Moose Jaw 7 @Swift Current 4
In a marquee match up of two very skilled offensive teams, the Moose Jaw Warriors (16-4) capitzlied on their power play four times an put away the Swift Current Broncos (13-4-1-0) 7-4.
Jayden Halbgewachs led the way for Moose with three goals and two assists for five points, while Justin Almeida and Brayden Burke also added four points apiece.
Swift Current got the usual offense from their top line as Tyler Steenbergen scored twice and added an assist and Aleksi Heponiemi and Glenn Gawdin each had two points, but the 4/6 Moose Jaw power play provided them with offense that even those three could not keep up with.
Swift Current opened the scoring off a dazzling pass form 16-year-old Logan Barlage. he slid a pass to Logan Foster in front and the 1999-born forward out it away for his second of the year.
The Warriors answered back just over a minute later. Jayden Halbgewachs found the newly acquired Barrett Sheen at the back post for a tap in. Sheen was just brought in from the Kootenay ICE on Monday and already had a goal to his credit, just over five minutes into his time with Moose Jaw.
The Warriors then took their first lead of the game on the power play. Brayden Burke slipped the puck over to Noah Gregor at the left faceoff dot and the San Jose Sharks prospect one-timed it past Swift Current goalie Logan Flodell.
Steenbergen tied the game again as he used his feet to kick the Sahvan Khaira rebound to his stick, before burying a shot past Wilms.
The Warriors got that one back with another power play goal. Instead of sliding it over along the blue line, this time Burke moved it down to Flodell’s left to Justin Almeida, who then found Halbgewachs alone in front for the 3-2 lead.
Almieda added yet another power plat marker for the Warriors just 12 seconds into the second period to make it 4-2.
The Broncos would keep things close with another goal from their big trio. Glenn Gawdin made a nice backhand, cross-ice pass over to Heponiemi and the Finnish play-maker beat Wilms up high, making it 4-3.
Then with 7:13 left in the second, the Warriors had defenseman Colin Paradis get in the scoring as well. He buried a slap shot past Flodell for his first career WHL goal and the 5-3 lead.
Steenbergen added his 28th of the season with 35 seconds left in the second, to bring Swift Current back to within striking distance at 5-4.
Unfortunately for the Broncos though, Halbgewachs added a power play goal and an even strength marker to put the game away 7-4 and give him 17 goals this year.
Flodell was left in for all seven Moose Jaw goals, as he stopped 34 of 41. Wilms got the win for Moose Jaw, turning away 23 of 27.
The Warriors will head over to Saskatoon to do battle with the Blades Wednesday, while the Broncos will head over to Medicine Hat for a match up Friday.
Medicine Hat 4 Kootenay 1
Mark Rassell’s goal scoring pace would be the talk of any WHL season in recent memory, of not for Tyler Steenbergen. He netted a hat-trick for the Medicine Hat Tigers (13-6) as they scored three in the first, before pulling away from the visiting Kootenay ICE (8-12-1-0) 4-1.
Rassell’s three goals now gives him 20 in just 19 games. He had 36 in 72 games a season ago.
Ryan Jevne scored the opening goal for the Tigers, before Rassell added two and gave Medicine Hat a 3-0 lead.
Sebastian Streu scored for the ICE with just three seconds left in the first, but that is as close as they would get.
Rassell added some insurance with 6:59 left, but Jordan Hollett’s 30 saves, made it so the ICE would never get close enough.
Duncan McGovern settled in to turn away 24 of 28 in the loss.
Newly acquired forward Kobe Muir got into his first game for Kootenay, but defenseman Jonathan Smart was scratched.
