Moose Continue Hot Streak with 7-2-1 Record in Last 10 Games

Published on March 17, 2003 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Manitoba Moose News Release


Last week, the Moose finished their four-game homestand with a 2-1-1 record. They started by defeating Milwaukee 6-3 on Tuesday, lost to the Admirals 3-2 on Wednesday, beat Portland 2-1 on Friday and tied the Pirates 2-2 on Sunday. This week, Manitoba starts a quick four-game road trip on Wednesday. They play the Milwaukee Admirals to start and end the trip. In between, the club plays Grand Rapids and Chicago. The Moose remain in second spot in the Canadian Division with 74 points and are battling for a high playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Last week: Tuesday, Mar. 11 - Milwaukee 3 vs. Manitoba 6: In the first, captain Brian Chapman made a quick deke move for his second goal of the season, Ryan Ready added his team-leading 20th and rookie Nathan Smith contributed his sixth to end the period scoring. After one, Moose 3-0. In the middle frame, Tyler Bouck extended the hosts' lead to four with a shorthanded marker. Milwaukee fought back with two goals and after two Manitoba led 4-2. In the third, the Moose opened up a three goal advantage when defenceman Bryan Helmer fired his sixth. The Admirals could only get one more and an empty netter by Ready finished the scoring. Manitoba 6-3, giving them a five-game home unbeaten streak.

Wednesday, Mar. 12 - Milwaukee 3 vs. Manitoba 2: The visitors jumped out to an early 11-2 shot advantage and scored the first goal of the game at the midway mark of the period. The home side responded with Brian Chapman scoring his third of the season. This was his second consecutive game with a marker. It was tied at one heading to the middle frame. Milwaukee scored to lead 2-1 after two. In the third, the hosts tied the score at two when Pat Kavanagh redirected a perfect pass from Brandon Reid. The Admirals received the game-winner from Martin Erat at the 14 minute mark. The season series is now split at one game after the 3-2 loss. Moose goalie Tyler Moss made 27 saves in the losing cause.

Friday, Mar. 14 - Portland 1 vs. Manitoba 2: There was no scoring as both teams had 11 shots apiece. In the middle frame, Portland opened the scoring on the power play. Manitoba responded when Justin Morrison lifted a shot past Pirates' goalie Rastislav Stana. Chris Nielsen assisted on the play. Three minutes later, Moose Brandon Reid blasted his 18th of the season for the eventual game-winner. Ryan Ready and Bryan Helmer added assists. This extended Reid's point streak to a career-high six games and he reached the 50 point plateau for the first time. In the third, Portland fired 16 shots but to no avail as first star Tyler Moss stopped all of them to preserve the 2-1 victory. Moss made 34 saves for his 17th win of the season.

Sunday, Mar. 16 - Portland 2 vs. Manitoba 2 (OT): With the recent call-ups, the home side were short one player for the game but stormed out to a quick lead. Tyler Bouck notched his 10th of the season at the four minute mark. Linemates Brandon Reid and Justin Morrison added the assists. Morrison pocked his ninth on the power play to increase the hosts lead to 2-0. Reid and Bouck assisted on the play. After one, Moose 2-0. The visitors responded with a couple of markers in the second. Trent Whitfield scored his 26th and Glen Metropolit had his fifth and after two, the score was tied 2-2. There was no scoring in the third and overtime frames as both teams came away with a hard-earned point from the 2-2 decision. Tyler Moss was selected first star for his 39 save game while Reid was second star for his two assists.

Number in parentheses () indicates where team is seeded for Calder Cup Playoffs. Y-Clinched Division Title

Up Next: Manitoba (33-30-8-0) vs. Milwaukee (26-25-13-5) - Wed. Mar. 19 - 7:12 p.m. & Sun., Mar. 23 - 5:12 p.m.

T.V.: none Radio: CJOB - 6:35 p.m. on Wed. and 4:35 on Sun.

Admirals Watch: Milwaukee played Manitoba twice and lost three other times in a busy week. The Admirals are fifth in the West Division and ninth in the Western Conference playoff seeding with 70 points. This will be the third and fourth meeting this season. Milwaukee are 14-7-8-3 at home. The club is led by Darren Haydar (26g, 44a) with 70 points which is good for fifth best in the league and best among AHL rookies. His plus/minus rating of +21 is tops among active AHL rookies and he also has the most assists and game-winners (7) for league rookies. Netminder Jan Lasak leads the team among active goalies with a 3.08 Avg. and has 12 wins. The Admirals have the league's eighth best goals for per game at 3.12 (69gp/215g).

