Manitoba Clinches Spot In 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs
April 11, 2023 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Manitoba Moose News Release
The Manitoba Moose (36-24-5-4) clashed with the Texas Stars (38-19-9-3) on Tuesday evening at H-E-B Center. Manitoba was coming off a 3-1 victory over Grand Rapids on Friday evening.
Manitoba opened the scoring nine minutes into the first period. The Moose forced a turnover at the offensive blueline and broke in on a two-on-one rush. Jeff Malott kept the puck and wired a shot past Matt Murray for his 22nd of the season. Manitoba added to its lead with a tally late in the first. Parker Ford dug the puck off the wall and fed Ashton Sautner at the point. The defenceman found a shooting lane and beat a partially screened Murray from distance. Oskari Salminen ended the frame with nine stops, as Manitoba took to the first intermission ahead by a pair.
Texas cut into the Moose lead on its first shot of the middle stanza. A turnover in neutral ice allowed Antonio Stranges to send Marian Studenic in alone before the latter beat Salminen with a quick deke. The Moose restored the two-goal lead three minutes later. Malott grabbed the puck and slid the feed across the ice to Jansen Harkins. The winger fired a rocket of a shot under the bar and past the glove of Murray. Texas sliced the Moose lead to 3-2 with a power play goal off the wing from Mavrik Bourque. The Stars then tied the contest as Riley Barber got the final touch off rush. Manitoba was outshot 10-9 in the middle frame and carried a 3-3 tie into the final 20 minutes of play.
Texas pulled ahead for the first time in the contest 2:11 into the third period courtesy of Riley Damiani. The Moose struck back when Alex Limoges set up Cole Maier to beat Murray with a shot under the iron. Texas pulled back ahead 39 seconds later, as Barber netted his second of the contest after coming in on an odd-man rush. Manitoba tied the contest near the halfway point of the stanza as Leon Gawanke rifled a shot from the point past Murray. It was Gawanke's 18th of the season, which set the Moose record for most goals in a single season by a defender. The antlered ones pushed ahead 6-5 on Harkins' second of the game. The winger faked a shot before moving into the slot and wiring it home on a delayed penalty. With time dwindling and the Stars on the power play, Murray was called to the bench in favour of the extra attacker. The Moose penalty killers weathered the storm for a frantic few minutes. Evan Polei won a battle at the top of the Moose zone which led to Gawanke icing the game, 7-5, with his second of the contest. Salminen captured the road victory and ended with 33 stops, while Murray was handed the loss and made 26 saves of his own.
Quotable
Moose Forward Jeff Malott (Click for full interview)
"Yeah, it's good stuff. It's kinda the goal at the beginning of the year. It's what we're working towards and hopefully we can continue to build on this game and hit our stride come playoffs."
Statbook
Jansen Harkins notched his 50th and 51st career AHL goals
Jeff Malott's two points (1G, 1A) set a new career-high of 42 points
Parker Ford recorded his first AHL assist in the opening period
Leon Gawanke's 19 goals are tied for the AHL defencemen scoring lead
Ville Heinola has three points (3A) his past two games
Ashton Sautner registered his second two-point game (1G, 1A) of the season
What's Next?
The Moose rematch with the Texas Stars at H-E-B Center on Wednesday, April 12. Puck drop is slated for 7 p.m. CT. You can catch the game on CJOB.com/sports the Winnipeg Jets App or AHLTV.
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American Hockey League Stories from April 11, 2023
- Manitoba Clinches Spot In 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs - Manitoba Moose
- Moose Outlast Stars in High-Scoring Affair - Texas Stars
- Philp's Hat Trick Leads Hogs To Crucial Win Over Wolves - Rockford IceHogs
- Moose Clinch Berth in 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs - Manitoba Moose
- Wolves Fall to IceHogs 6-3 - Chicago Wolves
- Bears Wrap Up Series Against Checkers With 4-3 Loss - Hershey Bears
- Power Play Propels Checkers to Win in Hershey - Charlotte Checkers
- Power Play Propels Checkers to Win in Hershey - Charlotte Checkers
- Capitals Recall Henrik Borgstrom from Hershey - Hershey Bears
- Penguins Have Two Games Remaining, Season Finale on Saturday Night - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Mackie Samoskevich Joins Checkers on PTO - Charlotte Checkers
- Abbotsford Canucks Vs Calgary Wranglers Series Preview - Abbotsford Canucks
- Toronto Marlies Visit Laval Rocket in Last Regular Season Road Game - Toronto Marlies
- Texas Stars Sign Goaltender Bryan Thomson to Amateur Tryout - Texas Stars
- Griffins Prepare for Final Week against Rockford, Chicago - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Monsters Announce Roster Moves - Cleveland Monsters
- Anaheim Ducks Recall Benoit-Olivier Groulx from San Diego - San Diego Gulls
- Drew Commesso to Report to Rockford After Singing with Blackhawks - Rockford IceHogs
- Tucson Roadrunners Road Ahead: Last Call for the Regular Season - Tucson Roadrunners
- Moose Recall Goaltender Evan Cormier - Manitoba Moose
- Syracuse Crunch Weekly - Syracuse Crunch
- Game Preview: Bears vs. Checkers, 7 p.m. - Hershey Bears
- Detroit Recalls O'Regan, Reassigns Edvinsson - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Comets Sign Quinnipiac Forward TJ Friedmann - Utica Comets
- IceHogs and Wolves Race for Playoff Slot - Rockford IceHogs
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