The Moose Jaw Warriors remain alive at the 2024 Memorial Cup in Saginaw, Michigan on Tuesday. After losing their first two games of the tournament by identical 5-4 scores (first to the host Saginaw Spirit on Friday and then to the Ontario Hockey League champion London Knights on Monday), the Warriors won an elimination contest with the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League champion Drummondville Voltigeurs by a score of 5-3. With the win, the Western Hockey League champion Warriors knocked out the Voltigeurs and advanced to the Memorial Cup semifinal on Friday, where they will play the loser of tonight’s game between the Spirit and Knights.
Two Warriors players led the team offensively with three points each. Centre Brayden Yager of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, the first round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2023 National Hockey League Entry Draft, and defenseman Denton Mateychuk of Winnipeg, Manitoba, the first round pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, each had one goal and two assists. The other three Warriors goal scorers were defenseman Aiden Ziprick of Russell, Manitoba, centre Jagger Firkus of Irma, Alberta, and defenseman Vojtech Port.
It was Ziprick’s goal that was the most dramatic for the Warriors. It was a shorthanded goal with a minute and 34 seconds left in the third period to break a 3-3 tie.
