The two-game losing streak was snapped on Thursday night for the Moose Jaw WINMAR AAA Warriors, as a third-period comeback propelled them to a 3-2 win over the visiting Estevan Bears at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.

Moose Jaw was down 2-1 heading into the third period, but a goal by Dylan Duzan and the game-winner by Liam Fitzpatrick sealed the win for the WINMAR Warriors.

Fitzpatrick’s winning goal was his first in two games, after countless chances.

“It felt great, I finally got the monkey off my back,” says Fitzpatrick. “I came onto the ice from the bench and we had the puck down low and I was floating in the slot and we got it to our defenceman, a shot on net, got the rebound, and put it home.”

Fitzpatrick added that Thursday’s win was huge in building some momentum heading into their three games next week.

In the net, Moose Jaw got a solid performance from starter Ryan Bain who stopped 24 of 26 shots he faced on Thursday.

“I was seeing the puck really well tonight, there were a few times I misread where the shot was going but overcame that,” explains Bain. “I felt I had a solid game to get back into it, as we haven’t been winning lately.”

He showed gratitude towards his team in front of him for blocking several shots and says that it was a team win on Thursday.

Bain was under siege in the first period, as the Bears came out firing on all cylinders, outshooting the Warriors 12-3 at one point.

Moose Jaw did battle back and turned the momentum in their favour but wasn’t able to beat Bears starter Kaden Perron.

Estevan was able to strike first, and it didn’t come until the last minute of the first period.

In the dying seconds of the period, Blaze Gutzke was able to chip the puck past a Moose Jaw defender and come in on an odd-man rush. His initial shot was stopped by Bain but Carter Tuplin crashed the net and found the back of the net giving the Bears the 1-0 lead after 20 minutes.

Though being outshot heavily early on, Moose Jaw was able to battle back in the shot department and only trailed 15-6 after the first period.

Moose Jaw’s pattern of very strong second period’s continued on Thursday night. They controlled the momentuem to start the period and with just over five minutes in were rewarded.

Rhett Perrin got a pass from Grady Hoffman and flew down the left side of the ice and outwaited Perron and put a backhand into the net to tie the game at 1-1 for his sixth goal of the season. Hoffman and Ryder Knutson picked up assists.

Like they did in the first period, Estevan would battle back and get a late goal and steal the momentum.

Evhan Allan would pick up a loose puck in the slot and backhand it past the blocker of Bain to put the visitors ahead 2-1 heading into the second intermission.

The Bears led in shots after 40 minutes 23-22.

The stage was now set for Moose Jaw's comeback. It all started 3:11 into the third period, as Dylan Duzan would capitalize on the team’s seventh powerplay of the game, as he would clean up the rebound of Jake Briltz’s initial shot, and wouldn’t miss the wide-open net for his seventh goal of the season to tie it 2-2.

Briltz and Hoffman would pick up assists on the goal.

Just over nine minutes later, Liam Fitzpatrick would play the hero. Fitzpatrick would snag the rebound off a shot from the blue line, and backhand it under the blocker of Perron for the 3-2 lead and the eventual game-winner. Briltz and Cooper Buhay picked up the helpers

Though the Bears would apply the pressure the Warriors were able to hold off a late push and come away with the 3-2 victory.

Moose Jaw finished the game way ahead in the shot department 39-26.

Briltz and Hoffman would lead the team offensively with two assists apiece.

Bain would stop 24 of 26 shots for his second win of the season, while Perron suffered the loss in a 36-save performance.

Moose Jaw finished the game 1 for 7 on the powerplay, while Estevan couldn’t capitalize on six, man advantages.

The win improves their record to 6-8-0-3 and puts them in a four-way tie with Estevan, Prince Albert, and Warman.

The team will have some much-needed rest, as they have the weekend off and will begin a three-game road trip next week, which starts on Wednesday in Outlook against the first-place Saskatoon Blazers. Then next weekend they travel to Prince Albert for a two-game series against the Mintos.