Warriors Mauled by Tigers — MJ Independent

By @MJWarriorsFun (Twitter) @moosejawwarriors_history (Instagram)

Fresh off a 9-2 Teddy Bear Toss massacre of the Calgary Hitmen, your Moose Jaw Warriors hit the highway to the Gas City for a date with the Medicine Hat Tigers.

*The Warriors celebrating after the Great Teddy Bear Massacre of 2022 - pic Via Moose Jaw Warriors Twitter*

In the teams’ previous meeting the Warriors beat them in a shootout but since then they’d seemed like a completely different team, winning six of their last seven and some in dominating fashion.

Medicine Hat, on the other hand, had been struggling for most of the season and came into the game after two consecutive losses.

Although the action was relatively even, the hometown Tigers were the ones connecting with netting early on.

They scored three unanswered goals in three minutes to give themselves a monumental jump. Shane Smith got the first one at 10:18, then Brendan Lee followed that with a Power Play goal at 12:31, then Pavel Bocharov scored at 13:23. It wasn’t a pretty start for the Warriors, to say the least.

*Brendan Lee scored twice for Medicine Hat*

Medicine Hat didn’t slow down in Period 2 either, Brayden Boehm put them up by 4 at 4:35. Everything was coming along perfectly for the bad guys.

Taking advantage of a Tiger penalty, Moose Jaw was able to get one goal back. With just four seconds left in the period Atley Calvert shovelled home a rebound. The Warriors headed to the change room trailing big but with a bit of momentum on their side.

The momentum didn’t last long though. Twenty-six seconds, to be exact. That’s how long it took for Brendan Lee to stick another dagger into the Warriors chances. That goal was Lee’s second of the night and 18th of the year.

Not one to roll over too easily, Jagger Firkus notched his 18th about a quarter of the way through. The goal came on a Power Play. Firkus was assisted by Brayden Yager and Ryder Korczak.

The goal itself was quite pretty. Firkus zipped a wrist shot past the Tiger goalie, the shot had enough zing to it that Firkus spun around after firing it.

*Jagger Firkus had two points in the loss - via Seattle Kraken*

Tomas Mrsic added another for the Tigers halfway through the third. Then Brayden Yager scored one at 18:26, his 18th levelled things out as far as the Warriors scoring race is concerned. He and Firkus have 18 each and Calvert is just a pair behind with 16.

Final score: Medicine Hat 6, Moose Jaw 3

The Spokane Chiefs will be in Moose Jaw on Tuesday, December 13.

Warriors Notes:

D Max Wanner played in his 100th career game with the Warriors

The team’s newest addition, D Logan Dowhaniuk, was paired alongside Captain Denton Mateychuk on the top defensive line.

After putting up 5 points in the Teddy Bear Massacre, RW Martin Rysavy was given the task of playing alongside Brayden Yager and Jagger Firkus.

Riley Niven and Tate Schofer were both injured and Jackson Unger was a healthy scratch due to illness.

Martin Rysavy was named one of the WHL’s Top 3 Stars for December 9th. He scored five points to earn that recognition.