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WHL Moose Jaw Warriors

Warriors Pleased with Growth During First Half

December 21, 2021 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Moose Jaw Warriors News Release


The Moose Jaw Warriors went into the Christmas break doing what they do best, bouncing back.

Throughout the first half of the 2021-22 Western Hockey League season, the Warriors done an excellent job of rebounding from a tough loss with a strong effort.

"We've battled adversity like any other team, but most importantly I like how we did that, we don't make excuses, we're never out of games because we're relentless and don't stop working," Warriors head coach Mark O'Leary said.

"We haven't always had the results that we wanted every night, but I really like this group and there's something there that we're building towards."

The Warriors finished the first half with a 14-14-2-1 record, putting them in a tie for fifth place in the Eastern Conference with the Saskatoon Blades and just one point back of the Brandon Wheat Kings in fourth place.

19-year-old forward Ryder Korczak leads the team in scoring with 10 goals and 35 points in 31 games.

He said the Warriors are excited about how they're playing going into the break.

"Obviously this is a young team, but our chemistry can lead us to winning more games," Korczak said.

"A .500 record is alright, but we have a little bit better in the tank here. We're going to enjoy the Christmas break and we're going to put the work in after to hopefully be above .500."

Korczak went into the break as WHL Player of the Week after picking up seven points in three games last week. He has three goals and nine points in his last four games.

"I was going through a little bit of a drought there, so it's nice to get back on the scoreboard," he said.

Korczak has paced the team's offence in the first half, but he's being followed by three young players.

17-year-olds Jagger Firkus and Denton Mateychuk have 32 and 28 points, respectively, in 31 games each, while 16-year-old forward Brayden Yager has posted 27 points in 27 games.

Firkus and Yager also sit one-two on the team in goal scoring with 15 and 14 markers, respectively.

"When I talk about taking a step, those guys are the first ones you think of," O'Leary said. "They're real special players and it reminds of you when Brett Howden, Jayden Halbgewachs, Tanner Jeannot and Josh Brook, all those guys, started in our league, it's exciting."

Mateychuk is expected to be a first round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft.

He said he's pleased with how the team has grown during the first half.

"We've played well, but we all know that we got more to give," Mateychuk said. "Our record is pretty good, but we can improve on that, so we're going to work in the second half to be better."

Mateychuk's 28 points are the second-most among defencemen in the WHL. He has seven goals, which is the sixth-most among defencemen.

He said there's still room for improvement.

"I'm doing pretty well, but there's always more to give," Mateychuk said. "I'll talk to the coaches, there's always stuff to improve on and we do lots of video, so I see a lot of stuff that I can work on."

Going into the second half, O'Leary said the Warriors' resiliency will hopefully carry them to more success.

"When we get knocked down or we get punched in the mount, we can punch back and get up real quick," he said. "We're never out of a game.

"Our resilience is something to be proud of in this group."

The Warriors open the post-Christmas schedule against the Edmonton Oil Kings on Dec. 28 and then host the Red Deer Rebels on New Year's Eve.

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