WHL Moose Jaw Warriors

Warriors Return to Face-Off with Edmonton

Published on December 28, 2021 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Moose Jaw Warriors News Release


After a week away from the rink, the Moose Jaw Warriors are refreshed and ready to go for the second half of the 2021-22 regular season.

"We're feeling pretty good right now," Warriors head coach Mark O'Leary said after Monday's practice at Mosaic Place. "Every year, once you get to that Christmas break, a lot of guys hit that wall, but I love the energy at practice."

The Warriors will return to game action with three games in five nights, starting with a meeting against the Edmonton Oil Kings on Tuesday night in downtown Moose Jaw.

The last time that the Warriors were on the ice, they beat the Regina Pats, 5-3, which gave them a 14-14-2-1 record to finish off the pre-Christmas schedule.

That record was good enough to have them tied with the Saskatoon Blades for fifth place in the Eastern Conference, just one point back of the Brandon Wheat Kings.

"We would win a game, lose a game, so that's one thing we're looking for in the second half is to able to get on a streak and get rolling," Warriors forward Brayden Yager said.

O'Leary said he felt the Warriors improved during the first half, but will need to continue to grow in the second half.

"We want to take a big step this season," he said. "We're 14-14 and that's pretty much what our games have been, we've been pretty good for a lot of the nights, but have had hiccups along the way."

Moose Jaw will open the second half against a shorthanded Oil Kings team, who currently have five players away at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship.

"We won't really even talk about that, I don't think that changes our approach," O'Leary said. "It really doesn't matter who's in net for them, who's playing forward or defence, it's always about us and making sure that we're executing and playing to our identity."

The Warriors are without forward Martin Rysavy, who is playing with Czechia at the World Juniors as well.

Shorthanded or not, Yager said the Warriors need to play a solid end-to-end game to beat Edmonton.

"We need to be finding space, chipping pucks, putting it in areas to skate into using our speed, laying the body, that kind of stuff puts a lot of pressure on their whole team and creates a lot of chances for us," he said.

The Warriors and Oil Kings meet at 7 p.m. on Tuesday night at Mosaic Place.

It's two for Tuesday at the game with two-for-one tickets, hot dogs, popcorn and pop, as well as two 16 oz. beers for $12. Get your tickets online at mjwarriors.ca or the Mosaic Place Box Office.

After Tuesday, the Warriors will host the Red Deer Rebels on New Year's Eve and then head to Regina to battle the Pats on New Year's Day.

Check out the Moose Jaw Warriors Statistics

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Western Hockey League Stories from December 28, 2021


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