Aeros sweep Moose with 4-3 win

Published on December 8, 2007 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Manitoba Moose News Release


WINNIPEG, MB. -- For the second consecutive game and fifth consecutive home game over the past three seasons, the Manitoba Moose failed to steal two points from the Houston Aeros, falling 4-3 Saturday night. Two Moose players and two Aeros players posted multi-point games, including Brad Moran with one goal and one assist, as well as Houston's Steve Kelly, who scored two goals for first star honours.

For the first time in five games and the first time at home since Nov. 9th, rookie goaltender Cory Schneider started in net for Manitoba. But a strong start for the home team ensured the first three shots of the game were directed at Nolan Schaefer at the opposite end of the ice.

However, by the midway point of the opening frame, Houston had tallied five shots to Manitoba's three, including Steve Kelly's unassisted attempt that made its way past Schneider for the first goal of the game.

Roughing and unsportsmanlike conduct penalties to Zack FitzGerald put the Moose on the penalty kill in the latter half of the first, but like they did the previous game, Manitoba resisted Houston's powerplay and stayed within one goal through the end of the period.

Three consecutive Houston penalties in the early part of the second gave Manitoba their first powerplays of the game. But to the dismay of the capacity crowd, Schaefer and eagle-eyed Aeros defencemen halted a handful of near-goals and the Moose were unable to tie it up on the man-advantages.

Though Manitoba surged ahead of Houston in shots, the Moose remained down by a goal, and thanks to infractions by Jimmy Sharrow and FitzGerald, were also down a player for nearly four straight minutes. At the tail end of FitzGerald's roughing minor, Jon Awe fired a rocket from the blueline that blew past Schneider, giving the Aeros their first powerplay goal of the night and a two-goal lead.

In the final minutes of the second and on their fourth powerplay of the game, the Moose also made it happen on the man-advantage. While ratcheting up the shot-count and keeping Schaefer sliding from post to post, Moran positioned himself on the near goal-line and slipped a sharp-angle shot past the Aeros netminder to put the Moose on the scoreboard.

Only 28 seconds into the third, Rick Rypien closed the goal gap. After fighting for the puck behind the Aeros net, Manitoba's #11 swung around to the crease and flipped a backhand past Schaefer to tie the game at two.

Minutes later, a few strong saves courtesy of Schneider temporarily stalled Houston's offense, but Cal Clutterbuck found an opening on the rookie goaltender's stick-side, firing home the Aeros' go-ahead goal at 3:12. But the Moose quickly registered another equalizer, this time at the hands of Jannik Hansen, who redirected a short pass from Moran to even things up at three.

As the clock ticked down, Houston regained their shot lead and eventually the goal lead. Busting between two Moose defencemen, Aeros forward Kelly descended on Schneider and fired through his five-hole to put Houston up 4-3. Kelly's second of the game would prove to be the final goal of the contest, and Houston held on for their second win in as many nights over the Manitoba Moose.

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American Hockey League Stories from December 8, 2007


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