Warriors ready for first-round series against Lethbridge Hurricanes

Their series might not have the same attention on it as the Saskatoon Blades-Regina Pats matchup, but the Moose Jaw Warriors are confident they can surprise some of the Western Hockey League’s top teams as they begin their quest for the Ed Chynoweth Cup.

After being swept by the Winnipeg Ice in the second round of the WHL playoffs last year, the Warriors are looking prove why they should now be considered a threat in the Eastern Conference.

The Warriors finished the 2022-23 regular season with a record of 41-24-0-3, good for fourth place in the conference. It was an improvement from the 81-point season they recorded in 2021-22.

As they start their quest for the cup, they’ll have to get by the Lethbridge Hurricanes, who finished with a 36-26-3-3 record in the regular season.

The Warriors won the season series against the Hurricanes 3-1.

Head coach Mark O’Leary is confident his team learned a lot from last year as it has 19 players from last year’s playoff run.

“We have guys returning who got playoff experience last year. Although we won (the Saskatoon series) 4-1, it was certainly a battle every night and those games could’ve gone either way,” he said. “It was a good experience for us and hopefully we can draw from that.”

He feels one of the most important lessons the Warriors learned was just how hard it is to play in the playoffs. He doesn’t think momentum will play a big factor in the battles they’ll face.

“I think (they’ve learned) how hard it is each and every night and the need to reset. Whether you win the game or lose the game, there’s no momentum that carries game to game,” O’Leary explained.

“It’s a fresh start each and every night and as much as you want to win the first one, you’ve got to do it again in the second one, so (it’s about) just managing the ups and downs.”

Warriors captain Denton Mateychuk thinks a more experienced group this year will help them get by Lethbridge and hopefully on a solid playoff run.

“I think (last year) was a lot of guys’ first playoffs and I think we learned a lot. We had a good series against Saskatoon and then we go into Winnipeg and couldn’t win a game in their rink,” Mateychuk said.

“I think that’s just a big thing, learn from that and learn you have to be able to play in every rink. It’s different everywhere you go, so just be ready for that.”

He thinks Moose Jaw is a top team in the East that can compete in the playoffs.

“I think we’re one of those top teams and we’re going to try and prove that in these playoffs,” he added.

In this series and throughout the playoffs, a lot of attention will be on Brayden Yager.

He’s anticipated to be taken in the first round of the 2023 NHL draft and some mid-season draft rankings have had him going as high as seventh overall.

While there might be a bit more pressure on him with more NHL scouts watching, he thinks he’ll be able to handle it.

“I think it’s going to be super-exciting. I think I put more pressure on myself than anyone else does,” he said. “I really think I’m an offensive player, but I like to think I’m pretty good at both ends of the ice as well.”

Yager said in the last year he’s become an all-around better player with skating and his shot in particular.

Everyone on the Warriors knows this series won’t be easy.

For Yager, it will come down to which team works the hardest.

“I think (the Hurricanes) transition well and play kind of a playoff-style game even throughout the regular season and I think we’re just going to have to make sure we’re working just as hard as they are,” he explained.

“I think one thing is making sure we’re boxing out in front. They do a good job going low to high and getting guys in front, so I think if we can keep them away from our goalie I think we’ll be fine.”

The Warriors will be getting a much-needed boost in time for playoffs as the team welcomes back Connor Ungar, Max Wanner, Lynden Lakovic and Marek Howell from the league-imposed suspensions they received in mid-February.

The players were suspended for violating team rules and WHL Standard of Conduct Policies after a non-criminal off-ice incident that took place on a road-trip in Edmonton.

On March 10, after an investigation was completed, the league announced the four players had been suspended for the rest of the regular season and O’Leary and general manager Jason Ripplinger had been suspended for five regular-season games. The club was also fined $25,000.

O’Leary says the team has put that all behind them.

“It was a challenge just like any other challenge,” he said. “I mentioned 68 games is a long time for a season and there’s going to be things that happen. It was a tough situation for everybody, I love how we responded and now it’s fun time.”

While O’Leary refused to talk about the details of the incident, he told the Green Zone it goes to show every moment matters.

“I think it just reinstates what we talk about here all the time in terms of our organization. We teach the kids, we educate them and it’s our job to influence them to do those right things and then we hope,” O’Leary added.

“That’s what sometimes makes this job really fun, but sometimes it makes it challenging as well. Like I said, it’s been a tough stretch, but I’m really proud how we came through it.”

O’Leary confirmed Ungar would get the start in net for Game 1 on Friday night.

Prior to the suspension, Ungar had posted impressive numbers with a 26-7-0-3 record and a .925 save percentage.

The series opens Friday with Game 2 the following evening. Puck drop for both is at 7 p.m.

Games 3 and 4 return to Lethbridge Apr. 4 and 5.