Warriors, Raiders go to Game 7
The Moose Jaw Warriors appeared to have the Prince Albert Raiders right where they wanted. Two games later, they were playing for their playoff lives, just like the Raiders had been the previous two nights. The Warriors and Raiders took the ice at Mosaic Place on Apr. 3 in the seventh and deciding game of their Western Hockey League Eastern Conference quarter-final series – a series that the Warriors had two chances to close out and fell short both times, allowing 10 goals in the process.
Warriors forward Brayden Burke did all he could to follow up on his post-game onair comments to Marc Smith of Country 100 that the team needed to play better after Game 5’s disappointing performance. It turns out his two goals and two assists in Game 6 wouldn’t be enough, as the Raiders took advantage of a slew of neutral zone turnovers and failed clearing attempts and peppered Warriors goaltender Brody Willms with a slew of outstanding scoring chances on their way to forcing the deciding game in the series. Willms ended up making 32 saves, 18 in the second period alone, but couldn’t hold the fort in the face of the continuous onslaught. Cole Fonstad had a pair of goals for the Raiders while Curtis Miske, Sean Montgomery and former Moose Jaw Generals standout Regan Nagy had their other goals.
Jayden Halbgewachs – with his first of the series after scoring 70 goals in the regular season – and Brett Howden had the other goals for the Warriors, who were tied 1-1 after the first and 3-3 through two.
Ian Scott continued his solid play in the series and made 16 saves in the win.
Facing elimination, the Raiders turned in an impressive performance and took advantage of another discordant home-ice showing by the Warriors to send the series back to Prince Albert.
The Warriors carried play in the first period, outshooting the Raiders 13-4 but still found themselves trailing 2-0 on goals from Montgomery and Parker Kelly. Max Martin put Prince Albert ahead 3-0 midway through the third before Justin Almeida’s shot from the point snuck past the Raiders’ Ian Scott to put the Warriors on the board.
That would be as close as they’d get, as Montgomery and Miske added third period goals, with Miske’s marker sending Willms to the bench in favour of Adam Evanoff for the second time in the series. Willms made 17 saves in taking the loss, while Evanoff had four stops. Scott turned aside 31 shots for Prince Albert.
Almeida scored with four minutes remaining in the second period and Willms made 32 saves for his first playoff shutout as the Warriors took a three-games-to-one lead in the series.
Burke had an empty net goal with 16 seconds left in the game.
In one of their most incredible playoff wins in team history, the Warriors scored three goals in the span of 59 seconds of playing time to take the overtime win and regain home ice advantage.
With the Tribe trailing 4-2 on a goal by Justin Nachbauer with 2:40 remaining, Josh Brook got things started with 1:37 left on the clock, going coast-to-coast and beating Scott to get the Warriors back within one.
Brett Howden then tied the game 47 seconds later to send a game that was all but in the books into overtime. There, Brayden Burke scored only 19 seconds in to give the Warriors the 5-4 win.
Miske and Ryan Peckford exchanged goals in the first five minutes of the game as the two teams were tied 1-1 after the first.
Burke gave the Warriors a 2-1 lead midway through the second before Jordy Stallard and Nachbaur scored late in the second to take their 4-2 lead.
Willms made 17 saves in taking the win, Scott stopped 40 shots in the loss.