Try as they might, the Saskatoon Blades just couldn’t catch up to the Moose Jaw Warriors…on Friday night and for the entire Eastern Conference quarter-final series.
The 2021-22 season came to an end Friday with a 6-3, Game 5 loss to Moose Jaw. The Warriors won the best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarter-final 4-1. Moose Jaw scored the first two goals, after which the teams alternated the next six goals meaning the Bridge City Bunch pulled to within one goal three times, only to have the Warriors re-take a two-goal advantage three times. Josh Pillar scored twice for the Blue and Gold with Trevor Wong adding the other tally. Moose Jaw advances to an Eastern Conference semi-final against either the Winnipeg ICE or the Edmonton Oil Kings. For the Blades, the end of the season means the end of the junior careers of 20-year-old goaltender Nolan Maier, centre Tristen Robins and defenceman Rhett Rhinehart. Training camp for the 2022-23 season will start in late August. Following is the official game summary courtesy the W-H-L as well as Les Lazaruk’s Post-Game Show interview with head coach Brennan Sonne…..
Saskatoon Blades 3 at Moose Jaw Warriors 6 – Status: Final
Friday, April 29, 2022 – Mosaic Place – Moose Jaw, SK
Saskatoon 1 1 1 – 3
Moose Jaw 2 1 3 – 6
1st Period-1, Moose Jaw, Firkus 2 (Yager), 5:55. 2, Moose Jaw, Mateychuk 1 (Firkus, Korczak), 9:08 (PP). 3, Saskatoon, Pillar 2 (Lisowsky, Robins), 14:02 (PP). Penalties-Lisowsky Sas (high sticking, high sticking), 8:55; Baco Mj (high sticking), 13:55; Mateychuk Mj (interference), 19:43.
2nd Period-4, Moose Jaw, Firkus 3 (Calvert, Mateychuk), 8:52. 5, Saskatoon, Pillar 3 (Sidorov, Crnkovic), 13:00. Penalties-Paulhus Sas (major-fighting), 9:32; Baco Mj (unsportsmanlike cnd., major-fighting), 9:32; Yager Mj (interference), 13:10; Crnkovic Sas (tripping), 19:57.
3rd Period-6, Moose Jaw, Tien 1 (Kaddoura, Wanner), 5:26. 7, Saskatoon, Wong 1 (Boyko, Sidorov), 12:47. 8, Moose Jaw, Calvert 2 (Mateychuk, Yager), 16:22. 9, Moose Jaw, Baco 1 (Wanner), 18:09 (EN). Penalties-Rhinehart Sas (interference), 9:24; Paulhus Sas (inter. on goaltender), 19:00; Wiens Sas (unsportsmanlike cnd., major-fighting), 19:00; Tien Mj (major-fighting), 19:00; Rhinehart Sas (10-minute misconduct), 19:54.
Shots on Goal-Saskatoon 8-12-9-29. Moose Jaw 11-11-19-41.
Power Play Opportunities-Saskatoon 1 / 4; Moose Jaw 1 / 6.
Goalies-Saskatoon, Maier (40 shots-35 saves). Moose Jaw, Tetachuk (29 shots-26 saves).
A-3,364
Referees-Brayden Arcand (71), Aydon Brown (85).
Linesmen-Sean Dufour (50), Tanner McGregor (55).
