LETHBRIDGE -- The Moose Jaw Warriors made things interesting midway through their game with the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Tuesday night, but in the end, the Central Division contenders proved to be too tough a nut to crack.
After the Warriors scored midway through the second period to make it a one-goal game, the Hurricanes would score three straight and go on to a 6-2 victory in Western Hockey League action in Lethbridge.
Moose Jaw fell to 10-23-3-2 and remain in 11th place in the Eastern Conference, while Lethbridge improved to 21-14-1-1 and jumped from sixth to fourth place in the Conference standings, two points out of the three-team logjam in first place.
The Warriors got off to a good start and were outshooting Lethbridge early while generating a handful of scoring chances, but the Hurricanes would get on the board first.
Tristen Doyle took advantage of Lethbridge’s first power play, getting off a shot from the point that found its way through traffic and into the Warriors’ net.
Former Warriors defenceman Voytech Port -- who was playing his first game with the Hurricanes since winning bronze with Czechia at the World Junior Hockey Championship -- made it 2-0 with 4:34 to play in the period, putting a point shot off the post and off a Moose Jaw defender and in.
A double minor high-sticking penalty to former Warriors standout Brayden Yager gave the visitors a chance to get back into the game, and they’d do just that. Some good movement in the zone would see Landen McFadden get off a shot from the left face-off circle, and Ethan Semeniuk would tip the puck home from the front of the net 2:38 into the period.
Lethbridge would get that one back on a power play of their own, with Logan Wormald scoring his 20th of the season on a one-timer from Noah Chadwick with 9:32 to play in the frame.
Only 19 seconds later, it was once again a one-goal game. Moose Jaw’s Riley Thorpe got off a shot in close that Hurricanes goaltender Jackson Unger would stop, but Ethan Hughes followed up the play and knocked home the rebound to make it a 3-2 game.
Cameron Norrie restored the two goal lead with 7:43 left in the second, taking a pass into the slot from Brayden Edwards and putting home a one-timer.
Lethbridge then made it 5-2 with 3:16 to play in the period, with Logan McCutcheon putting a shot from the point into traffic in front, off a Warriors defender and in.
McCutcheon scored his second of the game 4:32 into the third to make it a four-goal lead, and that’s where things would finish up.
Josh Banini finished with 36 saves in the Warriors’ net, while Unger had 27 stops for the Hurricanes.
Things don’t get any easier for the Warriors in their next contest, as they face another team loading up for a playoff push when they take on the Calgary Hitmen in Calgary on Wednesday night. Puck drop is 8 p.m.
