Much like a cornered and wounded animal, a winless hockey team is something to be approached with caution.

Because as many a overconfident team has found out, those that appear the most vulnerable can be the most dangerous.

The Moose Jaw Warriors were nearly caught in that trap Friday against the Prince Albert Raiders but were saved by a three-goal third period on their way to a 5-2 victory in Western Hockey League action at the Civic Centre.

"We knew coming in that this wasn't going to be easy," said Warriors captain Jarrett Thompson, who had a goal an assist in the contest.

"It's never easy going against a team that's looking for it's first win. You have young team like us, we kind of tend to take it a little easier and it took us a couple periods to wake up."

With the game tied at two going into the final frame the two teams exchanged several excellent chances before Shawn Limpright pulled off an excellent play to set up the game winner.

Pinned in along the boards on left side, the 19-year-old left wing broke free, went around a defenceman untouched and fed a perfect pass to Brian Sutherby wide open at the opposite side of the net. The recently returned Washington Capitals draft pick made the most of the opportunity and blasted a one-timer past Raiders goaltender Grant McCune for his first goal of the season.

The goal was one of many excellent scoring opportunities for the line of Limpright, Sutherby and Steve Crampton in the game, especially in the final period.

"I think as the game went on they started to get stronger and stronger," said Warriors coach Len Nielsen. "That line has played together for a long time, we expect them to be good and they were tonight."

Thompson picked up an insurance marker three minutes later when his harmless-looking wrist shot from just inside the blue line managed to elude McCune.

"I've been bugged already about these so-called highlight reel goals I've been getting," Thompson said with a chuckle. "I've had three or four of them already, but I just put it on net and get a lucky bounce. In a game like that, we'll take them any way we can get them."

Not that generating offence has been anything of a problem in recent games -- the Warriors are currently the third-highest scoring team in the league with 27 goals in six games -- and a big part of that has been the club's balanced attack.

"We've been getting contributions from a lot of guys, not just on the scoresheet," Nielsen said. "Guys are playing responsibly and taking care of the little things. That's good to see."

Crampton capped scoring in the contest by banging home a loose puck at the side of the net during a goal-mouth scramble with just over a minute remaining.

As well as everything worked out in the end for the Warriors, the issue was anything but settled going into the final period.

In fact, it was the Raiders who appeared to have much of the momentum after scoring twice in the second to tie the game.

After Limpright gave the Warriors a 1-0 lead after the first period, Jordan Clarke and Greg Watson scored in the second while Ben Knopp replied for the Tribe all in the first 10 minutes of the second.

"Moose Jaw was very lucky through the last part of the first period and in the first 10 minutes of the second," said Raiders coach Donn Clark.

"I thought the score clock really flattered them at 2-2 with 10 minutes left. With the number of chances we had we should have had the lead."

On the same token, the Warriors had plenty of scoring chances of own through the first two periods -- they outshot Prince Albert 30-25 -- and the game being tied going into the final frame was largely due to the play of McCune.

"I thought we did a good job of creating opportunities," Nielsen said. "We knew going in they had a good goaltender and we would have to stick with it. He made some really good saves when we tried to open it up in the first period and he kept them in it all game."

Tribe goaltender Tim Barlow was equally as solid at the other end of the ice, stopping 36 shots for the victory. Barlow is undefeated in his last three games.

The Warriors will have no problem with overconfidence when it comes to their next contest Sunday afternoon -- against the defending WHL champion and current league-leading Kootenay Ice.

"It'll be a real good challenge, a real good test for us at this time of year," Nielsen said. "The big thing is that we're going to have to play them to beat them. I think we're a good team and we're just going to throw everything we can at them and see what happens."

Warrior Scalpings . . . the Warriors have had little progress working out a trade for Jamie Lundmark. General manager Ralph Schmidt is currently on a scouting trip in B.C. and is continuously working on prospective trades.