A mid-week trip for the Moose Jaw Warriors ended Wednesday with a 5-2 loss to the Red Deer Rebels at the Enmax Centrium.

58 seconds into the game, the Rebels were able to capitalize on a bad bounce behind the Moose Jaw net.  Ben King set up Chris Douglas in front of the net where he scored to give Red Deer the lead.

Moose Jaw had great pressure throughout the frame.  Their fore-check was aggressive and winning battles in the Rebels zone, their defence did a good job controlling the blueline to keep them on the attack, and everyone did a good job getting the puck to the net which led to a 14-6 advantage on the shot clock.

That pressure was rewarded with six second left in the period.

Owen Hardy and Brayden Tracey battled the Rebels behind the Red Deer net.  Hardy got control of the puck and tossed it towards the top of the crease where it went off a skate and rolled over the goal line, the captain’s 11th goal of the season tied the game at one.

Red Deer took a 2-1 lead 4:21 into the second period when Jayden Grubbe dug the puck off the neutral zone boards in front of the Rebels blueline.  Grubbe flung the puck up the ice for Ethan Sakowich who led an odd-man rush and finished with the Rebels go-ahead goal.

The Rebels extended their lead at 7:50 and with two second left on a power-play.

Moose Jaw was unable to clear their zone and Dawson Barteaux had the puck at the right point.  He let a shot go from the blueline, it was going well wide of the Moose Jaw net but it ricocheted off a Warrior in the right circle and then off the skate of Arshdeep Bains inside the left circle and then over the goal line.

In the third period, the Rebels put 17 shots at the Moose Jaw net and at the same time, were able to limit the Warriors to just eight shots.

Red Deer went up 4-1 at 17:27 on a wrap-around goal from Brett Davis, the Warriors responded under a minute later when Owen Hardy scored his second of the game. 

After the Hardy goal, the Warriors pulled their goalie for an extra-attacker but the gamble backfired, Josh Tarzwell scored into an empty-net to finish the game.

Hardy led the Warriors with two goals, Brayden Tracey picked up two assists, and Adam Evanoff made 28 saves.

Moose Jaw was 0-for-5 on the power-play and 3-for-4 on the penalty kill.

The Warriors busy schedule this weekend continues back at Mosaic Place on the weekend.  Friday they will have a rematch against the Rebels, and then Saturday they East Division leading Prince Albert Raiders will be in town.

Tickets are available at the Mosaic Place Box Office or online at www.mjwarriors.ca.

Both games can be heard on the voice of the Warriors, Country 100, starting with the PreGame Show at 6:40pm.

A reminder to fans that Saturday’s game against the Raiders is the Warriors annual Teddy Bear and Toque Toss in support of the Moose Jaw Salvation Army.

Fans are encouraged to bring plush toys or toque, mittens, scarfs, or other winter apparel, to the rink (packaged in bags), and when the Warriors score their first goal of the game, the items can be tossed on the ice where the Warriors and volunteers will collect them and donate them to the Moose Jaw Salvation Army.