The Moose Jaw Warriors secured their spot in the Memorial Cup semifinals with a hard-fought 5-4 victory over the Drummondville Voltigeurs on Tuesday night. A promising start gave the Warriors an early lead, but the Voltigeurs rallied back to tie the game in the third period. With just over two minutes remaining, Aiden Ziprick’s shorthanded goal proved to be the game-winner, sending the Warriors to the next round. Brayden Yager sealed the victory with an empty-net goal in the final seconds.
The Moose Jaw Warriors, making their first-ever Memorial Cup appearance, have departed for Saginaw, Michigan. After clinching the Western Hockey League (WHL) championship, the team is eager to compete against the Ontario Hockey League’s London Knights, Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League’s Drummondville Voltigeurs, and host Saginaw Spirit. Despite the fierce competition, head coach Mark O’Leary remains confident in his team’s determination and defensive capabilities. The entire city of Moose Jaw has rallied behind the Warriors, sending them off with a grand send-off to the airport.
The Moose Jaw Warriors are just one victory away from capturing their first Ed Chynoweth Cup in franchise history after a thrilling 4-3 overtime triumph in Game 3 of the WHL Championship Final series against the Portland Winterhawks. Brayden Schuurman’s game-winning goal 2:20 into extra time sent the Moose Jaw faithful into a frenzy, giving their team a commanding 3-0 series lead.
For the second consecutive night, the WHL Eastern Conference final required overtime to determine a winner. The Moose Jaw Warriors and Saskatoon Blades traded blows throughout the contest, with the Blades ultimately securing a narrow 3-2 victory thanks to Fraser Minten’s goal in the extra frame.
After many years, two Saskatchewan-based clubs, the Saskatoon Blades and Moose Jaw Warriors, will face off in the WHL Eastern Conference final. Both teams have performed exceptionally well in the regular season and playoffs, setting up an intense matchup. The Blades enter the series with a more straightforward path to the third round but are wary of the fatigue from last year’s playoffs. Meanwhile, the Warriors boast a roster with several top NHL prospects and have displayed their offensive prowess throughout the post-season. The series is expected to be a hard-fought battle, with both teams eager to represent the Eastern Conference in the WHL championship series.
