Ungar Gets First Shutout

By @MJWarriorsFun (@Twitter) @moosejawwarriors_history (@Instagram)

After squeaking out a close win over the Swift Current Broncos on Friday, November 19th, your Moose Jaw Warriors were in a great situation to kickstart a winning streak in the second half of a home-and-away series. They’d just have to do the exact same thing as the night before, except this time in the Broncos barn.

Moose Jaw scored the first goal of the game short-handed. Josh Hoekstra had been booked for Tripping and the tribe was trying to kill the penalty. Ryder Korczak picked off a pass and hustled himself into a breakaway. He missed on an attempted backhand but was able to shuffle the loose puck out front of the net to a trailing Brayden Yager, who finished in the open net. The goal was Yager’s 10th.

The Warriors weren’t necessarily the better team in the period, being outshot 11-6, but they won where it counts.

The second period began with Swift Current on another Power Play, Max Wanner had been called for Slashing in the last second of the first period.

Moose Jaw killed the penalty and harnessed some good momentum from it. This led to Bobzilla scoring for the second consecutive night. I notice that Robert Baco has been scoring more since people starting calling him Bobzilla, so we made an executive decision at Moose Jaw Independent to just role with the nickname. It’s for the greater good. This goal came when he re-directed a Lucas Brenton wrist shot from the point.

Bobzilla scored for the second straight night - photo credit Twitter

Moose Jaw added another goal in the 12th minute. It was Jagger Firkus who scored it, netting his 12th of the season.

That goal made it 14 consecutive games Firkus has gotten a point. Firkus made use of a little too much free space in the slot and sniped a wrister past Bronco goalie Reid Dyck.

Firkus Circus in full effect. Jagger Firkus has points in 14 consecutive games - photo credit Twitter

After two periods the Warriors had a comfortable three goal lead and Connor Ungar was working his way toward his first shutout since joining the team.

The third period was an interesting one in that the Warriors got some much needed productivity from some faces not typically on the top two scoring lines. Nathan Pilling jumped all over a Tate Schofer rebound, halfway through the frame, for his fifth of the season.

Then, in the 16th minute, Denton Mateychuk shuffled in his own rebound, for his fifth on the season.

Josh Hoekstra added one last one, in the dying minutes, for his second of the year.

(Hoekstra had a goal and a penalty - photo credit Twitter)

As for Connor Ungar, he remained stoic and unconquerable for the entirety of the game, earning the shutout and the first star of the game. It was a great turnaround for him in account of his last start was an uncharacteristically poor one.

(Connor Ungar was spectacular, earning his first shutout as a Warrior - photo credit Twitter

All in all, it was a great performance for the club. Definitely one of their best efforts of the season. They moved the puck well, created offence from their defence and had productivity from all four scoring lines.

Warriors Notes:

D Cole Jordan and LW Riley Niven were both out of the game due to injuries.

Ben Riche and Harper Lolacher were healthy scratches.

Here is an updated account of the Warriors top goal scorers:

Jagger Firkus 12

Atley Calvert 10

Brayden Yager 10

Nathan Pilling 5

Denton Mateychuk 5

Maximus Wanner 5

Robert Baco 4

Eric Alarie 4

Ben Riche 3