WHL Moose Jaw Warriors

Warriors Cruise Past Pats for 20th Win of the Season

Published on December 16, 2022 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Moose Jaw Warriors News Release


Moose Jaw, SK - The Moose Jaw Warriors will head into the Christmas break on a big victory at the Hangar.

Moose Jaw skated to a 6-2 win over the Regina Pats on Friday, ending the first half of the WHL season with a 20-12-0-0 record.

"We were pretty focused, guys were a little bit more locked in," Warriors assistant coach Scott King said. "We played a real solid game and really didn't give them much."

The win snaps a short two-game slide for the Warriors and gives the team a big bounce back win going into a 12-day break between games for the holidays.

"After our game against Spokane, it wasn't our best and we just came in and said, we have nothing to save it for, might as well just work our asses of and prove ourselves," Warriors forward Harper Lolacher said.

Lolacher had his first multi-goal game in the WHL, scoring twice on the night to lead the Warriors to the win. He now has four goals in his last four games.

The first-year Warrior said he's starting to play with more confidence.

"It's building up now that I've started to put a couple in, it's just getting better every game and I'm feeling more confident with the puck and working better with my teammates."

Ryder Korczak added a goal and three points, while Jagger Firkus picked up a goal and two points, and Brayden Yager and Ben Riche had two assists each in the win for Moose Jaw.

King said the Warriors managed the puck well throughout the game.

"It almost seemed like we had a power play, we were controlling the puck, we had lots of movement - I'd like to see us shoot a little bit more - but I liked the way we created zone time and we had lots of energy tonight," he said.

Ethan Hughes opened the scoring for the Warriors, burying a rebound in front for his first WHL goal just over four minutes into the game.

The 2021 fourth round pick said it was exciting to see the puck go over the line.

"I don't really know how it went in, but it was good to get the first one out of the way," Hughes said. "When they swarmed me and I did the fly-by, it was pretty surreal."

Lolacher followed that up with his fifth of the season with just over six minutes left in the first and Alexander Suzdalev got Regina on the board late in the period to make it a 2-1 game after one.

Firkus struck quickly for the Warriors in the second, scoring a power play goal just 45 seconds into the frame for his team-leading 19th goal of the season.

Eric Alarie added to the Warriors lead with just over eight minutes gone in the second with his sixth of the campaign.

Suzdalev's second of the night with a little more than five minutes to play in the second made it a 4-2 game after two.

In the third, the Warriors took control and Korczak finished off a two-on-one with Yager to score his eighth of the season.

Lolacher's second of the night with just over seven minutes to play sealed the deal for the Warriors in the 6-2 win.

Moose Jaw is now 4-1 in five games against the rival Pats this season.

The win moves the Warriors back into fourth place in the Eastern Conference, one point ahead of the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

"It's a good start, obviously we're not done yet and we're going to keep going, keep pushing to keep winning games and try to be the best we can come playoffs," Lolacher said. "The more we work hard and focus on the details now, we'll put the puck in the net and win games."

The Warriors will return from the break on Wednesday, Dec. 28 against the Winnipeg ICE at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.

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