An emotional game Saturday at Mosaic Place ended in favour of the home team as the Moose Jaw Warriors snapped their five game slide with a 2-1 win over the Calgary Hitmen.

The teams established a quick pace early on and kept it up throughout the opening period. They were smooth through the neutral zone and were hard on the fore-check which led to quality scoring opportunities.

On the penalty kill early the first, Kolton Olynek won a defensive zone faceoff. Spenser Jensen poked the puck up the wall for Jack Rodewald who led a rush across the Calgary line. Rodewald’s shot bounced off the pads of goalie Mack Shields and right to the trailing Olynek who scored his second of the year to give the tribe the lead.

The game remained tight in the second period, both teams remained aggressive on the fore-check, they both created scoring chances on turnovers, and both goalies made big saves. Moose Jaw tested Calgary goalie Mack Shields, who made dramatic notable saves on Tanner Eberle and Brayden Point to keep the game close.

With just over five minutes remaining in the period the Warriors moved the puck along the blueline, rookie defenceman Ryan Gardiner let a low wrist shot go that was deflected by Rodewald and in to the back of the net for his eighth of the year to make it 2-0.

Moose Jaw played well defensively throughout the game, but in the third they limited Calgary to just one shot in the first twelve minutes. Late in the period the Hitmen started to develop more shots, and with just over two minutes remaining Radel Fazleev shelved a shot from the right goal line to make it a one-goal game.

As the Hitmen pressed for an equalizer the Warriors strong defensive game continued, and in the end they held on for the narrow 2-1 win.

Jack Rodewald finished with a goal and two points for the Warriors, Spenser Jensen picked up two assists, Ryan Gardiner recorded his first WHL point with an assist on the game winning goal from Rodewald, and Zach Sawchenko made 20 saves.

Moose Jaw was 0-for-6 on the power play and 3-for-3 on the penalty kill with a shorthanded goal.

Moose Jaw is now off until next weekend when they’ll take on the Medicine Hat Tigers in a home-and-home series. The first game is Friday at Mosaic Place, catch all the action on Country 100 starting with the PreGame Show at 6:40pm.

Moose Jaw Starters: G-Zach Sawchenko, D-Dallas Valentine & Tyler Brown, LW-Jaimen Yakubowski, C-Brayden Point, RW-Jack Rodewald

Moose Jaw Scratches: Ben Duperreault, Noah Gregor, Brett Howden, Austin Adam

Calgary Starters: G-Mack Shields, D-Michael Zipp & Colby Harmsworth, LW-Kenton Helgesen, C-Chase Lang, RW-Taylor Sanheim

Calgary Scratches: Jake Bean, Beck Malenstyn, Elliott Peterson