Manitoba Kicks off Season with a Win

Published on October 8, 2010 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Manitoba Moose News Release


The Manitoba Moose opened the 2010-11 season with a fresh look, on the ice and down the bench. With head coach Claude Noel making his debut, wearing brand new road jerseys the newly minted Moose came back from a two-goal deficit in front of 7205 Peoria fans to win the first game of the season 4-3.

Manitoba started the game and their season off as well as possible scoring the opening goal just 3:13 in. After a penalty by Peoria's Adam Cracknell the Moose capitalized with a one-time shot by Evan Oberg as Jordan Schroeder spotted him pinching from the point and labelled a pass through the Rivermen's penalty killers.

Five minutes later, the Rivermen's 6'7" goaltender Ben Bishop sprawled out wide to rob Victor Oreskovich, who was set up cross ice on a rush by Nolan Baumgartner.

The Rivermen were able to draw even shortly after the halfway mark of the first period. Graham Mink was credited with Peoria's first goal at 10:12 after deflecting a shot by Stefan Della Rovere off his skate at the top of the crease.

Tempers flared minutes later when Moose forward Tommy Maxwell attempted to gaud Peoria's Ryan Reaves into a fight. The two didn't drop gloves but many more players joined the fray and the on-ice officials had their hands full splitting the two squads.

The fast paced season opening frame ended at one goal apiece with the Moose holding shot advantage, 11-9. Peoria came out furious in the second period but Moose goalie Tyler Weiman weathered the attack. Weiman, in his first start with the Moose, stopped 17 Peoria shots by the halfway point of the game and also got a little help from the posts as the Rivermen rang a pair of chances off the iron in the first 10 minutes of the second period.

Moose forward Shawn Weller was singled out on a tripping play and took a seat at 12:06. Less than a minute later, Graham Mink deflected in a shot by Peoria's T.J. Hensick for his second goal of the game giving the Rivermen their first lead of the game. Hensick recorded his second assist of the game on the powerplay marker and the secondary assist went to Peoria defenceman Nathan Oystrick.

Trying to spark the visiting team, Victor Oreskovich connected on a big hit targeting Peoria defenceman Ian Cole that left the defender on the ice momentarily. A scrum ensued and when the players cleared, Oreskovich was assessed a boarding minor and a fighting major. Peoria went to work on the powerplay for the fourth time in the game but were unable to take advantage.

The second period ended with Peoria leading in front of the home crowd, 2-1.

The Rivermen expanded their lead early on a contested goal by Graham Mink just 38 seconds into the third period. The goal was the result of a wild scrum in Weiman's crease and following a review by the officials, Mink was credited with his third of the game. Peoria's Nick Drazenovic and Brennan Evans drew the assists on Mink's hat trick marker.

Oreskovich was able to more efficiently spark his club by potting his first goal of the season five minutes into the third with the lone assist given to defenceman Mark Flood.

With 8:35 remaining in the game, Evan Oberg evened it up for the visiting team by scoring from the point on a cross ice feed from defence partner Mark Flood.

Four minutes later Moose defenceman Kevin Connauton scooped up a drop pass by Jordan Schroeder and wired a wrist shot past Peoria's Bishop to give his team their second lead of the game. At 15:47, Connauton completed the comeback for his first AHL goal in his first pro game. On the goal Schroeder recorded his third assist of the game.

Moose tender Tyler Weiman held the fort with two crucial saves on the Rivermen's Drazenovic and Mink with less than 10 seconds to play. With the door shut, the Moose won the game 4-3. Final shots were dead even at 33-33 for the Moose and Rivermen.

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American Hockey League Stories from October 8, 2010


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