Moose Defeat Portland in Qualifying Round to Advance to Quarterfinals

Published on April 14, 2003 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Manitoba Moose News Release


Last week, the Moose completed a series win against the Portland Pirates by a two games to one margin. This is the second consecutive season Manitoba has won the best-of-three qualifying series on the road (last year: 2-1 over Worcester). They started the series with a 4-1 win over Portland on Thursday. In game two, the Pirates tied the series with a 4-2 win on Friday. In the deciding game three on Sunday, the visitors ended Portland's season with a 6-3 victory to advance to the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal against the second seed Providence Bruins. The best-of-five conference quarterfinal series starts on Wednesday in Providence with game two on Friday and game three at the Winnipeg Arena on Sunday, April 20.

Last week: Thursday, Apr. 10 - Manitoba 4 vs. Portland 1: The home side opened the scoring when Andre Salomonsson scored at the 12 minute mark. Less than four minutes later, Moose veteran Jimmy Roy notched his first of the playoff season. After one, 1-1. The visitors scored the crucial second goal of the game with less than 45 seconds left in the period. Moose leading scorer Ryan Ready fired home the eventual game-winner. After two, Moose 2-1. In the third, the hosts were frantic to find the equalizer but Manitoba scored on a 2-on-1 with Pat Kavanagh converting and increasing the Moose lead to two. Kavanagh added an insurance empty net goal for his second of the night and a final 4-1 win at Portland. Moose goalie Tyler Moss stopped 29 shots for third star selection.

Friday, Apr. 11 - Manitoba 2 vs. Portland 4: In the first, Herbert Vasiljevs scored his first and added his second point of the series. The power play tally was assisted by Pat Kavanagh and Jaroslav Obsut. Portland responded with two goals before the period ended. After one, Portland 2-1. In the second, the home side received the eventual game-winner from Andreas Salomonsson. It was his second of the playoffs and scored on the power play. After two, the Pirates led 3-1. In the third, the visitors closed the lead to one with a marker from Justin Kurtz. Jimmy Roy notched his third point of the series with an assist. The hosts completed the scoring with an empty netter to win 4-2 and sent the series to a final game three. Portland goalie Maxime Ouellet stopped 38 shots while Moose netminder Tyler Moss made 25 saves in the losing cause.

Sunday, Apr. 13 - Manitoba 6 vs. Portland 3: After a hard-fought contest, the Moose prevailed by a 6-3 score and capture the qualifying series by a 2-1 margin. In the first, Pat Kavanagh scored his third of the series on the power play. Only seven second later, Pirates' Andreas Salomonsson scored his third of the playoffs. The visitors responded with another power play tally from Kavanagh. Salomonsson ended the first period scoring with his fourth and the score was tied at two heading into the middle frame. The Moose took the lead for good with a power play marker from Ryan Ready. This was Ready's seventh playoff goal as a Moose and ties him for the all-time franchise lead with Bill Bowler. Jason King scored his first-ever pro playoff goal (and eventual game-winner) to increase the advantage to two. The home side narrowed the lead by one with a goal from Colin Forbes. After two, Moose 4-3. In the third, Manitoba held off a rally from the hosts with stellar goaltending from Tyler Moss. Herbert Vasiljevs scored an important goal to push the lead back to two and King notched his second to salt away the match. The Moose defeated Portland 6-3 and win the qualifying series two games to one. Ready (1g, 2a) and Vasiljevs (1g, 2a) finished with three points apiece.

Series 'Q4' Portland vs. Manitoba

Game Winning Goal

Thursday, April 10 Manitoba 4 at Portland 1 1,596 Ryan Ready

Friday, April 11 Manitoba 2 at Portland 4 2,529 Andreas Salomonsson

Sunday, April 13 Manitoba 6 at Portland 3 2,549 Jason King

(Manitoba wins series 2 games to 1) 6,674

10- GR GAME

Series 'Q4' GP W L GF GA PIM MIN MAJ MISC MISC MISC MATCH

Portland 3 1 2 8 12 56 23 0 1 0 0 0

Manitoba 3 2 1 12 8 40 20 0 0 0 0 0

----------------------------

Series 'F' Providence vs. Manitoba

Game Winning Goal

Wednesday, April 16 Manitoba at Providence

Friday, April 18 Manitoba at Providence

Sunday, April 20 Providence at Manitoba

Tuesday, April 22 Providence at Manitoba (if necessary)

Thursday, April 24 Manitoba at Providence (if necessary)

10- GR GAME

Series 'F' GP W L GF GA PIM MIN MAJ MISC MISC MISC MATCH

Providence 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Manitoba 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Up Next:Manitoba (37-33-8-2) vs. Providence (44-20-11-5)- GAME ONE: Wed, Apr. 16 & GAME TWO: Fri., Apr. 18 - 6:05 p.m. CT, GAME THREE: Sun., Apr. 20 - 2 p.m. CT

T.V.: none Radio: CJOB - 5:35 p.m. on Wed. & Fri. and 1:35 p.m. on Sun.

