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Moose Blanked by Bulldogs 3-0

January 26, 2011 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Manitoba Moose News Release


WINNIPEG, MB - No one would raise an eyebrow if players chose Cheerios as a pre-game meal on Wednesday as the Manitoba Moose (25-13-1-5) and Hamilton Bulldogs (27-13-1-4) faced off for a rare morning game at Copps Coliseum. The 10:30 a.m. puck drop was scheduled Bulldogs hosted their first ever School Day game hosting over 10,000 local students. Bulldogs forward Dustin Boyd provided all the offence on the day scoring a hat trick while Curtis Sanford stoned the Moose 31 times in a 3-0 Hamilton victory.

Tyler Weiman got his first start in this rare morning start hoping for his seventh win in a row. Across from Weiman, former Moose goalie Curtis Sanford made his 28th start of the season for the Hamilton Bulldogs.

Sergei Shirokov was returned by the parent club to Manitoba before the Wednesday morning game in Hamilton with his 12-game point streak intact. He recorded Manitoba's second shot of the game with a blocker side shot from the boards that Curtis Sanford handled easily.

With Weiman caught behind the net playing the puck, Moose defenceman Kevin Connauton was forced to hold up a Bulldogs forechecker resulting in the first penalty of the game at 13:54 of the first period. Manitoba's top ranked penalty kill kept the Bulldogs from registering even one shot on the man advantage and the score remained scoreless late into the first period.

Despite not registering a shot on their only power play, the Bulldogs outshot the Moose 9-5 through 20 minutes with goaltenders Tyler Weiman and Curtis Sanford turning away every chance.

Moose captain Nolan Baumgartner has been on an impressive offensive pace this season with 11 points in his last 10 games. He nearly scored his fourth goal of the season on the team's first power play when he pinched from the point and couldn't bury a back door pass by Moose rookie Kevin Clark.

The Bulldogs opened the scoring at 8:18 of the second period thanks to a deadly wrister by Winnipeg born forward Dustin Boyd. Boyd raced into Manitoba's zone on a three-on-two before pulling up in front of the Moose defenceman and sending a quick wrist shot to the top corner past Weiman's blocker. Boyd's go ahead goal was his 12th of the season in 17 games for the Bulldogs.

Manitoba came alive late in the second trying to tie the game up but Curtis Sanford stood tall in Hamilton's net stopping a flurry of rebounds by Cody Hodgson and Jordan Schroeder, then stopping Shawn Weller from point blank range on a one-time chance. The Moose trailed by shots nearly all game but closed the gap to 18-17 for the 'Dogs by the end of the second period. Hamilton held their one-goal lead heading into the second intermission.

Since being sent down to Hamilton by the Montreal Canadiens, Dustin Boyd has proven goal scoring isn't a hole in his game. He proved it for a second time against the Moose late in the third period as he poked the puck around a Moose defenceman, then shelved his 13th goal of the season from in close giving the Bulldogs a late 2-0 lead.

The Moose called a timeout with under two minutes remaining and pulled Tyler Weiman for the extra attacker. It didn't take long before that move made way for Dustin Boyd's hat trick goal. Boyd poked the puck loose in the neutral zone and easily wired his third of the day past a Moose defenceman into the empty cage.

Curtis Sanford was perfect in Hamilton's net stopping all 31 Moose shots. With the 3-0 win, the Bulldogs extended their division lead over the Moose to three points. The next stop on Manitoba's road trip is Rochester, NY, as the Moose take on the Americans on Friday night. Brian Munz brings you the action live on CJOB 68 beginning with the pre-game show at 6:05 p.m. CST. Hear it online at www.cjob.com.



American Hockey League Stories from January 26, 2011


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