Moose Beat the Heat 2-1 in Overtime

Published on January 5, 2011 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Manitoba Moose News Release


ABBOTSFORD - It's never easy facing a desperate team but the Manitoba Moose (20-11-0-4) have themselves to blame for that. The Moose served the Abbotsford Heat (16-17-2-3) with their second straight shutout on Monday and as a result played a hungry team in the rematch. The Heat broke their lengthy scoreless streak in the second period but Sergei Shirokov sunk an overtime dagger for his second game winner in as many nights. This time Shirokov capped off his team's 2-1 OT win in front of 5,501 at the Abbotsford Entertainment & Sports Centre.

In the rematch Tuesday night, the Moose dressed seven defencemen and 11 forwards for the third straight game. This time, purely out of necessity with only 11 healthy forwards on the current trip. Joel Perrault left Monday's contest with a lower body injury and was replaced in the lineup by Josh Aspenlind.

The Heat showed far more jump than the night before when they were listlessly shut out 4-0. Abbotsford recorded the first six shots of the game on Tuesday night and was narrowly denied by Tyler Weiman's left pad on the sixth shot while on the power play.

Sergei Shirokov led the Moose in shots (8) and goals (2) on Monday night and looked sharp again on Tuesday drawing a hooking penalty late in the first period. With Greg Nemisz in the penalty box, Manitoba applied pressure but had most of their chances blocked before reaching Heat goalie Leland Irving.

The Heat had been shutout in back-to-back games prior to Tuesday night's game against the Moose. And with the way Weiman was playing in the Moose net, it would take a great shot by an Abbotsford player to break that streak.

Early in the second period, the Heat's Greg Nemisz cleaned up a blocked shot in the slot in front of Weiman by snapping a shot in off the crossbar behind the Moose goalie's glove hand. Nemisz's 11th goal of the season scored at 2:20 of the second period ended a Heat scoreless streak of 150:31.

Tempers boiled over between the North Division rivals late in the second period when Josh Aspenlind rode Abbotsford's Mitch Wahl hard into the boards. Wahl's last game for the Heat was back on Nov. 27 against the Moose when he was put out of the lineup on a hit by Manitoba's Aaron Volpatti. Moose forward Tommy Maxwell came to Aspendlind's aid keeping Keith Seabrook from taking his head off. In the end Seabrook was the only player singled out as he sat for cross-checking.

That penalty expired with the Heat's 1-0 lead intact. Just two minutes later the period ended with the Moose trailing at the second intermission in all offensive categories including 25-14 in shots on goal.

While Manitoba's offence continued to make an impact on the game, the

Along with a far above average attendance in Abbotsford, management from both the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks took in Tuesday night's game with the NHL affiliates ready to battle on Wednesday.

Doing himself well in front of Canucks brass, rookie defenceman Kevin Connauton picked up a loose puck in the neutral zone and broke toward the Heat net from the left wing before slamming on the brakes and shelving a backhander upstairs on Leland Irving. Connauton's candidate for highlight of the night tied the game 1-1 at 9:37 of the third period with the lone assist going to Guillaume Desbiens.

Moments before time ran out in the third period, Abbotsford was caught with one too many skaters on the ice giving the Moose nearly a whole two minute power play heading into the extra frame.

It only took 0:33 of sudden death for Manitoba's hottest shooter to settle the game. Sergei Shirokov fired a low slapper to Irving's left that evaded the Heat 'tender for the game winning goal. With the goal, Manitoba's leading scorer put away his seventh goal in the past seven games for 13 on the season.

Tyler Weiman stopped 34 shots as the Moose were outshot 35-27 in the game. Weiman posted his second straight victory allowing only one goal on 62 shots in Abbotsford this week. The Moose fly home to Winnipeg on Wednesday in preperation for the AHL's defending Calder Cup Champions. The Hershey Bears visit the MTS Centre on Friday and Saturday. Game time for both is at 7:30 pm CST. Brian Munz and Jim Toth have all the action on CJOB 68. Hear it live online at www.cjob.com.

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American Hockey League Stories from January 5, 2011


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