Putting up nine points in three games earned Quinton Howden the Canadian Hockey League’s player of the week honours.
What makes him one of the best junior players in the country is what he did Friday night.
With his team struggling and after a poor personal performance, Howden scored four goals as the Moose Jaw Warriors beat the Prince Albert Raiders 6-3 at the Art Hauser Centre Friday night.
“I was really proud of how (Howden) responded,” said Warriors head coach Dave Hunchak. “He played the game with his feet moving, he won a ton of foot races using his speed to his advantage and he shot the puck. For him to be our go-to guy on our team, that’s what he needs to do.
“He played well and I thought his linemates played well for him and did a good job of getting him the puck. Obviously he scored four goals and was the difference in the game.”
Howden now has 37 goals in 47 games this season.
The win raised the Warriors’ record to 33-22-2-2. They came into the game having lost six of their previous seven games and not having won in regulation in three weeks.
Hunchak was proud of the way his team responded after a dismal 3-1 home ice loss against the cellar dwelling Calgary Hitmen Wednesday.
“The thing that is really good is that our group didn’t play well, they got challenged, and they responded,” said Hunchak. “That is always a really good sign. Our guys aren’t stupid, they knew they didn’t play well. They went through a difficult day on Thursday and responded really well with a win on the road.”
The Warriors and the Raiders will meet again tonight (7 p.m., Civic Centre).
The game was tied 2-2 after the first period and stayed that way until Howden and Brett Lyon scored 1:49 apart in the third period to put the Warriors ahead for good.
Joel Edmundson capped the win with a short-handed empty net goal with 29 seconds left.
Dallas Ehrhardt and Dylan Hood each had a pair of assists for the Warriors.
Antoine Corbin, Nathan Deck and Igor Revenko scored for Prince Albert.
For more please see Saturday’s Times-Herald.
