Brodan Salmond made 18 saves in his return to Kelowna, leading the Moose Jaw Warriors to a 5-1 win Wednesday at Prospera Place.

In their only meeting of the season, the teams used the first couple of shifts as a feeling out process to figure out the others tendencies.

As the teams looked to get comfortable on the ice, the action in the first period was tight as they fought for quality scoring chances.

Moose Jaw picked up the game’s first goal just past the four minute mark.

Keenan Taphorn took on the right wing and rushed down the Rockets boards.  Taphorn made a short pass inside the circle to Luke Ormsby who skated the puck to the goal line and then set up Carson Denomie on the left side of the Kelowna crease.  The goal was Denomie’s first as a Warrior and his 2nd of the season.

Even though the teams combined for 13 shots in the second period, both teams did a good job picking up the pace and racing up the ice in transition.  Defensively however, both teams did a good job of blocking shots and goalies Brodan Salmond and Roman Basran were forced to make key saves.

Moose Jaw extended their lead while on the power play with just under five minutes left in the period.

Tristin Langan fought the puck away from the Rockets along the right boards and moved the puck to the point for Josh Brook.  Brook then moved the puck along the blueline to Jett Woo on the left side, Woo set up Justin Almeida inside the circle where his shot found the back of the net for his third goal of the road trip and 14th of the season.

Inside the final minute of the second period, the Warriors pushed for more.

Kaeden Taphorn dug the puck up the left boards to Dalton Hamaliuk who moved the puck quickly to Jett Woo on the right side.

Woo stepped off the line, dangled around a Kelowna fore-checker and then put a wrist shot to the back of the net for his 8th of the season which made it 3-0.

Getting past the eight minute mark of the third period the Warriors drove towards the Kelowna line through the middle of the ice.

The puck was poked away from the forwards and went to a trailing Drae Gardiner who skated quickly down the left boards and snapped a shot past Basran, his 1st WHL goal made it 4-0 for the Warriors.

They added to their lead just past the midway point when Josh Brook took a shot from the point that was deflected by Daniil Stepanov for his 5th of the season and second of the road trip.

Kelowna broke up the shutout with three minutes left in the game on a goal from Kyle Topping.

Jett Woo finished with a goal and two points, Josh Brook had three assists, and Kaeden Taphorn picked up two assists.

The win improves the Warriors record to 23-11-5-2 and they now sit five points back of Saskatoon for 2nd in the East Division and they’re 13 points up on Brandon for 3rd.

Moose Jaw will have Thursday off to head west to Victoria where they’ll battle the Royals Friday night.  Catch all the action on Country 100 starting with the PreGame Show with James Gallo at 8:40pm.