Warriors Set to Welcome in Royals on Wednesday
January 10, 2024 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Moose Jaw Warriors News Release
Moose Jaw, SK - There will be familiar faces on both sides of the ice when the Moose Jaw Warriors and Victoria Royals lock horns on Wednesday night.
This will be the first, and only, meeting of the season for Kalem Parker and Brayden Schuurman against their former team after coming to Moose Jaw in a trade from Victoria earlier this season.
"I'm really looking forward to it, it's going to be an exciting game, it's going to mean a lot to me and super pumped, can't wait for it," Parker said after practice on Tuesday.
The game will also mark the return of Ben Riche, who went to Victoria in the trade.
Parker said the Royals have changed coaching since he was there, but he knows what to expect out of the players in the match-up.
"Systems might have changed, might not have, but I know their players, I know what they like to do a lot, so it's going to be real exciting to go against my former teammates," he said.
The Warriors will be looking to bounce back from Saturday's wild 7-6 loss to the Broncos in Swift Current. That loss snapped a five-game winning streak for Moose Jaw.
Warriors head coach Mark O'Leary said the second period where the Warriors surrendered four goals was the team's downfall in the game.
"Our neutral zone [play] really let us down, both with the puck and without it, our puck management through that area and our forecheck details that we're usually a little bit better in," he said.
"I love our fight back, that was good, but at the same time, there was just too many details that we missed out on."
The Warriors will get a big boost for Wednesday's game with the return of captain Denton Mateychuk and forward Brayden Yager after representing Team Canada at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Newly acquired forward Matthew Savoie, who also represented Canada, is expected to join the team for Saturday's game.
"It starts in the dressing room, there's a different energy when those guys are around here, certainly the practice tempo goes up and it's a lot of fun," O'Leary said. "There's expectations are high, ours are high, so we're looking forward to them getting back into the lineup."
With 28 games to in the regular season, Parker said the team is focused on ramping up its game to a playoff level.
"We want to start playing playoff hockey tonight and don't take the foot off the pedal," he said.
The Warriors and Royals square off at 7 p.m. at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.
Western Hockey League Stories from January 10, 2024
- Warriors Cruise Past Royals in Shutout Victory - Moose Jaw Warriors
- Chiefs Stymied in Red Deer, Drop 4th Straight - Spokane Chiefs
- Rockets' Win Streak Continues - Kelowna Rockets
- Suzdalev Scores Hat-Trick In Home Debut, Blades Tune Out Giants 7-2 - Saskatoon Blades
- Hitmen Acquire 19 Year-Old Defenceman Pasha Bocharov from Americans - Calgary Hitmen
- Pasha Bocharov Traded to Calgary Hitmen - Tri-City Americans
- Wheat Kings Move Captain Danielson to Winterhawks for Multiple Players, Picks - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Two Players Re-Assigned to Junior a Clubs - Swift Current Broncos
- Winterhawks Acquire Nate Danielson in Trade with Brandon - Portland Winterhawks
- Tigers Trade Gapter to Giants - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Raiders Deal Pakkala to Hurricanes for Third Round Pick - Prince Albert Raiders
- Hurricanes Acquire Pakkala from Raiders - Lethbridge Hurricanes
- Giants Acquire Prospect Kolby Gapter from Tigers - Vancouver Giants
- Cougars Acquire Forward Evan Groening from Brandon Wheat Kings - Prince George Cougars
- Wenatchee Wild Announce Trade as Wild, Seattle Thunderbirds Exchange Forwards - Wenatchee Wild
- Warriors Acquire Goalie May from Tigers - Moose Jaw Warriors
- Tigers Trade Goaltender to Warriors - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Hurricanes Trade Pick for Wynne - Lethbridge Hurricanes
- Hitmen Acquire Forward Justin Ivanusec from the Giants - Calgary Hitmen
- Giants Trade Ivanusec to Hitmen for Draft Pick - Vancouver Giants
- Oil Kings Acquire D Ismail Abougouche in Three-Way Deal with Kelowna and Saskatoon - Edmonton Oil Kings
- Blades Add 'Size' and 'Toughness' with 2004-Born Defenceman Babcock in Three-Way Trade - Saskatoon Blades
- Rockets Acquire Defenceman And Picks In Three Way Deal - Kelowna Rockets
- Giants Acquire Winnipeg Jets Pick Connor Levis from Blazers - Vancouver Giants
- Blazers Acquire Three Draft Picks for Connor Levis - Kamloops Blazers
- Hitmen Trade Defenceman Tyson Galloway to Broncos - Calgary Hitmen
- Chiefs Continue Road Trip in Red Deer Wednesday - Spokane Chiefs
- Broncos Acquire Galloway from Hitmen, Trade Laventure to Royals - Swift Current Broncos
- Royals Acquire Tyson Laventure from Swift Current Broncos - Victoria Royals
- Pats Become First CHL Franchise to Partner with Lululemon - Regina Pats
- Warriors Set to Welcome in Royals on Wednesday - Moose Jaw Warriors
- Americans Fall to Broncos - Tri-City Americans
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