MOOSEJAWTODAY.COM — Mayor Clive Tolley is providing some bulletin board fodder for the Moose Jaw Warriors’ second-round series against the Swift Current Broncos by predicting that the community’s favourite team will win in five games.
The Warriors defeated their first-round opponents, the Brandon Wheat Kings, by sweeping the series 4-0. They now prepare for their southwest rivals, with games 1 and 2 at the Events Centre on Friday, April 12 and Saturday, April 13.
While the Broncos finished in second place in the Eastern Conference after winning the Central Division and had home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs, the teams re-seed according to regular-season records in the second round. Therefore, the Warriors will have home-ice advantage in round two.
Following the April 8 regular council meeting, the media asked the mayor how he thought the Warriors would fare in the second round.
“This is the best Moose Jaw Warrior team in our 40-year history. We’ve had two or three other opportunities to win the Western Hockey League and we’ve fallen just short,” Tolley said.
“I’m predicting that we’re going to win this next series against Swift Current and go on and win the Western Hockey League championship and compete in the Memorial Cup.”
The Broncos defeated the Warriors in seven games the last time they met in the playoffs, so Tolley predicted that Moose Jaw would win in five. He noted that while every game played at the Events Centre brings in more money for the building and club, he knew the team likely wanted to win in four, so players had more time for recovery.
It takes 16 victories to claim the WHL championship, so the Warriors are one-quarter of the way there after finishing off the Wheaties in four, the mayor added.
Tolley said he hadn’t spoken with Swift Current Mayor Al Bridal about having a fun challenge where the losing team’s mayor would have to wear the winning team’s jersey during a council meeting. However, he would consider calling his mayoral colleague and possibly setting up something.
“I suspect Al hasn’t contacted me because he knows he’d be wearing a Warriors’ jersey,” Tolley added with a smile.
During the regular season, each team won three games apiece against the other. The Warriors posted the second-best record in the Eastern Conference in the regular season at 44-21-0-3, while the Broncos were third-best in the conference at 40-22-4-2.
Statistically, Swift Current was led in scoring by Conor Geekie, who had 43 goals and 99 points in 55 games, followed by Clarke Caswell (68-26-51-77), Rylan Gould (68-23-45-68), Josh Filmon (64-27-40-67) and Connor Hvidston (53-27-32-59) to round out their top five.
The Warriors were topped by WHL scoring leader Jagger Firkus with 61 goals and 126 points in 63 games, followed by a pair of 90-plus point players in Altey Calvert (68-47-48-95) and Brayden Yager (57-35-60-95).
They’re followed by the defenceman with the highest points-per-game in the league this season in Denton Mateychuck (52-17-58-75) and the player with the highest overall points-per-game in Matthew Savoie (34-30-41-71).
Games 3 and 4 are Tuesday, April 16 and Wednesday, April 17, in Swift Current, with Game 5 in Moose Jaw on Friday, April 19, Game 6 in Swift Current on Sunday, April 21 and Game 7 in Moose Jaw on Tuesday, April 23 — if necessary, of course.
Since the next regular council meeting is Monday, April 22, that means Mayor Clive Tolley will appear wearing either a business suit or a Swift Current Broncos’ jersey.
