Firkus & Yager Dazzle Rockets

By @MJWarriorsFun (Twister) @moosejawwarriors_history (Instagram)

Your Moose Jaw Warriors were in the sunny city of Kelowna for game 3 of a 7 stop road trip through the Canadian west. They were facing the pedestrian Kelowna Rockets and their high scoring LW Andrew Cristall at Prospera Place.

The trip through the beautiful Okanagan Valley might have been all the club needed to spark a resurgence. Heaven knows Moose Jaw certainly isn’t typically the most inspirational place at the end of November.

Halfway through period one and already trailing 1-0, Moose Jaw was booked for two penalties on the same play. Atley Calvert for Tripping and Lynden Lakovic with the high stick. The Rockets peppered goalie Jackson Unger with shots but the club managed to stave off the two-man advantage.

Shortly after that Jagger Firkus ripped a zinger from the face-off circle to tie the game. The goal was Firkus’ team leading 13th of the season and it was his 17th consecutive game with a point. He’s been red hot, to say the least.

**Jagger Firkus has scored a point in 17 consecutive games**

Again, the Warriors were outplayed and badly outshot in the period. Only this time it was Jackson Unger bailing them out, rather than Connor Ungar.

Read - Making the Case: Connor Ungar is the Warriors’ MVP

Less than a minute into the second frame Brayden Yager scored on a Power Play to give the tribe the lead. Firkus and Atley Calvert contributed assists on the goal.

The Warriors were really starting to pick up steam. They’ve been really good in second periods as of late. Firkus and Yager connected again, on another Power Play, in the 12th minute. Yager got the finish, for his 13th of the season, matching Firkus’ team leading total.

**Yager scored twice in the second period**

With a multi-goal lead the Warriors began playing a safer, more conservative style of play. But it’s been tough for teams to keep Andrew Cristall off the board. And the Warriors were no exception. Not on this night. He scored his 16th on a Power Play.

**Andrew Cristall has scored 16 goals for the Rockets**

Colby Dach then knotted it up in the fifteenth minute. The Warriors were crumbling. Third period struggles haunting them again.

In an impressive fashion, the Warriors bit down in the final minutes and gave Kelowna everything it could handle. The Rockets were rather generous and handed them a lifeline when Max Graham took a Charging penalty at 18:37 and put them on a Power Play.

One area in which you definitely can’t complain about if you’re a Warriors fan is their Power Play. That’s where they get most of their goals; as they did in this game.

Jagger Firkus, with the (practically) buzzer-beater. Set up by Yager and Denton Mateychuk, ripped one home at 19:42 of the third period. Game Over. What a finish. The Warriors don’t play many endings more dramatic than this.

Jagger Firkus and Brayden Yager were dazzling on this night. The duo is one of the more formidable scoring duos in the WHL. They need to be on a sports card together. Or a Carly Jaye mural. People remember Gretzky & Messier, Crosby & Malkin, Lemieux & Jagr and one day they’ll remember Firkus & Yager too.

Firkus had 2 goals and 2 assists. Yager had 2 goals and 1 assist.

**Firkus and Yager - photo credit Twitter**

Warriors 4, Rockets 3

On Tuesday night the Warriors will be in Victoria for a date with the Royals.