Yager Breaks Infinite Deadlock
By Twitter: @MJWarriorsHistory Instagram: @moosejawwarriors_history
It all came down to the fourth period on Saturday night. Your Moose Jaw Warriors brought a 2-game hot streak into Regina’s Brandt Centre, to take on the division rival Pats.
Corbin Vaughan and Jagger Firkus swapped goals early in the first period. Vaughan’s came from a deep wrist shot in the first minute, giving his Pats the lead. Firkus’ came from an odd angle a few minutes later; the sort of precision only an elite marksman could execute.
Jagger Firkus has been exceptional since returning - photo credit Twitter
The teams did the same in Period Two, only this time the order was reversed.
Connor Schmidt put the Warriors out front, scoring his first ever goal for the team, beating Pats keeper Kelton Pyne on the blocker side on snap-wrister.
But the Pats got one back when Matteo Michels scored shortly before the period ended.
This bring us to the pivotal Period 3.
At this stage, the only period that mattered.
The situation remained the same. Each team scored yet again. Some patterns are eternal.
Two similar teams, intersecting, infinitely. Thank God for sudden death overtime and penalty shootouts.
Lynden Lakovic scored a third period dandy that gave the Warriors a third period lead - photo credit Twitter
In the fourth minute, Lynden Lakovic, the kid from West Kelowna, carried the puck up, practically, the full length of the ice, unmolested.
He calmly skated into the area in and around the Pats net, looked around for a pass, then decided he would just hold on to it and shuffle it past a surprised Pats goaltender instead.
It was a fun goal, to say the least, Lakovic’s third so far, and it had the Warriors up by a goal with a chance to carry on to victory.
Matteo Michels scored twice for Regina - photo credit Twitter
Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough.
The Pats broke even with just 3:06 remaining on the clock.
The goal scorer, again, was Matteo Michels, who, despite scoring just 8 points last season, has been incredibly sharp through five Pats’ games this year.
That was his 4th goal and, 6th point already.
I tricked you. It wouldn’t come down to Period 3 after all. Because we were off to overtime in the city of Queens.
Early into the overtime period, Eric Alarie showed some incredible hustle, digging the puck away from a Pats defender. He then slid the puck across ice to a speedy Brayden Yager.
Yager was all alone, just Kelton Pyne with a chance to stop him. Yager put it through the kids legs then held his arm up in victory.
Brayden Yager may have scored the winner, but it was only made possible by a brilliant effort from Eric Alarie - photo credit Twitter
The Warriors won it: 4-3. It took overtime but it’s a win nonetheless.
That’s three straight for the tribe and a chance to make it four in a row, next weekend in Lethbridge.