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Moose Better Than Barons in 3-2 Shootout Win

December 3, 2010 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Manitoba Moose News Release


Something had to give for either the Manitoba Moose (12-7-0-3) and Oklahoma City Barons (13-8-1-2) as both teams entered Friday night's game on respective two-game skids. Tied for much of the game, nothing truly gave until the shootout round on a goal by Manitoba's Sergei Shirokov. Eddie Lack made 39 saves, including five in the shootout, and the Moose took the first of back-to-back games 3-2 in front of 8,185 fans at MTS Centre.

Before Friday night, the Moose had never faced the Oklahoma City Barons. But by midway through the first period they were well acquainted with the new affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers. The Barons had put five quality chances on Moose goalie Eddie Lack by the time Jonas Andersson recorded the first shot of the game for the Moose at 7:12 of the opening frame.

Eight minutes into the game, a drop pass by the Moose inside their own blue line found the tape of Barons left winger Liam Reddox alone in front of Lack. Reddox deked and deposited his team leading 13th goal of the season to give the Barons a 1-0 lead at 8:01 of the first period.

Andersson provided the Moose with their first shot of the game and their first real scoring chance, too. With just over six minutes remaining in the first period, Andersson used his speed to split a pair of Barons defenders then faked a wrist shot on Oklahoma City goalie Martin Gerber. Gerber read the play, stretched out, and robbed Andersson with a toe save.

Late in the first period, the Moose spent two full minutes on their heels as they killed off a tripping penalty to Kevin Connauton. But as the Moose defenceman stepped on the ice, the Moose broke down the ice on a rush with Jordan Schroeder, Marco Rosa, and captain Nolan Baumgartner. Rosa passed to Schroeder on the wing, who looked off his options on the three-on-two before toe dragging to the slot and wristing a shot past Gerber's blocker to tie the game at 17:38.

The Barons answered back at 19:09, regaining their lead after a scramble at the top of the Moose crease resulted in Barons right winger Colin McDonald firing a loos puck past a sprawled out Moose goaltender. McDonald's 12th goal of the season was assisted by Alexandre Giroux and Shawn Belle.

51 seconds later, the first period ended with the Moose trailing the Barons 2-1. Manitoba also trailed in shots after 20 minutes, 12-14, marking the first time in 12 games that the Moose were outshot by an opposition in the first period.

The Moose dodged a bullet in the opening minutes of the second period as a Barons goal was waved off because of a dislodged cage. Then shortly after, a bullet from the blue line by Moose defenceman Lee Sweatt found the few square inches at the top left corner of the Barons' net. Sweatt's game-tying marker scored at 3:44 of the second period was assisted by Marco Rosa and Jonas Andersson.

At 4:45 of the second period, Moose forward Stefan Schneider was caught with an open-ice, head height elbow from Barons defenceman Jordan Bendfeld. Immediatley after Schneider was dropped by the hit, Tommy Maxwell jumped to his linemate's defence but was followed by players from both teams. When the melee calmed, Manitoba's Ryan Parent was assessed a roughing minor and Bendfeld was called for roughing and elbowing. Five minutes after the hit Schneider returned to the ice dispelling and lasting effects from the hit.

The 2-2 score after 40 minutes indicated an even matchup and so did the shots. After being outshot 14-12 in the opening period, the Moose and Barons were knotted at 21 shots apiece after two. Both Lack and Gerber had turned aside 19 shots.

Neither team could find any success on the power play with the Barons killing off three shorthanded situations and the Moose killing off two during the third period. Combined during regulation, the Moose and Barons went 0-for-11 on the man advantage. The Barons led 10-6 in third period shots, but neither Lack or Gerber allowed a goal in the third period forcing the first ever meeting between Manitoba and Oklahoma City into overtime.

The Moose began the fourth period by killing off the remainder of a goalie interference penalty Jonas Andersson had taken with less than a minute to play in the third. Andersson drew a Barons penalty, himself, with 38 seconds remaining. But Alex Plante's hooking minor went unpunished and the Moose and Barons required a shootout to decide the game.

Lack and Gerber refused to see a quick end to the shootout contest with only one shooter solving either goaltender. That shooter was Sergei Shirokov in the fourth round as Manitoba's leading scorer picked the top corner by Gerber's glove hand. Lack then stoned the next two Barons shooters to claim the victory, 3-2. In the end Lack stopped 29 of 31 shots in regulation and five in the shootout. The Barons are back at MTS Centre tomorrow night for the rematch. Game time is 7:30 pm CST. If you can't make the game, hear it live on CJOB 68 with Brian Munz and Jim Toth._

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American Hockey League Stories from December 3, 2010


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