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(Photo: DiscoverMooseJaw.com)

The Moose Jaw Warriors couldn’t send the WHL Eastern Conference Final back to Mosaic Place for a Game 6, after losing 4-1 to the Edmonton Oil Kings on Friday night at Rexall Place.  Edmonton will now face off with the Portland Winterhawks for the Ed Chynoweth Cup starting on Thursday.

Sam Fioretti picked up the lone goal for the tribe in the season ending loss, and Justin Paulic made 20 saves in his second career playoff start.

The Oil Kings stole the momentum away from the Warriors early in the first period, as Michael St. Croix beat Paulic just 2:46 into the frame.  Martin Gernat added to the lead late in the first with a power play goal.

Fioretti would get Moose Jaw on the board 7:09 into the second, but that would be the only time they beat goalie Laurent Brossoit as he made 37 saves, while picking up the Eastern Conference Final MVP.  Curtis Lazar scored late in the second as the Warriors continued to pile on the pressure and shots on the Oil Kings.

The lone third period goal came from the stick of Gernat, who scored his second power play goal of the night midway through the frame to seal the Oil Kings win.

The Warriors continued to struggle on the power play going 0-for-7, including four chances in the third period.  Moose Jaw was 3-for-28 with the man advantage in the series.  The Oil Kings converted 2-of-3 chances on Friday.

The end of the season for the tribe also marks the end of the WHL careers for 20-year-olds Cam Braes, James Henry and Kenton Miller.