WHL Roundup: Warriors stave off Oil Kings in WHL on Shaw thriller
Moose Jaw (5 [6-2-2-0]) at Edmonton (4 [3-5-2-0]) OT
In the second of four regular season meetings between the Moose Jaw Warriors and Edmonton Oil Kings, it was the Warriors who edged the Oil Kings for a second time, once again in overtime.
Fans viewing the game from the sparkling new confines of Rogers Place in Edmonton and on the WHL on Shaw were treated to an exciting, fast-paced game from start to finish.
Ryan Bowen opened the scoring for Moose Jaw a little over a minute into the game, but Edmonton struck back just under two minutes later to level the score with a goal off the stick of Lane Bauer. The Warriors then took a 2-1 lead off a sharp-angled shot from sophomore Noah Gregor at the 5:51 mark.
.@n_gregs20 does a great job stealing the puck and scoring to take a 2-1 lead! pic.twitter.com/jjMeU3FLTb
— Moose Jaw Warriors (@MJWARRIORS) October 18, 2016
Tampa Bay Lightning first-rounder Brett Howden extended the Moose Jaw lead in the second with his seventh goal of the season.
After Kobe Mohr cut the Warriors’ lead to one with his first goal of the season in the third period, Howden responded with his second goal of the night to put the East Divisioners up by a 4-2 score nearly midway through the final frame.
Davis Koch struck shorthanded for Edmonton with just 3:17 to go in regulation to give the Oil Kings new life. With just 31 seconds to go, rookie Trey Fix-Wolansky – who also holds the distinction of scoring the first goal in Rogers Place – fired a point shot top corner on Moose Jaw keeper Zach Sawchenko to push the game to extra time.
#OilKings GOAL!? Fix-Wolansky with a rocket that goes top shelf to tie the game!! #GoOilKingsGo
— Edmonton Oil Kings (@EdmOilKings) October 18, 2016
The late-game heroics were stunted, however, as Tanner Jeannot capitalized on a rebound off the stick of the red-hot Nikita Popugaev to give the Warriors their second straight overtime win.
.@Tanner_Jeannot bangs in a rebound and the Warriors win 5-4 in OT! pic.twitter.com/rjhk8cSKtT
— Moose Jaw Warriors (@MJWARRIORS) October 18, 2016
Fix-Wolansky was named the game’s first star, while Moose Jaw forward Jayden Halbegewachs moved into second in WHL scoring with 16 points (9g-7a) after a pair of Monday assists. Popugaev, who enters his NHL Draft-eligible season, now has 15 points (7g-8a) through his first 11 games this year.
WHL on Shaw schedule
Wednesday, Oct. 26 – Victoria at Kelowna (7 p.m. local)
Friday, Nov. 4 – Saskatoon at Regina (7 p.m. local)
Thursday, Nov. 10 – Prince George at Vancouver (7 p.m. local)
