PREVIEW | Warriors, Pats to battle in Sunday matinee
Moose Jaw, Sask. – The Moose Jaw Warriors look for a sweep of their weekend home-and-home set with the Regina Pats on Sunday afternoon in the Queen City.
Moose Jaw is coming off a 4-2 win over Regina at the Hangar in downtown Moose Jaw on Friday, earning their first win of the season.
It was a three-goal second period that propelled the Warriors to the win over the Pats.
Warriors forward Lynden Lakovic said the team got to their identity in that middle frame.
“I thought in the first period, we had our looks, but at the end of the day, they were just winning more battles that period,” he said. “So it was just races and battles and that’s what it really came down to in the second and third and that showed.”
Friday was the first win of the season for the Warriors after they dropped both games on the opening weekend of the season.
Lakovic said everyone looked more comfortable up-and-down the lineup with a few games under their belt together.
“A lot of the younger guys have really tipped their toe in the league now, they know where they fit in and same with a couple of the new guys on the team that we’ve acquired, they’re gelling with guys and everyone is working well together,” he said.
On Sunday, the Warriors and Pats will meet for a matinee game at the Brandt Centre with a 2 p.m. puck drop. The early game means some adjustments for the players as they get set to hit the ice.
“You have to treat it like it is a seven o’clock game, it’s just another game,” Lakovic said. “Definitely preparations and your sleep patterns and eat schedule is a little different, but you’ve just got to prepare the same.”
Going into the Sunday Trans-Canada tilt, Lakovic said the Warriors need to take a page out of the Pats’ book to generate more chances in the offensive zone.
“We’ve got to continue to use all five guys in the offensive zone, but we’ve got to get bodies in front. Regina does a real good job of that, crashing guys at the net and throwing it there,” he said.
The Warriors and Pats finish off their weekend home-and-home at 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tune into the action on CHL TV and Country 100, starting with the Pre-Game Show at 1:40 p.m.