The Moose Jaw Warriors scored four times en route to a 6-2 victory over the Kootenay ICE Saturday at Mosaic Place.

Warriors captain Brett Howden and import forward Nikita Popugaev each finished with a goal and three assists, as the ICE fell to 1-1 on their three-game East Division swing.

The two sides traded power-play goals late in the first period. Moose Jaw’s Popugaev opened the scoring with a long-range slapper 14:10 into the game before the ICE tied things at 1-1 on a terrific individual effort by Matt Alfaro a minute and a half later. The 20 year-old strode down the right wing, faking a backhand pass across the slot before switching to his forehand and chipping a puck to the short side on Warriors goaltender Zach Sawchenko.

Moose Jaw controlled the middle frame, taking the lead inside two minutes on a power-play slapshot from Brett Howden to go ahead 2-1. Then, winger Ryan Bowen extended the hosts’ advantage with a low snapshot from the left wing at 8:12 that slipped over the pad of Kootenay netminder Declan Hobbs.

Warriors forward Jayden Halbgewachs further padded the lead with a pair of goals late in the period, the first coming on a sharp-angled backhand shot as Moose Jaw took a 5-1 lead into the second intermission.

Warriors rearguard Josh Brook and ICE leading scorer Zak Zborosky exchanged goals in the opening five minutes of period three to round out the scoring.

Sawchenko made 20 saves to collect his first victory of the season for Moose Jaw. Hobbs turned aside 18 shots before being replaced by Payton Lee, who stopped all 14 shots he faced in the third period.

Alfaro’s first-period goal was his 100th career WHL point.

HADDAD FINANCIAL SERVICES 3 STARS:
1. Brett Howden, Moose Jaw
2. Nikita Popugaev, Moose Jaw
3. Jayden Halbgewachs, Moose Jaw

UP NEXT: the ICE complete the long weekend with a matinee affair in Swift Current on Monday. Puck drop is set for 2:00 pm.