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Warriors Roll in Victoria for Third Straight Win

November 30, 2022 - Western Hockey League (WHL) - Moose Jaw Warriors News Release


Victoria, B.C. - Once the Moose Jaw Warriors started rolling, they were tough to stop on Tuesday night in Victoria.

The Warriors scored seven straight goals and cruised to an 8-3 win over the Royals for their third straight win on the seven-game road trip.

"It was a slow start, but we found our legs after we got down one and then it started going our way," Warriors assistant coach Gord Burnett said.

Denton Mateychuk finished with a goal and five points in the win.

The Warriors had seven different players find the back of the net on the night, led by Atley Calvert with two goals.

Ryder Korczak had a goal and two points, Max Wanner finished with three assists, and Lucas Brenton picked up a pair of helpers in the win.

Burnett said it was great to see the team's defence getting involved throughout the night.

"We ask them to get to the puck quick and move it up the ice, and I thought they did that, as a group tonight, they were pretty good," he said.

The Royals struck quickly to start the game when Brayden Schuurman scored just 49 seconds into the contest.

Moose Jaw answered later in the period when Brayden Yager broke in and scored his 14th of the season to tie the game.

The Warriors took control of the game in the final minute of the first as Jagger Firkus scored with 26 seconds to go in the frame.

"Anytime you score late in a period like that, going into the intermission, it helps you out for sure with the momentum coming out for the next period," Burnett said.

The goal extended Firkus' point streak to 18 straight games, which is the second longest streak by a Warrior since 1996-97.

The Warriors built off the late goal and scored just 1:56 into the second when Harper Lolacher potted his second of the season on a breakaway.

Burnett said it was nice to see Lolacher get rewarded for some good progress in his game.

"As the season's gone on, he's gotten better," he said. "He does a good job in practice, he's been getting better there and then you can see that translating into the game."

Calvert followed up Lolacher's goal midway through the second with his first of the night and then Korczak scored his third of the season with just 58 seconds left in the second.

Calvert's second of the night, and 12th of the season, made it a 6-1 lead for the Warriors 7:53 into the third period.

Mateychuk scored his sixth of the season just over five minutes later to make it a 7-1 game.

Riley Gannon scored for the Royals only 39 seconds later to cut into the Warriors' lead, but Nathan Pilling responded a few minutes later with his sixth of the season to restore the six-goal advantage.

Alex Thacker scored only 21 seconds later, but the Warriors skated to the lopsided 8-3 win.

Moose Jaw outshot Victoria, 42-24, in the win, while going 0-for-3 on the power play and 3-for-3 on the penalty kill.

The Warriors will ride the ferry over to Vancouver on Wednesday to continue their road trip.

Burnett said it will be a different day for the team, but the players will need to do what they need to do to be ready.

"It's a challenge for them to try and get their preparation right with the different kids of travel schedule that we have," he said. "Hopefully we can come out because it's a big game for us."

The Warriors and Giants face-off at 9 p.m. CST. Tune into all the action on Country 100 and WHL Live, starting with the Pre-Game Show at 8:40 p.m.

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