In a game where both teams were trying to get out of the loss column, the Calgary Hitmen, despite a very slow start, came out with the stronger effort. Head coach Steve Hamilton spoke post game about the past five days off, saying, “We reset ourselves. I thought it was a good couple days in practice. Good response tonight.”
Even strength, the Hitmen commanded the majority of play while both teams had mediocre power plays with both receiving four man advantages with Moose Jaw capitalizing on one. James Malm’s return saw Riley Stotts centreing a line of Hunter Campbell and Sean Tschigerl who were terrific all night despite connecting for only one goal. Adam Kydd sat out the second game of his four-game suspension, while Riley Fiddler-Schultz was dealing with a day-to-day lower body injury.
The first period of Friday night’s game was entertaining to say the least, with four different players finding the back of the net. To open the scoring, Jadon Joseph gained control of the puck off a Calgary defensive zone turnover and ripped it past Jack McNaughton to take the early lead just seven minutes in. Orca Wiesblatt, just three minutes later, followed up Joseph’s goal by wiring a low shot past Bailey Brkin to tie the contest. After a very back and forth first half of the period, Calgary eventually took control of play as Jonas Peterek roofed a backhand puck past Brkin on the breakaway off a nice pass from Layne Toder. Before the end of the frame, Carson Focht took an end-to-end skate which was topped off with a hard shot that beat Bailey Brkin high blocker side.
The Hitmen continued bringing the heat in the second period as they managed to outshoot the warriors 18-4. Carson Focht was first to draw blood in the second when a shot to the pads of Brkin found a way to leak through and cross the goal line to make it 4-1 Hitmen. Minutes later, Ryder Korczak struck back with an in-tight top shelf shot past McNaughton on the power play. Unfortunately for Korczak and the Warriors, the Hitmen added another goal minutes later to once again extend the lead to three. This time it was Orca Wiesblatt tallying his second of the evening on a net-front puck that found its way onto Wiesblatt’s stick before being swatted in.
The dominance Calgary displayed in the second led to an even more dominant third with the Hitmen recording just two shots on goal to Calgary’s 14. Jonas Peterek caused mayhem five seconds after puck drop when he checked a Moose Jaw forward hard into the boards at centre ice. Owen Hardy received a game misconduct while four other penalties were given out — two per bench. Just over five minutes in, Sean Tschigerl was able to score his second of the year to put Calgary up by four. Throughout the middle stages of the period, Calgary maintained a tight defensive game, limiting the exhausted warriors to perimeter shots and minimal time in the offensive zone. Mark Kastelic added another for the Hitmen, while Ryder Korczak potted his second of the evening with just 1:34 left in regulation.
Among top performers for the Hitmen were Carson Focht and Orca Wiesblatt, who both had two goals while Wiesblatt added an assist. Egor Zamula also extended his point streak to eight games with a pair of assists. Layne Toder had a great evening for the home side with two assists and a plus two. For Moose Jaw, Ryder Korczak stood out all evening as his line’s top offensive threat and, in doing so, scored his fourth and fifth of the season.
Carson Focht was asked postgame about the budding chemistry between himself and his linemates, specifically Orca Wiesblatt. Focht replied, “I think we are all skilled guys, we all can make plays, we all see the ice really well…I think the connection shows how we have that connection off the ice as well.”
The Warriors will continue on their road trip tonight against Lethbridge, while Calgary will host the Medicine Hat Tigers for the second matchup of the season at the Saddledome Sunday.
The Hitlist:
- Carson Focht (2g,1a), Egor Zamula (2a), and Ryder Korczak (2g) continue their impressive starts as Korczak leads all Warriors in points with 14 while Focht and Zamula are tied with 12.
- The Hitmen outshot the Warriors 46-16 with only two third period shots for Moose Jaw.
- Jack McNaughton recorded his fourth win of the season in six games played. He made 13 saves on 16 shots.
