Moose Bitten 3-1 in Hamilton

Published on November 2, 2010 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Manitoba Moose News Release


If the first two shootout results between the Hamilton Bulldogs (5-1-1-2) and Manitoba Moose (5-5-0-0) were any indication, the first 65-minutes of regulation would be a foregone conclusion. The Bulldogs had other plans in the rematch in Hamilton as it only took 60 minutes for them to top the Moose by a 3-1 score. Former Moose goaltender Curtis Sanford stopped 27 of 28 shots for Hamilton and Bulldogs defenceman Mathieu Carle scored the game winning goal.

Scoring chances were sparing through most of the first period until Hamilton's second ranked power play went to work at 16:16 with Manitoba's Lee Sweatt in the box for hooking. Establishing themselves in the Moose zone, Max Pacioretty wristed home a pass from the middle of Manitoba's box and through Eddie Lack's five-hole for the first goal of the game. Hamilton's Aaron Palushaj is the one that threaded a pass through to Pacioretty after getting the puck from defenceman Frederic St. Denis at the point.

Manitoba's Shawn Weller took a penalty 45 seconds later and managed to hold off the Bulldogs power play until the end of the period. After 20 minutes, the Bulldogs led 1-0 and outshot the Moose 8-7.

Moose winger Sergei Shirokov started the play scanning Hamilton's zone from the right offensive corner. After looking off one linemate rushing the net, Shirokov found Cody Hodgson sitting wide open in the far circle and connected on a one-time pass that Hodgson put off the post and in past Curtis Sanford for the game tying goal at 7:21 of the second period.

Eddie Lack weathered a flurry of Hamilton chances late in the second period that started with a breakaway save on Bulldog Ryan White. That save was followed by stops on Hamilton's David Desharnais, Ryan Russell, and Yannick Weber.

Lack stopped all 12 shots he faced in the second for a total of 19 saves on 20 shots through two periods. Thanks to Cody Hodgson's second period marker and third goal of the season, the Moose and Bulldogs headed to the third period tied 1-1.

The Moose and Bulldogs played four-on-four early in the third period thanks to a couple minor penalties taken by each team just 24 seconds apart. With Manitoba's Bill Sweatt serving two for goalie interference and Hamilton's Ryan White parked for hooking, both teams put out their best skaters for a little wide open hockey.

20 seconds after White sat for his minor, Bulldogs defenceman Mathieu Carle received the puck off a clean face off win by David Desharnais and let go a shot from the point that was blocked by a Moose defender but lay on a platter for Carle to step into for a second time. He made no mistake on the second shot sending it top corner, glove side past Eddie Lack to put the Bulldogs up for a second time in the game.

For the third straight game, the Moose trailed in the final minutes and were forced to pull the goalie. And for the third straight game that move resulted in an empty net goal as Aaron Palushaj deposited the puck with two seconds left in regulation.

And for the third straight time in the Hamilton-Manitoba season series the home team won. This time, the Bulldogs won 3-1 in front of 2,468 of their own fans. The final shots in the game favoured the Bulldogs over the Moose, 28-20.

The Moose and Bulldogs renew the rivalry again tomorrow night at Copps Coliseum for game four-of-eight between Hamilton and Manitoba on the 2010-11 season schedule. Game time is 6 p.m. CST.

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American Hockey League Stories from November 2, 2010


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