Moose close out 2007 with win over Monsters

Published on December 31, 2007 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Manitoba Moose News Release


WINNIPEG, MB. -- The Manitoba Moose closed out 2007 with an exciting New Year's Eve performance at the MTS Centre. Three powerplay goals, four fights, and a two-goal, three-point performance from Milan Gajic helped the Moose defeat the Lake Erie Monsters 3-1 in front of 11,915 revelers. Drew MacIntyre stopped 20 of 21 shots for his 13th win of the season, and Michael Grabner extended his goal-scoring streak to three games.

Just over a minute into the game, one of Manitoba's newest acquisitions, Chris Blight, was called for slashing and Lake Erie benefited from the game's first powerplay. A scramble in front of the Moose net resulted in the Monsters' first three shots of the game, but the club failed to slip the puck past MacIntyre and Lake Erie went 0-for-1 on the powerplay.

Soon after the return of five-on-five play, the Moose drew a hooking penalty from Matt Hussey and went on the powerplay. 42 seconds into the man-advantage, Gajic broke Manitoba's three-game powerplay-goal drought with a slick shot from the near face-off circle that made its way past Tyler Weiman, and the Moose assumed the first lead of the game.

In the dying minutes of the opening frame, Moose rookie Pierre-Cedric Labrie went toe-to-toe with Monsters bruiser Dale Purinton and the Monsters started another five-on-four, thanks to an interference penalty to Luc Bourdon.

The Monsters continued to fire two shots for every Moose attempt through the early part of the second. Just after the five-minute mark, fans near the site of the Labrie-Purinton fight were treated to another clash, this time between Nathan McIver and Johnny Boychuk. No extra penalties were awarded, but Codey Burki took a holding penalty 30 seconds later and the Moose went on the powerplay for the second time.

Though the club failed to extend their lead on that man-advantage, Greg Classen drew another penalty near the game's midway point, providing the Moose with another chance to score on the five-on-four.

As the powerplay ticked down, Grabner maneuvered the puck to the top of the far face-off circle and slapped it home. Lake Erie's Jeff Jillson took a cross-checking penalty on the play, and Manitoba's powerplay unit capitalized for the third time in four opportunities, with Gajic netting his second of the game at 11:50. The trio of powerplay goals marked the second time this season and first time since Oct. 17 that the club has scored three or more man-advantage markers in a single game.

Tempers flared and fists flew in the aftermath of the goals. Labrie and Purinton met for a brief rematch in the neutral zone at 15:38, followed by a bloody scrap along the red-line between Rick Rypien and Vladimir Denisov. In addition to Rypien and Denisov's five minutes each for fighting, Purinton was awarded 2:00 for roughing and a ten-minute misconduct.

On their sixth powerplay in the third period, the Moose assumed their first shot-lead of the game, firing five shots on Weiman nine minutes into the frame. Although Manitoba had more opportunities in the final frame, Lake Erie made one of theirs count. At 10:29, Jamie Lundmark broke Lake Erie's goose-egg and netted the Monsters' first goal of the game.

With 2:50 left on the clock, Zack FitzGerald earned a boarding penalty by colliding with Eric Healey behind the Moose net. The infraction would offer the Monsters their sixth powerplay of the game, but Manitoba made it a perfect 6-for-6 on the penalty kill by stifling that final man-advantage.

After one last fight involving Labrie, this time against winger Chris Stewart, the Moose wrapped up 2007 with a 3-1 victory over Lake Erie.

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American Hockey League Stories from December 31, 2007


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