For the first time in four years, the Moose Jaw midget AAA team has made it through to the second round of the playoffs.

The Warriors won 4-2 over Notre Dame last night to sweep the first round series – which is the franchise’s first playoff series win since 2016 against Beardy’s Blackhawks.

This year, Warriors assistant coach Carter Smith said that every time the Warriors were knocked down, they were able to recover.

“It’s just exactly how that series went,” said Smith. “They would show us something and knock us down, and those boys would just hit the ground running and come back with something else.”

Kirk Mullen scored a first period goal to give the Warriors an early lead, while Notre Dame scored late in the seconed to tie it up. But a pair of goals near the end of the second from Ethan Peters and Atley Calvert gave the Warriors the lead they wouldn’t reliquish.

While Notre Dame pushed back with a goal in the middle of the third, the Warriors’ Christopher Otterson scored with 4:39 on the clock.

Chase Coward stopped 40 shots in the win as Notre Dame poured on the pressure.

Smith said it was the best Warriors game they’ve played this series.

“It’s pretty easy as a coach when you’ve got… 12 forwards and six D going, and a goalie that’s standing on his head,” said Smith. “I just can’t say enough about those kids. That was a great series win. Now we’ve got to take a couple days here and get ready and see who we’ve got next.”

Calvert scored three goals in the series and he feels good about the young team.

“A lot of these guys, we haven’t had a whole lot of opportunities to take a crack at it,” he said. “I think this year we’ve got a really good squad and I think we proved it in the first round.”

Smith said their leaders lead by example well.

“They don’t do so much talking as they let their game do the talking,” Smith said. “Sometimes, that’s way better than words. And it’s not just the guys with the C and As, it’s right to the twelfth forward… and six D. As you can see (Monday), whoever can be the hero.”

The Warriors will find out who they play in the second round once the other series' are over, but there is a possibility they’ll play the Regina Pat Canadians in the next round.