By Matthew Gourlie
For the second straight night the Moose Jaw Warriors grabbed 3-0 and 4-2 leads over the Swift Current Broncos.
This time it was the Warriors that scored four third-period goals.
After a third period collapse led to a 5-4 shootout loss in Swift Current, the Warriors were relentless as they skated to an 8-2 win over the Broncos at Mosaic Place in Moose Jaw.
“Tonight was definitely a bounce back game for us,” said Warriors forward Jayden Halbgewachs. “We were up 3-0 in the second period in both games, but we knew we blew the lead last night and we came out extra hard and it resulted in a win for us.
“We need to know that any lead isn’t good enough. We have to keep building on it and not let other teams get back into the game. (Wednesday) it was just little mistakes and Swift Current took advantage, but tonight we limited those mistakes and played a more solid game.”
Earlier in the day, the San Jose Sharks announced they had signed Halbgewachs to an entry-level contract.
Halbgewachs celebrated by scoring a pair of goals and an assist. He potted the game-winner and scored the vital 5-2 goal 4:17 into the third period that opened the flood gates.
The Warriors (28-6-1-2) grabbed a 3-0 lead 8:49 into the game and chased Broncos starting goalie Logan Flodell for 2:38. Shortly after the radio timeout, Flodell returned to the net and the Broncos (26-8-2-0) began to get back into the game.
“We didn’t put together a very good effort and it showed on the scoreboard,” said Broncos left winger Beck Malenstyn. “Tonight we were a little lackadaisical in that first period. We weren’t ready to play and we responded in the second period and we were happy. We got complacent and that showed very quickly in the third. They’re a good hockey team and if we give them chances they’re going to capitalize. We have to be better.”
With Aleksi Heponiemi and Tyler Steenbergen at the world juniors and absent from the Broncos top line, Glenn Gawdin joined Malenstyn and Matteo Gennaro the night before to kick-start the offence. It was Malenstyn’s second game since September and he saw a lot of the ice on the Broncos’ top line Thursday.
“I’ve been out so long that there are some little things that I need to polish up right off the hop. I want to come in here, contribute the way I can, play my style of hockey and I think I will find a role comfortably with that,” he said. “I took a lot of time when I was out working on my conditioning. It was maybe more minutes than I am used to in this league, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.”
Malenstyn scored his first of the season in his second game with the Broncos. Kole Gable scored with 1:35 left in the second period to cut the lead to 4-2, but the Broncos weren’t able to seize any momentum.
Justin Almeida, Tristin Langan, Luka Burzan and Dmitri Zaitsev each had a goal and an assist for Moose Jaw. Oleg Sosunov and Vince Loschiavo also scored and Tanner Jeannot and Josh Brook chipped in with two assists each.
The Broncos were out-shot 48-31. Swift Current scored on their only power-play, while the Warriors were 0-for-4.
It was a bad night for the Broncos all around as Matteo Gennaro left the game with 6:18 left in the third and didn’t return. It appeared that Warriors forward Ryan Peckford caught Gennaro in the head and neck area after Peckford was checked by a Broncos defenceman during a scrum in the corner.
The Warriors open the second half of the season with home-and-home sets with Swift Current and Brandon. While there is a lot of hockey left to play, it is an opportunity to get a little separation at the top of the East Division. The Warriors are five points ahead of Swift Current and eight points ahead of Brandon, though both teams have games in hand.
“It’s in the back our minds, but we’re not really worrying about it,” Halbgewachs said. “We just want to go out there and play our best game every game. I think each and every day we have to get better. I think the biggest thing for us it to limit our mistakes.”
Halbgewachs attended the Vegas Golden Knights’ development camp, but inked a deal with the Sharks just before Christmas. He said there were some other teams that were interested, but was very happy to sign with San Jose.
“I’m obviously pretty happy to be signing with San Jose and it’s a huge accomplishment. There are a lot of people who helped me get to where I am today,” said Halbgewachs who is on pace for a second straight 50-goal season, but added that the Sharks liked other elements of his game.
“Obviously there’s my offensive ability, but they like the way I pressure the puck, the way I create turnovers, the way I pressure on the (penalty kill) and how I take advantage of every opportunity I have to put the puck in the net,” Halbgewachs said. “There were a lot of compliments from them and I just have to keep making my game stronger.”
The Broncos will play the surging Saskatoon Blades in a home-and-home this weekend.
“With games happening so quickly after the break you need to have a short memory,” Malenstyn said. “There is going to be issues that are addressed, for sure. There are definitely things we can tighten up.”
