The Moose Jaw Warriors four-game in five-day schedule continued on Wednesday in Cranbrook, B.C. with a 5-2 win over the Kootenay Ice at Western Financial Place.

It was a nice bounce back for the Warriors after they opened their two-game Central Division road trip by falling behind 2-0 and losing 4-3  in Lethbridge on Tuesday.

“Obviously (Tuesday) night was a tough loss, so coming into tonight and getting those first two goals quick, that helps out a lot, it’s always nice to lead in games and to find a way to do that tonight, and close it out, was pretty key for the team,” said Warriors overage forward Jayden Halbgewachs, who finished with a goal and two points in the win.

Halbgewachs scored his 60th goal of the season in the win, becoming the first player to hit that mark in the Western Hockey League since Oliver Bjorkstrand in 2014-15.

With nine games remaining in the regular season, the Emerald Park product has the chance to set the Warriors’ franchise record as he trails Blair Atchyenum’s record of 70 by 10.

“You never think that you’re going to score that many goals in a season and to come out this season has been pretty impressive and something that I’ll always cherish,” said Halbgewachs. “It’s just the success of our team and my linemates that have contributed to that.”

The win also moved the Warriors back into first place in the WHL with a 47-13-1-2 record, which has them two points ahead of the Swift Current Broncos with one game in hand.

Assistant coach Mark O’Leary said on the Country 100 Post-Game Show that the team did a good job of responding from Tuesday night’s loss, but the 12 power plays between the two teams didn’t allow them to full turn it on.

“We had our moments when we were really on the gas and playing our fast north-south game, but the special teams got in the way of the flow of the game as a whole, so that was the only thing that I didn’t really like was our discipline, but other than that, we played a pretty good game,” said O’Leary.

Early in the game, Kootenay did a good job slowing down the Warriors, as they didn’t allow a Moose Jaw shot for the first ten minutes. However, in the back half of the period, Moose Jaw started to find their stride and create quality scoring chances.

At 13:23, Barrett Sheen carried the puck across the Ice right line and then dished it off to a trailing Tristin Langan. Langan came inside the circle and then made a cross ice pass to Vince Loschiavo at the bottom of the left circle where he picked up his 17th goal.

In the final moments of the period, the Warriors battled the puck away from Kootenay in the right corner, Halbgewachs moved the puck quickly to the point for Josh Brook, who then saw Brandon Schuldhaus sneaking off the left line and made a quick pass over to him, Schuldhaus then drove the net and snapped in his seventh of the season to make it 2-0.

Just 52 seconds into the second period the Warriors added to their lead with a power play goal. Brayden Burke came to the Kootenay line and moved the puck over to Brett Howden, who drove towards the Ice net, he swung the puck over to Halbgewachs, who let a quick shot go that beat Duncan McGovern for his 60th of the season.

Moose Jaw ran into penalty problems in the middle period, as they gave Kootenay five power plays in the frame and they were able to convert on one with an Alec Baer goal to make it 3-1.

The Warriors started the third period on the power play and only 34 seconds into the period, they added to their lead on Justin Almeida’s 36th goal of the year.

Just over four minutes later, Tristin Langan led a rush across the Ice line and skated to the right goal line where he dropped the puck back for Kale Clague, who snapped in his 11th of the season and first as a Warrior.

Kootenay responded with a goal from 16-year-old Cole Muir only 25 seconds later, but that’s where their offense stopped as the Warriors went on to a 5-2 win.

Halbgewachs and Loschiavo had a goal and two points each, Howden and Burke had two assists each, and Adam Evanoff made 23 saves in the win. Moose Jaw was 2-for-5 on the power play and 6-for-7 on the penalty kill.

Moose Jaw has a very busy schedule this week as they play four games in four different provinces over five nights. The team will get Thursday off to rest up before the weekend and Halbgewachs said that will be key.

“It will be nice to have a day off before we head back out to Brandon,” he said. “It’s been a busy schedule, but we need to just keep finding ways, playoffs is going to be tough, so to be busy like this is key for us to battle through it and find some success.”

After playing in Alberta and B.C, the Warriors’ week continues on Friday in Manitoba with a battle against the Brandon Wheat Kings. Catch all the action on Country 100 starting with the Westrum Lumber Timber Mart PreGame Show at 7:10 p.m.