SASKATOON -- It took a little longer than they would have liked, but once the Saskatoon Blades scored their Teddy Bear Toss goal against the Moose Jaw Warriors on Friday night, it was all systems go.
The Blades would go on to score five straight in the third period -- including the Toss goal by Brandon Lisowsky -- and take a 5-2 victory in Western Hockey League action.
Saskatoon improved to 18-10-2-2 and moved back into top spot in the Eastern Conference while also snapping a six-game winless skid, while the Warriors lost for the first time in three outings and dropped to 8-19-3-1 to sit 11th in the Conference.
Things were back-and-forth in the early going, but the Warriors would get on the board first, taking advantage of the game’s first power play in the process.
Aiden Ziprick got off a shot from the point that would find Ethan Semeniuk in front of the net, and his tip would elude Blades goaltender Evan Gardner for the opening goal at the 8:10 mark.
There the game stood until late in the second period, when Moose Jaw extended their lead.
Lynden Lakovic pushed his point streak to 13 games with the insurance marker, taking a feed from Rilen Kovacevic and breaking down his wing before putting a shot home glove side. The streak is the sixth-longest in the WHL this season and the third-longest ongoing run.
The goal came with 2:07 to play in the period and was Lakovic’s 17th of the season.
Kovacevic’s second assist of the game gives him 20 points in his last 12 contests, including 10 in the Warriors’ last five games.
Saskatoon would finally get their Teddy Bear Toss goal with 6:18 gone in the third period. Lisowsky scored on the power play with a hard-angle shot on Warriors goaltender Josh Banini, who had lost his stick earlier on the play.
Add "Teddy Bear Toss Goal" to the impressive resume of Brandon Lisowsky! 馃毃
— Saskatoon Blades (@BladesHockey)
The game was delayed about 15 minutes as the ice was cleared, and 16 seconds after things resumed, it was all tied up. Lisowsky got the job done again, scoring his 20th of the season to make it a 2-2 game.
Only 2:23 after that marker, the Blades had their first lead of the game. Morgan Tastad scored his first of the season, taking a pass back to the point from Grayden Siepmann and walking into the left face-off circle before scoring glove side.
Moose Jaw Minor Hockey product Rowan Calvert then made it four Blades goals in less than five minutes, scoring on the power play from in front of the net at the 11:15 mark of the third. The goal was his 13th of the season.
Saskatoon finished things off with 4:23 to play in the game, with Ben Riche scoring into the empty net as the Warriors pulled Banini for the extra attacker on a power play.
Lisowsky finished with three points on the night, while Parr and Siepmann each had a pair of assists. Calvert also finished with two points.
Gardner finished with 28 saves, Banini with 22.
The Warriors are back in action Saturday when they host the Brandon Wheat Kings, with puck drop at 7 p.m. at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.
Saskatoon is also back on the ice tomorrow night, as they’re in Regina to face the Pats. Game time is 6 p.m.
