Moose Jaw, SK — The Moose Jaw Warriors started slow and couldn’t find their footing in time against Spokane on Tuesday night.

The Chiefs walked away with a 5-2 win over the Warriors at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.

“I didn’t think we were good at all, honestly, we didn’t deserve to win that game,” Warriors forward Ryder Korczak said after the game.

“The start is the biggest thing, we came out there flat and that’s kind of what the game was, just flat for us.”

Spokane led 2-0 after the first, 4-0 after the second and 5-0 early in the third period before the Warriors picked up goals from Robert Baco and Harper Lolacher late in the game.

Warriors assistant coach Gord Burnett said the Warriors never got into their rhythm.

“It was a tough night, that’s probably as simple as you can put it,” he said. “I’m not sure we ever found [our groove], we just weren’t ready to go and those nights happen, but you don’t want that to happen too often.”

Carter Streek and Tommaso De Luca finished with two goals and three points each for the Chiefs, while Dawson Cowan made 33 saves in the win.

Jackson Unger was between the pipes for Moose Jaw, turning away 29 shots in the loss.

“I thought they were good on the rush and for whatever reason, our entry coverage wasn’t what we wanted it to be tonight and it cost us,” Burnett said.

Streek opened the scoring, burying a shot off the rush for Spokane just 5:57 into the first period.

With 6:10 left in the opening frame, Chase Bertholet scored in the slot to make it 2-0 for the Chiefs after one.

De Luca struck for two goals in the second period, scoring both off the rush, the first coming just 5:27 in the frame and the second just past the midway point of the period.

Streek’s second of the night 6:51 into the third period gave the Chiefs a 5-0 lead.

Baco scored his sixth of the season with 8:14 left to play in regulation and Lolacher followed that up with his fourth of the year with 3:05 to go in the third.

The Warriors are 19-12-0-0 this season after the loss. and currently fourth in the Eastern Conference.

Korczak said the Warriors need to finish the first half strong.

“We have to be dialed in, if you look at the standings, everything’s close, so if you want to be a playoff team, these points matter,” he said.

The Warriors will look to finish the first half on a high note when they host the rival Regina Pats on Friday night at the Hangar.