PREVIEW | Warriors host Americans for Hall of Fame game Saturday
Moose Jaw, SK – The Moose Jaw Warriors will be looking to build off their most complete performance of the season as they get set to host one of the top teams in the U.S. Division.
The Warriors welcome in the Tri-City Americans to the Moose Jaw Events Centre on Saturday night for the organization’s annual Hall of Fame game.
“We’re going to need everybody,” Warriors head coach Mark O’Leary said. “It’s no different than what we did against Saskatoon, that was one of the more impressive things, and the more exciting things, as a coach when everybody’s involved.”
Moose Jaw snapped a five-game winless drought with a 4-0 win over the Eastern Conference-leading Saskatoon Blades on Thursday.
Jackon Unger was lights out and the team in front of him put together a complete game to come away with the win, which gives the Warriors points in three straight games.
“It feels great to get that, I thought it was our whole team’s best game of the year,” Unger said. “I think my game has been steady through the whole year, there’s been ups and downs, but I’ve been playing good hockey.”
The Warriors were able to get contributions up-and-down the line up in the win and O’Leary said that is something they will look to build off.
“There was a lot of keeper clips and some things were trying to emulate,” he said.
Coming into Moose Jaw on Saturday are the Americans, who will be wrapping up their East Division road trip after beating Brandon, 4-1, on Friday night.
Tri-City sits second in the U.S. Division, two points back of the league-leading Everett Silvertips.
O’Leary said Tri-City’s depth is their biggest strength.
“They can roll lines and D pairs and they can match you in waves, so again, just sticking with the structure and doing things as hard as we can, and that will give us a chance in the end,” he said.
Prior to Saturday’s game, the Warriors will induct Dustin Boyd, Jody Lehman and the Multiplex Builders Inc into the Conexus Warriors & Legends Hall of Fame.
The Warriors and Americans square off at 7 p.m. on Saturday night in downtown Moose Jaw.
