2013 Pre-Season Wrap Up
(Story courtesy Marc Smith, DiscoverMooseJaw.com) There were moments when they looked in mid-season form and others when it definitely looked like preseason.
The Moose Jaw Warriors closed out their exhibition schedule over the weekend with a split of their home-and-home with the Swift Current Broncos. They lost 3-1 on Friday night in Swift Current, but bounced back with a strong performance on Saturday night at Mosaic Place, winning 2-1.
Saturday’s game had the pace of a regular season game at times and other times it slowed to a crawl with the Warriors getting a late goal from Todd Fiddler for the win.
“It wasn’t full of the emotion or competitiveness that I was hoping for in the last game, but its exhibition and it’s the last one and it’s been a long grind,” said head coach Mike Stothers. “I look at it as we found a way to win a one-goal game and we finished the way we wanted to, on a positive note.”
The Warriors dressed a more veteran line-up on Saturday with all their defencemen except import rookie Alexey Sleptsov having regular season experience. It showed with the team playing a strong all-around game.
“Paulic looked a little bit more comfortable in net, the defence seemed a little bit more comfortable and confident, and although it wasn’t a great, exciting game, there were a lot of positives to take out of it and we’ll certainly do so,” said Stothers.
It’s been a process for the Warriors throughout their five games this preseason as they’ve looked to work in some new players, see what some young players have to offer and get their veterans ready to go for the regular season. Stothers has liked the progress that he’s seen out of the team over the past month.
“We’ve certainly gotten a good look at some younger kids that are either looking to stay with us or are really close and knocking on the door, so from that aspect I was very impressed with the young kids that we had and what’s coming down the road for us,” said Stothers.
The Warriors will start thinning out their roster over the next week ahead of their season opener on Friday and when they do, Ben Duperreault is hoping to be one of the players on the roster.
“I think I did pretty good, I battled hard to try and do my role the best I can, and try to do the little things right and things went my way a bit,” said the 17-year-old forward, who is hoping he did enough to stick with the big club this year.
Duperreault might be small, stepping in at 5-foot-7 and 160lbs, but he’s worked hard throughout training camp and the preseason – scoring one goal and two points in five games – to show the coaching staff that he can fit any role they want him to play.
“The first game a couple of weeks ago I just tried to do the simple things and just get pucks in and now as the weeks went on I’ve gotten more comfortable with my game and started showing a bit more skill, while still trying to do the simple things,” he said.
“Hopefully (I did enough to stick with the team). I really want to.”
The 2011 eighth round WHL Bantam pick will find out soon enough whether he made the team or not. The Warriors are expected to make their final cuts on Monday.
The team opens the regular season on Friday night at Mosaic Place when they host the Brandon Wheat Kings. You can get your tickets at the Mosaic Place box office.
Warriors Hosting Town Hall Meetings… The Moose Jaw Warriors regular season is on the horizon and before the year starts, you can find out all you want to know about this year’s team at their Town Hall meeting. The Warriors organization will be letting you, the fans, ask them questions on Wednesday night at the Heritage Inn. They will also be making three major announcements that night. It goes at 7:00pm on Wednesday night.
Hodder Excited To Be A Warrior
The Moose Jaw Warriors made a move to add depth and experience to their defensive core before Friday’s preseason game when they acquired 20-year-old Zach Hodder from the Medicine Hat Tigers in exchange for a conditional eight round pick in 2014.
Hodder made his Warrior debut on Saturday at Mosaic Place and didn’t look out of place despite just joining the team the night before. This will be the mobile defenseman’s fifth team during his WHL career and he’s happy to have some where to play.
“There are only three 20-year-old spots on each team, so you’ve got to be a good player, you’ve got to be a good teammate and you’ve got to be a good leader to be on a team in the Western League at 20,” he said. “I’m pretty excited just to be in the league and especially in Moose Jaw.”
The 20th overall pick in the 2008 WHL Bantam Draft, Hodder battled injuries during his first four years in the league as he played for Vancouver, Saskatoon, Prince Albert and Medicine Hat.
“When I was younger I had a few surgeries and do myself any favours after that and I’ve matured a lot since I started playing the Western Hockey League and I understand now the work and the dedication it takes to be a guy that makes a difference every night,” he said. “That’s what I want to do here in Moose Jaw and hopefully help this team make the playoffs.”
Hodder brings some experience to a still-young defence group for the Warriors and will be looked at to help fill the void left while Morgan Rielly is at Toronto Maple Leafs camp. He showed Warrior fans what he was capable of on Saturday, as he skated well and was quick moving the puck in his first game with his new team.
“That’s pretty much my game, a lot of puck movement,” he said. “The best teams don’t spend a lot of time in their own end and that’s what they’ve asked me to do is move that puck out and join the play.”
“He’s an older guy, an experienced guy and he’s played on some good hockey clubs with some good coaches,” said head coach Mike Stothers. “We just told him all he needs to do is keep his game simple and help us out. He doesn’t have to be a one-man show and I thought he did a very good job for us in game one.”
Hodder hoping to come in and lead by example with this still young Warriors team.
“Most team already have vocal leaders, I see myself more as a guy that pushes and it’s just doing all the right things. If you set an example of being in the weight room all the time, watching what you eat, not going out, stuff like that. Hopefully younger guys can see that and maybe they’ll go to the gym an extra day per week or something.”
The Warriors wrapped up their preseason schedule on the weekend and will open the regular season on Friday night against the Brandon Wheat Kings at Mosaic Place.
