The Moose Jaw Warriors just can't find a way to beat the Brandon Wheat Kings this season after falling by one goal for the third time on Tuesday, losing 6-5 at Westman Place.

“This is getting too familiar,” said forward Jesse Shynkaruk after the loss for the Warriors. “Every time against these guys, they find a way to score more goals than us. You can't get into a track meet with these guys because of all their star power, but we've just got to find a way.”

Marc McNulty scored twice and finished with three points for the Warriors, while Landon Quinney picked up a pair of assists and Dryden Hunt, Jesse Shynkaruk and Ryan Bowen all scored in the loss.

McNulty opened the scoring just under eight minutes into the game, that was one of four leads that the Warriors held in the game, but they couldn't find a way to hold on those leads with Brandon answering each time.

“For some reason we can't clamp down and play well defensively against Brandon,” said assistant coach Mark O'Leary on the Country 100 Post-Game Show. “It's nothing miraculous that they're doing, it just seems that, especially in this building, our mistakes are in the back of our net in a hurry.

“We didn't do enough to make their life difficult tonight, right from the start of the game, I don't think we did that. To come away with five goals and give ourselves a chance to win this game is special, but we have to do a better job in our own zone.”

Zach Sawchenko made 30 saves in the loss, while the Warriors fired 35 shots on the Brandon net. It was the first time the Warriors have had back-to-back games with 30+ shots in the past 11 games.

The Warriors pressured the Wheat Kings' offensively throughout the game, but it ended up being some turnovers that ended up costing the Tribe as four of Brandon's six goals came directly off Moose Jaw turnovers.

“Knowing the situation that you're in is one thing, we want our guys to be creative and we want them to try things offensively, but know the situation you're in and the risk-reward,” said O'Leary. “They're a good team and they do that, if we step up on them at our blue line, they slide it in and go to work.”

“We've just got to get pucks deep and manage the puck a lot better,” added Shynkaruk.

Braylon Shmyr scored a hat trick for the Wheat Kings, including back-to-back goals midway through the second period which gave Brandon their first lead of the game. Shmyr's third goal tied the game in the third period and Tim McGauley scored the winner with just over ten minutes to go.

Nolan Patrick and Tyler Coulter had the other markers for Brandon, while Macoy Erkamps added two assists.

The Warriors kept pace with the Wheat Kings throughout the contest and to come away with no points after scoring five goals for the second straight meeting with Brandon is no doubt frustrating.

“We did play well, our feet were moving pretty good, so we just need to carry that over against Med Hat and just play with a lot of energy and we'll be good against the Tigers,” said Shynkaruk.

Moose Jaw returns to action on Thursday when they take on the Medicine Hat Tigers in a New Year's Eve battle at Mosaic Place. Western Nissan Warriors Hockey returns to Country 100, starting with the Pre-Game Show at 6:40pm.