MOOSEJAWTODAY.COM -- The Moose Jaw Warriors got off to a good start on the scoreboard on Friday night but were unable to hold off the Lethbridge Hurricanes’ storm surge as the game progressed, eventually dropping a 4-3 decision in Lethbridge.
The loss knocks Moose Jaw to 1-3-1-0 to sit in seventh place it the Western Hockey League Eastern Conference, while Lethbridge improved to 4-1-0-0 and moved into a tie for first place with Saskatoon.
Lethbridge had some great pressure to start the game and spent the better part of the first four minutes in the Warriors zone, but it would be Moose Jaw that got on the board first.
Landen McFaddem sent a pass from the boards to the front of the net, and Noah Degenstein was in the right spot to redirect the puck five-hole on Brady Smith. The goal at 4:13 was the first of Degenstein’s WHL career.
Just over two minutes later, the Warriors made it a 2-0 game, and it was exactly who you’d expect.
Brayden Yager scored his first of the season and his first since returning from Winnipeg Jets camp earlier in the week, taking a drop pass from Lynden Lakovic in the slot and ripping a shot home with 6:41 gone in the first.
Lethbridge tied the game before the period was out, though, with Brayden Edwards scoring both goals -- the first on the power play with 6:15 to play in the frame and the second with 1:20 remaining in the first.
All in all, the Hurricanes ended up dominating the period, getting off 19 shots on Warriors goaltender Jackson Unger in the first 20 minutes.
Lethbridge had a chance to take the lead six minutes into the second when Logan Wormald was awarded a penalty shot after being hauled down on a breakaway, but Unger would make the pad save to preserve the tie.
Both teams got to work on their special teams as the period progressed -- including the Warriors man advantage when Landen Ward was hit with a high-sticking double minor -- but nothing would come of the power play opportunities in the frame.
Moose Jaw received their fourth power play of the game late in the second period, but it would be Lethbridge that scored early in the third. Wormald took a breakout pass from Logan McCutcheon and broke down his wing before putting a perfect shot top shelf blocker side for a shorthanded goal 59 seconds into the period.
The Hurricanes then extended their lead to 4-2 on their fifth power play of the game. Leo Braillard was left all alone in front of the net, and when the puck found him he had all the space and time he needed to make it a two-goal lead with nine minutes to play.
Moose Jaw received their fifth power play with 3:38 to play and would get back within one. Yager took a feed into the slot from Brayden Schuurman after a lucky bounce along the boards, and the Jets prospect would make no mistake, scoring 22 seconds into the minor.
That would be as close as the Warriors would get, though, as the Hurricanes had their 4-3 win.
Unger faced a total of 41 shots in the loss, while the Warriors had 22 on Smith.
Moose Jaw is right back in action on Saturday night when they continue their weekend Alberta swing in Medicine Hat, with puck drop against the Tigers at 7 p.m.
