Thursday, January 15, 2015

Moose Jaw 4 Kootenay 3

From Chris Wahl ... http://www.kootenayice.net/article/warriors-edge-ice-wednesday
Brayden Point's hat-trick goal 11:08 into the third period proved decisive as the Moose Jaw Warriors edged the Kootenay ICE 4-3 Wednesday at Mosaic Place.

The Warriors withstood a late ICE rally, with goaltender Zach Sawchenko turning aside 30 shots as Kootenay began its three-game East Division road trip with a defeat.

Moose Jaw led 2-0 after 20 minutes of play on a pair of breakaway goals from Point. A third breakaway goal off the stick of Torrin White helped the hosts increase their lead to 3-0 just prior to the midway mark of the second period.

Kootenay finally solved Sawchenko at 11:44 of period two on an odd-man rush, when Matt Alfaro dropped a pass to linemate Austin Vetterl, who put home his fourth goal of the season cutting the Warriors' lead to 3-1.

Rinat Valiev, playing in his first game since returning to the ICE from the 2015 World Junior Hockey Championships, shaved the deficit to 3-2 five and a half minutes later on a long range shot.

Kootenay outshot Moose Jaw 12-3 in the third period, but fell behind 4-2 on Point's hat-trick marker, which came on a Warrior power-play.

ICE captain Sam Reinhart brought his club back to within a goal a minute later on a nifty setup from Tim Bozon, but the Warriors held on the rest of the way collecting their second home victory over Kootenay this season.

ICE goaltender Wyatt Hoflin made 14 saves. The ICE power-play finished 0-5.

UP NEXT: Kootenay continues the three-game road trip Friday in Prince Albert. Game time is 6:00 pm.