Moose Comeback Against Bears In 5-4 Shootout Win

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


HERSHEY, PA - Hershey is a rare trip for the Manitoba Moose (28-14-1-5), for all except Sergei Shirokov anyways. Manitoba's leading scorer made his second trip to the Giant Center in a week after taking part in the AHL All-Star Classic. In front of a capacity crowd of 10,780, a three-goal lead by the Hershey Bears (30-14-1-3) was only temporary as the Moose stormed back with three unanswered goals to force a shootout. Defenceman Kevin Connauton was the deciding shooter as the Moose completed the comeback in a 5-4 shootout victory on Saturday night.

Manitoba gave Hershey an early edge giving the Bears a man advantage minutes into the period. Guillaume Desbiens took a high sticking penalty on Steve Pinizzotto putting his teammates and the league's best penalty kill to work.

The Moose successfully killed off the minor penalty. Seconds after Desbiens returned to the ice, Hershey's Keith Aucoin whipped the puck toward the net from the left corner but it banked off of teammate Boyd Kane's skate then directly into the slot. Dmitri Kugryshev was in the right place at the right time as he wristed in his fifth goal of the season and first goal of the game for Hershey.

Starting off the second period, Brian Willsie carried the puck down the right wing wall and centered for Kyle Greentree who one-timed a shot at Lack that the Moose goalie got most of. The puck trickled through then both defencemen swiped at the puck behind Lack but neither could save the puck from crossing the goal line. The Bears extended their lead to 2-0 at 0:43 of the second period.

Manitoba cut Hershey's thanks to a rare source of offence. Defenceman Ryan Parent cleaned up a loose puck that Todd Ford couldn't handle following a wrist shot by Jordan Schroeder. Parent swatted at the rebound from the right side of the crease which at any other time of the game would be foreign territory to the blue liner. Parent's first of the season left the Bears leading 2-1 at 5:49 of the second period.

The leading scorer shouldn't be given much real estate but somehow Keith Aucoin found himself open in Manitoba's end as he ripped a pass by Boyd Kane past Eddie Lack at 15:17. His 13th goal of the year gave Hershey a 3-1 lead.

Bears defenceman Sheldon Souray is known for his booming slap shot. Fortunately for Aaron Rome, the shot he took up high didn't carry full velocity. Rome quickly batted the loose puck to Francois Bouchard at the side of Manitoba's net, tapping it in for an easy goal at 16:10

Moose coach Claude Noel could see the game unravelling before his eyes and wisely chose to call a timeout. Manitoba answered immediately as Bill Sweatt poked a loose puck past Todd Ford as he scrambled to keep position after a chance by Nolan Baumgartner. Sweatt's 12th of the season was scored at 16:54 of the second period.

The momentum swing was never clearer than in the dying minutes of the second period when the Moose controlled the play, and in particular the dying seconds. Manitoba cut the Bears lead to 4-3 with 3.3 seconds remaining in the middle frame when Mark Flood cleaned up a rebound from Garth Murray's initial shot.

A wild end to the second period concluded with the Bears leading 4-3. None of the seven goals were scored on special teams, but not for a lack of chances. Combined, the Moose and Bears killed of six minor penalties in the first two periods. The Moose have had a notorious penalty kill all season with the AHL's top ranked PK unit. Meanwhile the Bears had killed off 15 straight shorthanded situations heading into Saturday night's game.

The Bears and Moose proved why they're considered fierce rivals as tempers boiled during the third. First, Moose defenceman Travis Ramsey received a double minor for roughing, the second for roughing after the whistle, as he and Brian Willsie got tangled up behind Manitoba's net. Then during Hershey's power play, Ryan Parent the goal scorer showed we he does really well as he pasted Andrew Gordon in the left corner. No one in a Bears jersey was impressed but no penalties were handed out.

A disagreement between the referee and Keith Aucoin produced Manitoba's fifth power play of the game. And that opportunity produced Jordan Schroeder's eighth goal of the season as his one-time shot found the low glove corner of the net behind Todd Ford. Schroeder's goal, assisted by Mark Flood and Bill Sweatt, completed Manitoba's three-goal comeback with 11:32 left in the third period.

An untimely penalty by Shawn Weller put the Moose shorthanded with 2:09 remaining in the third period, tied 4-4. Manitoba's PK unit was flawless, forcing overtime without surrendering the game's deciding goal while shorthanded.

Both the Bears and Moose traded odd man opportunities in overtime, first the Moose with a three-on-one then the Bears transitioning with a two-on-one. However neither could solve the opposing goaltender during the four-on-four extra frame forcing a shootout.

The Moose and Bears couldn't find the twine on the first six rounds, although both Kevin Clark and Bill Sweatt nailed the post behind the Hershey goaltender. Then defenceman Kevin Connauton scored as Manitoba's seventh shooter to give the Moose a 5-4 come from behind shootout win. Along with stopping all seven Hershey shooters in the shootout, Lack made 30 saves in the victory.

The Moose will wrap up their four-game season series against the Bears tomorrow afternoon, 1 p.m. CST. Four hours before the Packers and Steelers kickoff in the Super Bowl, CJOB brings you the Moose-Bears puck drop with Brian Munz. Hear it online at www.cjob.com.

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