Manitoba Clinches Playoff Spot with 3-2 Win in Toronto

Published on April 3, 2011 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Manitoba Moose News Release


Each day the playoff picture becomes a little clearer. But before the Manitoba Moose (43-28-1-6) think about their first round opponent, they need to lock up their own spot. The Moose needed one point against the Toronto Marlies (35-31-1-10) on Sunday afternoon in order to clinch and they accomplished that with a 3-2 win in front of 7,779 at Ricoh Coliseum. Moose goalie Eddie Lack made 39 saves in his 28th win of the year while red hot scorer Marco Rosa buried the game winner early in the third period for his fifth goal in six games.

The Marlies and Moose are the league's top two penalty killing teams ranked first and second respectively. Both PK units strutted their stuff in the first period of Sunday's game.

First the Moose went on the defensive on overlapping penalties to Guillaume Desbiens and Travis Ramsey. The Moose were shorthanded 5-on-3 for 0:45 but the Marlies couldn't manage any quality chances on Manitoba's Eddie Lack. The Moose had their own power play at 14:41 when Jeff Cowan hauled down a Moose forward and was called for tripping, but Ben Scrivens stalled their power play from the Marlies net.

Lack was strong in the first period, two days after being pulled against the Rochester Americans. The Manitoba 'tender stopped 11 Marlies shots through 20 minutes of play.

Alexandre Bolduc rejoined the Moose in time for their game in Toronto after being re-assigned by Vancouver on Saturday. He also rejoined Moose leading scorer Sergei Shirokov on a line. The two connected on the game's first goal at 9:27 of the second period. Bolduc dished the puck to Shirokov from the corner who then out waited the Marlies netminder and lifted his 22nd goal into Toronto's net.

Moose rookie Cody Hodgson followed suit with his own goal 32 seconds later. Hodgson one-timed a pass from the top of the left circle that he blasted by Ben Scrivens at 9:59. The slap shot goal, assisted by Bill Sweatt and Kevin Clark, was Hodgson's 17th of the season.

Manitoba's two goal lead was short lived as Marlies rookie Joe Colborne closed the gap to 2-1. Parked at the top of the crease, Colborne took a pass from Simon Gysbers at the point then turned and backhanded the puck over Eddie Lack.

The Moose entered the third period trailing in shots 28-13 yet held a one goal lead over the home team. The difference in the game coming from Manitoba's quality of shots.

Manitoba's hottest scorer Marco Rosa converted on another quality chance at 6:10 of the third. Sergei Shirokov stripped Marlies d-man Danny Richmond of the puck behind Toronto's net, then fed a pass to Rosa in the slot who ripped a shot past Scrivens to give Manitoba a 3-1 lead. The goal by Rosa was his fifth goal in six games and ninth point in that span.

The bounces had gone Manitoba's way for much of the game but the Marlies got a big one of their own at 7:54 when Toronto winger Ryan Hamlton banked the puck off the back of Eddie Lack's leg and into the Moose net. The goal brought the Marlies to within one goal, needing a win against Manitoba in order to stay in contention for a playoff spot.

The Moose spoiled any hope of a playoff berth while securing their own spot. Eddie Lack was unbeatable through the final minutes helping his team take the 3-2 win. Manitoba's netminder stopped 39 of 41 shots by the Marlies through 60 minutes. Manitoba returns home for the final two games of the regular season on Apr. 8 & 9. The Moose host the Bulldogs in back-to-back games that could decide first place in the North Division. Game time on Friday, Apr. 8 is 7:30 p.m. CST.

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American Hockey League Stories from April 3, 2011


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