Up Next: Manitoba (33-30-8-0) vs. Grand Rapids (42-19-8-2)- Thur., Mar. 20 - 6 p.m.

T.V.: none Radio: CJOB - 5:35 p.m. on Thur.

Griffins Watch: The Griffins went 2-2 last week. This will be the fourth meeting this season with the Moose still searching for their first win (4-0L on Nov. 12, 3-2L on Dec. 14 and 4-2L on Dec. 17). The Griffins are first seed in the West Conference with 94 points. Michel Picard (27g, 48a) leads the league with 75 points. David van Drunen leads the team with +31 rating. Mark Mowers (30g, 43a) is second in league scoring with 73 points. Goaltender Marc Lamothe has a 2.13 Avg. which is good for second in the AHL and he leads with 29 wins. Grand Rapids has the AHL's lowest goals against with 2.23 (71gp/158g) and is fourth in shots against per game at 27.27 (71gp/1936s). The Griffins play in Cleveland on Tues. before hosting Manitoba.

Up Next: Manitoba (33-30-8-0) vs. Chicago (35-24-7-4)- Sat., Mar. 22 - 7 p.m.

T.V.: none Radio: CJOB - 6:35 p.m. on Sat.

Wolves Watch: This is fourth meeting between the Moose and the Wolves with Manitoba leading 2-1. Chicago sits in fourth spot in the Western Conference with 81 points. They are led by Steve Maltais (23g, 46a) with 69 points which is good for sixth in the league. Simon Gamache is second in the AHL with 15 power play tallies this season. Maltais has the third most assists in the league. Ben Simon is the AHL leader with seven shorthanded marker. Kurtis Foster is ninth in AHL defencemen scoring with 40 points. Goaltender Norm Maracle has a 2.85 Avg. and 19 wins. The Wolves have the second best PP at 20.0% (89g/446a). They have scored the most shorthanded goals at 19. Chicago has the AHL's third most goals for with 3.37 (70gp/236g). The Wolves play Rochester on Fri. before hosting to Manitoba.

Moose Notes:

- Moose goalie Tyler Moss has now started seven consecutive games (the longest streak this season) and earned first star honours on Mar. 16 (39 save) and Mar. 14 (34 save). His record is now 17-12-5 and his win total ties him for the eighth most in franchise history for a season (Manny Legace, 1999-00). He established a scoreless streak of 124:31. Moss has won seven of his last nine games and only lost once in 11 starts. He was named first star for both weekend games.

- Moose leading scorer Brandon Reid added two assists on Sun. to extend his point streak to seven games. During the seven-game span, he has pocketed four goals (two game-winners) and six assists. This has now surpassed his career-high for point streak and with the goal on Fri., Reid (18g, 32a) reached the 50 point barrier for the first time during his pro career.

- The Moose have climbed three games above .500 mark for the first time since Jan. 2.

- Manitoba is still the only AHL team not to lose in overtime this season. They tied Portland 2-2 on Sun. and now have eight ties as compared to four last season.

- The Moose record stands at 33-30-7-0 after 70 games. Last year the squad was 34-30-3-3. In previous years, the franchise held records of : 34-26-10 (2000-01), 33-24-14 (1999-00), 40-20-10 (1998-99), 32-31-7 (1997-98), 29-32-9 (1996-97).

- Tyler Bouck pocketed his ninth and tenth goals last week. Bouck now has ten goals and 21 assists for 31 points which are all career-pro highs.

- Prior to his recall, rookie Jason King had a stretch of four consecutive multi-point games (Mar. 5-11/03). He is only one point away from moving into a second place tie for Moose rookie scoring.

- Manitoba played their 150th game in the AHL on Mar. 14. Over the last two seasons, the team has amassed a record of 72W-63L-12T-4OTL= 160PTS.

- Pat Kavanagh, Nolan Baumgartner and Jason King were recalled to Vancouver on Sunday with Alex Auld still with the parent club.

- John Craighead leads with 98 PIM.

- Brian Chapman leads the team among active Moose with a +12 rating.

- The team's penalty kill ranks 24th with 80.7% (67g/348a).

- Manitoba ranks 16th in power play with 16.3% (66g/404a).

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American Hockey League Stories from March 17, 2003


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