Moose Jaw Warriors advance to second WHL Championship in franchise history with overtime win
Lynden Lakovic’s goal just 36 seconds into overtime on Tuesday night helped the Moose Jaw Warriors to a 3-2 win over the Saskatoon Blades in game seven and into the Western Hockey League final.
The Warriors will now face the Portland Winterhawks for the Ed Chynoweth Cup. It’s the first time in 18 years and just the second time in franchise history that the club will make a finals appearance.
Ethan Semeniuk opened scoring for the Warriors in the first period on a deflection in front off a Kalem Parker shot.
The Blades drew even midway through the second period when Easton Armstrong picked up the puck in the high slot and fired a backhand attempt past Warriors’ netminder Jackson Unger.
Seattle Kraken prospect Jagger Firkus broke the deadlock nearly ten minutes into the third period. Brayden Yager stripped a Blades defender of the puck and found a wide-open Firkus in the slot for a one-timer. The Blades battled back to tie the game with under four minutes to play on a goal by Vaughn Watterodt.
Lackovic then ended it 36 seconds into overtime, the sixth time in seven games the two teams needed extra time to decide a winner.
“Just excitement. It’s such a tight group and we’ve said it all along, they just don’t’ want to let each other down. Whether you get scored on early or you give up a lead like a couple of games ago, there’s just nothing that phases this group and we saw that here tonight,” Warriors head coach Mark O’Leary said.
The Warriors team bus received a police escort to the rink upon arriving in Moose Jaw, complete with flashing lights.
Once they arrived, dozens of fans cheered and ushered the team into the arena with captain Denton Mateychuk leading the way.
The Warriors have little time to celebrate and recharge. The WHL Championship begins Friday night in Portland. Moose Jaw Will host Games three four and if necessary five. Portland will host games one two and six and seven if necessary.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP want Liberals to scrap proposed election date change that could secure pensions for many MPs
The federal New Democrats want to amend the Liberal government's electoral reform legislation to scrap the proposal to push back the vote by a week and consequently secure pensions for dozens of MPs, CTV News has learned.
Supreme Court won't hear appeal in Montreal brainwashing experiments case
The Supreme Court of Canada will not review a Quebec ruling that bars people from suing the U.S. government in Canada over its role in notorious brainwashing experiments at a Montreal psychiatric hospital.
Drive one of these vehicles? You may pay 37 per cent more than average insurance costs due to thefts
As the number of auto theft incidents rises in Canada, so have insurance premiums for drivers, even the ones whose vehicles aren't stolen.
Teen pleads guilty to manslaughter in death of homeless man in downtown Toronto
One of eight teen girls charged in the death of a homeless man in downtown Toronto has pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
'I'm not wealthy': Ontario senior shocked she owes $40,000 in capital gains after gifting land
An Ontario senior who wanted to help her daughter and grandson eventually own homes one day decided to give them two lots on her property as a gift—but she didn’t know it would eventually cost her tens of thousands of dollars.
National task force not lowering age for routine breast cancer screening to 40
A national task force that provides guidance for primary health-care providers is not lowering the recommended breast cancer screening age to 40, despite urging from several cancer specialists, surgeons and radiologists.
Police arrest 19-year-old suspect after Montreal triple homicide
Police have made an arrest following a deadly street fight that ended with three people killed in Montreal's Plateau-Mont-Royal borough last week.
How to save on food and drinks at your next sports game or concert
When Dianne Debarros and Tom Stitzel headed to a Toronto Blue Jays game last month, the couple figured dining at the Rogers Centre would not be cheap.
Video shows driver in Toronto frantically getting out of car being pushed by truck
A CP24 camera caught the moment a driver frantically got out of her car as it was being dragged by a truck on Avenue Road Wednesday afternoon.