The message on day 1 of the Moose Jaw Warriors’ training camp was about pushing through when your tired and your back is against the wall.

A hockey team wants their veterans to lead by example and that’s just what assistant captain Tanner Jeannot did during the team’s fitness testing on Thursday morning.

As the players went through the beep test, Jeannot was the last player left standing during the second group and as he started to wear down, the 20-year-old continued to push despite being noticeably out of gas.

Head Coach Tim Hunter pointed that out immediately after and the message wasn’t lost on the younger players taking part in the Warriors’ rookie camp, who had to go through fitness testing, a practice and scrimmage throughout the day.

“It was tough, everything stacked together really got to me, but they care about how you push through and how you do in the third period, so you sucked it up, got through the day and it feels good now,” said goalie Jackson Berry.

The 2017 sixth round pick had an impressive first scrimmage of his first WHL training camp as he posted a shutout in a 3-0 win for Team White over Team Red. The opposing team wasn’t able to score on Berry through 50 minutes of 5-on-5 and five minutes of 3-on-3.

Berry said it was nice to have that success on Day 1, but it’s all about what he’s able to do afterwards that will matter.

“It feels pretty good, but I’m not satisfied yet,” he said. “I have to show them that I’m consistent and that I can do that tomorrow and the next day.”

Berry is still a year away from being eligible to play for the Warriors, but he wanted to come into his first training camp with the team show that he’s ready to make the jump to the next level whenever that may be.

He said he’s going to soak in as much as possible from Brody Willms and Adam Evanoff, who like Berry were late round picks, but have rose to play in the WHL.

“I just want to learn what it takes because they’re already here and they’re going to be playing, so I want to learn what they did to get here so that I can replicate some of that and take in their advice because I want to be in their positions one day,” said Berry.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a first round pick or sixth round, it’s just how you perform here and show them that they made a good choice taking you.”

Warriors' first round pick Daemon Hunt looks to knock the puck away during Thursday's opening scrimmage of training camp at Mosaic Place. (Photo: Marc Smith)

Daemon Hunt had a lot of eyes on him Thursday as the 2017 first round pick took part in his first training camp with the team. He said he battled to push through and follow the example set by Jeannot earlier in the day.

“It was a long day,” said Hunt. “Near the end of the game it was getting it to me a bit, but you’ve just got to keep driving, showing them how hard you work and keep showing your skills.”

Hunt got his first taste of the Warriors’ organization earlier this year when he took part in the team’s Prospect Camp, but he said this is another level all together.

“Everyone is going so much harder because they’re trying to make this hockey team,” said Hunt. “Everyone is going all out, the intensity level is up and skill level, so I just have to work harder and keep driving.”

Hunt added that he had his eyes on making it through to main camp and further.

Warriors' 2017 third round pick Peyton McKenzie carries the puck into the zone during Thursday's opening scrimmage of training camp at Mosaic Place. (Photo: Marc Smith)

Peyton McKenzie has the same goal. The 2017 third round pick, who signed with the Warriors after Prospects Camp, is small, but skilled, and he felt like he was able to show that skill over the first two on-ice sessions of camp.

“I just wanted to show them that I don’t give up, going through a long day, not letting everything get to me and just battling through,” said McKenzie, who is the younger brother of Portland Winterhawks forward Sykler McKenzie.

“I’m trying to make it as far as I can, I’m just trying to impress and leave a mark," he added.  "I’m trying to take everything in, have some sit down conversations with veterans and take in everything that they can tell me.”

Rookie camp continues on Friday with scrimmages at 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. with cuts to follow.

The veterans are on the ice Friday for the first time with practices at 8 and 9 a.m. and then again at 2 and 3 p.m.

Main camp takes over on the weekend with scrimmages at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday. The Black & White Intersquad Game is admission by donation to the Canadian Mental Health Association.