Warriors Finish Preseason with Home-And-Home against Brandon
Published on September 15, 2023 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Moose Jaw Warriors News Release
The Moose Jaw Warriors have just two more tune-up games left before the start of the regular season next weekend.
The Warriors will finish the preseason with a home-and-home set against the Brandon Wheat Kings this weekend, starting on Friday in Brandon.
"We're looking better this week than we did last week and that's all you can ask," Warriors head coach Mark O'Leary said. "We did a good job this week in practice and sharpening up some details and work habits."
Moose Jaw will play this weekend without five players away at NHL camps, which means more opportunity for younger players to step into bigger roles.
Second-year forward Ben Riche said he focused on taking advantage of the opportunity.
"I'm pumped," he said. "I've put a lot of work in this summer, I'm excited to step up a little bit and show them what I've done coming into the year."
After posting eight goals and 18 points in 63 games as a rookie last season, Riche said he's ready to step his game up to another level this season.
"Year two is a big one for me," he said. "I'm ready to take on another challenge and stepping up in the lineup."
O'Leary said he's looking forward to seeing how players throughout the lineup respond to different opportunities this weekend.
"It's great, it should be exciting for them," he said. "Whether it's playing more minutes or playing in different spots then you might all season long, now's the time to take advantage.
"Whether it's your first year in the league or guys that are playing their third, fourth and fifth year in the league, there's always something to be taken from games like this."
The Warriors go toe-to-toe with the Wheat Kings for both games this weekend, but the focus will be on themselves and how they're building towards the regular season.
"The results are what they are, but at the end of the night, if we can take a step towards the team we want to be, we've done our job," O'Leary said.
"It doesn't matter to me one bit who we're playing, on any given night, it's about us and our details, but even more so in exhibition. It's about our work habits, our details and trying to pout them in a good place for next Friday night."
The Warriors and Wheat Kings face-off on Friday in Brandon at 6 p.m. and then shift to the Moose Jaw Events Centre on Saturday night at 7 p.m.
Tickets for Saturday's game are available at mjwarriors.ca.
You can catch Friday and Saturday's action on Country 100.
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