Late Push Falls Short; Warriors Fall In Brandon
In the finale of a weekend home-and-home series between long-time rivals, the Moose Jaw Warriors battled back late only to have a comeback fall short as they lost 4-2 Sunday in Brandon.
Both teams picked up where they left off Saturday. Once again the Warriors fore-check created problems for the Wheat Kings as they created turnovers and developed those in to shots, while the Wheat Kings utilized their transition game to come up the ice and let shots go on the rush.
Teams exchanged scoring opportunities throughout the period, late in the first Brandon was given the period’s only power play. They pressed inside the Moose Jaw zone but Warriors goalie Zach Sawchenko was sharp, keeping the game scoreless entering the first intermission.
48 seconds in to the second period the Wheat Kings were able to sneak to forwards behind the Warriors defenceman. From the Moose Jaw right blue line, Rihards Bukarts poked the puck to the middle of the ice for Tim McGauley who came in on a breakaway, beating Sawchenko five-hole to give Brandon the lead.
Five minutes later the Warriors rushed up the ice setting up a shot for Torrin White on the right wing, the puck rang of the post and came to the Brandon left wall. Dustin Perillat pinched off the blue line to hold the zone for the Warriors, the puck came down the wall to Jaimen Yakubowski who quickly tossed it to the right circle setting up White for a blistering slapshot that puck the tribe on the board.
Late in the second period Wheat Kings veteran forward and Florida Panthers 2014 2nd round pick Jayce Hawryluk deked through the Warriors defence then snapped a shot past Sawchenko to give Brandon the lead.
1:17 later at 16:06 Brandon pressed again, Bukarts controlled the puck inside the Warriors line on the right boards. He passed the puck cross-ice to Colton Waltz at the blueline, he came to the top of the circle and let a slapshot go that went off of a Warriors stick and to the back of the net to give Brandon a two-goal lead going in to the second intermission.
Moose Jaw pushed back in the third as they tried to claw back in to the game. After a tough second period they found the form that they had in the first, they were once again coming across the Brandon blueline and attacking the net while also creating turnovers and extra time in the attacking zone.
With the clock winding down the Warriors started to get more desperate, with just over two minutes remaining in the game Head Coach Tim Hunter pulled goalie Zach Sawchenko for an extra attacker.
The Warriors were able to win a faceoff in the Brandon zone, setting up a low slapshot from Alexey Sleptsov from the right point. As the puck came through the slot Jiri Smejkal was able to redirect it past goalie Alex Moodie to make it a one-goal game.
In the final minute the Warriors once again pulled their goalie but this time it backfired, Brandon was able to create a turnover in their zone, Rihards Bukarts skated down the ice, shooting the puck into the empty net, dashing any thoughts of a Warriors comeback.
Dustin Perillat had a pair of assists for the Warriors, Zach Sawchenko made 32 saves in the loss, Bukarts led Brandon with a goal and four points, and Alex Moodie made 25 saves for the win. Moose Jaw was 0-for-3 on the power play and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.
Moose Jaw is off until New Year’s Eve Wednesday when they renew their rivalry with the Regina Pats, catch all the action from Mosaic Place starting with the Country 100 PreGame Show at 6:40pm.
Sunday, December 28, 2014
Moose Jaw Starters: G-Zach Sawchenko, D-Ryan Gardiner/Spenser Jensen, LW-Jesse Shynkaruk, C-Jiri Smejkal, RW-Torrin White
Moose Jaw Scratches: Tyler Brown, Noah Gregor, Brayden Point, Colin Paradis
Brandon Starters: G-Alex Moodie, D-Colton Waltz/Eric Roy, LW-Rihards Bukarts, C-Tim McGauley, RW-Braylon Shmyr
Brandon Scratches: Ivan Provorov, Kale Clague, Jesse Gabrielle, Ty Lewis