Bruins Watch: Providence finished the 2002-03 regular season as the North Division champions and second seed in the Eastern Conference with 104 points. The season series was tied at two (Moose 4-3OTW on Mar. 30, 5-2L on Mar. 28, 5-1W on Mar. 7 and 4-2L on Feb. 9). They have not played since their last regular season game on Apr. 6 against Binghamton. The P-Bruins had a 26-9-4-1 home record during the season and went 18-11-7-4 on the road. The team was led by Keith Aucoin (25g, 51a) with 76 points, good for sixth place in the AHL scoring race. Andy Hilbert led the team with 35 goals and tied for third most in the league. Hilbert was 16th in league scoring with 70 points. Matt Herr (34g, 38a) finished with 72 points (12th in the AHL) and had 16 power play goals. Herr led the league with 11 game-winning goals. Lee Goren (right now playing for the Boston Bruins) led the league in power play goals with 17 and was the fourth Bruins in the top 20 in AHL scoring with 69 points for 17th spot. Martin Samuelsson was first with a shooting pct. of 21.1% (24g/114s) and tied for second among AHL rookies with 11 PPG. Goalie Adam Hauser leads the team among active goalies with a 2.78 Avg. and netminder Matt Underhill had three wins. The P-Bruins had the seventh best PP at 17.6% (89g/506a). They had the league's third best goals for per game at 3.35 (80gp/268g). Providence held the league's eighth most shots for per game at 31.53 (80gp/2522s).

Moose Notes:

- Manitoba won their second consecutive best-of-three qualifying series in successive years (last season: beat Worcester two games to one). Both years the Moose won game three on the road. They improved their record to 3-1 in the AHL when facing elimination. The last time Manitoba lost a playoff series was the conference quarterfinal against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in game four of the best-of-five series at home on Apr. 19/02.

- Manitoba played their tenth AHL playoff game on Sunday. They are 5-5 so far and have won two series in the last two seasons.

- Ryan Ready scored two goals (one was a game-winner) during the series and has now moved into a tie for the all-time franchise lead with Bill Bowler (7, 1998-00) Ready has scored seven goals in 10 playoff games as a Moose and now has 11 points in his Moose playoff career which is good for a fifth place tie (Scott Thomas).

- Forward Herbert Vasiljevs scored two goals and three assists during the series. He had a three-point game along with Ready on Sunday. In 18 AHL playoff games, Vasiljevs has registered five goals and five assists.

- Manitoba registered six goals in Sunday's match against Portland (tied for most in franchise playoff history). The six goals in a game was the highest goal total scored on the road by a Moose playoff team.

- Forward Pat Kavanagh notched four goals (two on the power play) and one assist during the three game series. He is ranked second in AHL playoff scoring and goals. Kavanagh holds the top shooting percentage in the playoffs at 66.7% (4g/6s). He became the first Moose in franchise playoff history to score twice in a game in two separate games. Entering the 2003 AHL Playoffs, he only had one playoff goal during his pro career.

- Moose playoff veteran Jimmy Roy started the team's scoring on Thursday and notched his fourth goal during his playoff career. He added two assists in the series to move him into the top ten of Moose playoff scoring with eight points (4g, 4a).

- Goaltender Tyler Moss started all three games in the qualifying series and won two games. He recorded a 2.35 Avg. (ninth in AHL playoffs) with a Save Pct. of .918. Moss stopped 29 shots in the first game on Thur.

- Five Moose players made their AHL playoff debuts in game one. Forwards Tyler Bouck (1 shot), Jason Goulet (2 shots), Jason King (1 shot), Nathan Smith (+1 rating), and defenceman Mikko Jokela (+1 rating) all tasted their first playoff experience in the AHL.

- Defenceman Justin Kurtz moved into a fifth spot in franchise scoring with his 12th point on Sunday. He had one goal and two assists in the series and moved into third spot in franchise history for all-time playoff assists. Kurtz became the third Moose to play in 30 playoff games along with Brian Chapman (33) and Roy (31).

- Defenceman Bryan Helmer is third in playoff shots with 14. He earned second star honours in game one with three shots and +1 rating. Helmer has the season team-high with seven shots in a playoff game on Friday.

- Rookie Jason King leads all AHL rookies in playoff goal scoring with two, game-winners with one and shooting percentage at 40.0% (2g/5a). Moose rookie Nathan Smith and King lead all league rookies with a +2 rating in the playoffs.

- The Moose have had a balanced attack through three playoff games. Twelve of the 18 skaters have scored at least one point. Nine of the 12 have at least two or more points. Zenith Komarniski had two assists on Sunday while defencemen Jaroslav Obsut and Rene Vydareny are tied for second among Moose D-men with two points.

- Komarniski leads the team with a +3 rating. John Craighead leads the team with 10 PIM.

- The team's penalty kill is ranked 11th in the playoffs with 75.0% (3g/12a).

- The Moose went three for six on the power play on Sunday. Manitoba ranks fifth in power play in the 2003 AHL Playoffs with 26.7% (4g/15a).

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American Hockey League Stories from April 14, 2003


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