Warriors Get Blasted By Lowly Oil Kings

By Twitter: @MJWarriorsHistory Instagram: @moosejawwarriors_history

Dakota Macintosh made his debut with the Moose Jaw Warriors in Friday night’s game - via Twitter)

It was straight to the top line for Dakota Macintosh.

No better way to start out your WHL career than by playing on a line with a pair of soon-to-be NHL stars.

Macintosh, the most recent Moose Jaw Warriors’ signing was an absolute wrecking ball in the BCHL and AJHL, scoring 19 goals in 14 games with the Blackfalds Bulldogs before getting the call-up.

But, unfortunately, that immediate injection into the top line didn’t translate into immediate scoring for the youngster.

I mean, there was no doubt a feast of goals scored in the Friday night affair, it just wasn’t Macintosh scoring them. It’s a big jump to this grand stage. Such is life.

The Warriors scored a pair of goals early, on Friday night, in Edmonton, jumping out to 2-0 lead over the Edmonton Oil Kings.

The first one, less than a minute into the game, activated the Marty Party.

Martin Rysavy, waiting in front of the Oil Kings net, shovelled home an Atley Calvert pass.

Martin Rysavy scored first - Pic via Instagram)

The second goal was somewhat similar, only this time it was Pavel McKenzie finishing off a Kalem Parker offering.

Skyler Bruce, a new Oil Kings acquisition, scored back-to-back goals, levelling out the score before the first period was over. 

Skyler Bruce netted a Hat-Trick - graphic by Edmonton Oil Kings

It should be noted that the Edmonton Oil Kings aren’t a very good team.

They’re dead last in the Central Division, and came into Friday night’s match with only 4 wins, compared to Moose Jaw’s 10. But they definitely weren’t just rolling over for the Moose Jaw Warriors. 

There were 5 more goals, scored in the second period.

The only problem with that was that 3 of them were scored by the Oil Kings.

Brayden Yager and Jagger Firkus both rifled wrist shots passed Edmonton’s goalie Kolby Hay. Firkus has been sensational with the scoring so far this season.

With his 17th he had tied the league lead (Prince George’s Terik Parascak also had 17). Firkus has scored in ten straight. 

Via Oil Kings Twitter

But those three Oil Kings markers were the more important goals, as they finished the period off with a 5-4 lead.

In the third period Marc Lajoie scored in the 6th minute, to put the Oil Kings up by a pair.

Just like that, the Warriors found themselves trying to claw back into a game against a team they probably should be beating soundly. 

Brayden Yager scored again to bring the game to within one goal but Skyler Bruce completed the Hat-trick shortly after, when he scored into an empty net.

Final Score: Oil Kings 7, Warriors 5


Just some commentary:

We’ve seen the Warriors go from steamrolling the best team to getting steamrolled by the worst, in a matter of just one week.

They certainly scored enough goals to win, they just couldn’t keep enough out of the net.

This was a bad loss. 

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