors’ Carson Park and Trojan’s’ Jacob Tait exchanged goals just over a minute apart late in the first period before Ryan Gibbs made it a 2-1 Moose Jaw lead with the lone goal in the second.
Carter Geyson would tie things up midway through the third, though, and there things would remain until the shootout.
There, Park and Kierin Osberg scored for Moose Jaw while goaltender Luke McKechnie stopped both shooters he faced to earn the win.
McKechnie capped the night with 28 saves, while Jackson Dunn stopped 42 at the other end of the ice,
Moose Jaw 4, Tisdale 1
Things weren’t quite as close in the rematch less than 24 hours later, as the Warriors scored single markers in the first and second periods before adding a pair in the third to finish things off.
Gibbs scored in the first and finished with two points, giving him nine goals and 15 points in 10 games to sit 10th overall in league scoring.
Sean Shiels tied the game four minutes into the second, but Maxx Fuessel would give Moose Jaw the lead for good with 9:42 to play in the frame.
Brennan Brown made it a 3-1 contest 6:26 into the third and Marek McIvor capped scoring with an empty netter with 1:13 to play.
Fuessel and McIvor also finished with two points apiece.
Kaleb Page had a solid game in goal for Moose Jaw, stopping 28 shots. Dunn had 29 saves.
The WINMAR Warriors are back in action on Saturday, Nov. 9 when they host the Warman Wildcats. Game time is 7 p.m. at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.
