Moose Denied by Marlies 3-1

Published on February 26, 2011 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Manitoba Moose News Release


Less than 24 hours earlier, the Manitoba Moose (31-22-1-5) dropped a 5-3 decision to the Rochester Americans. But as is the nature of a road trip, the traveling Moose were required to shake off the loss as they prepared to face the Toronto Marlies (30-23-0-8) on Saturday afternoon. Toronto's Nazem Kadri opened the scoring early delighting the 4,890 fans at Ricoh Coliseum with a highlight reel goal. The Moose finally found the score sheet late in the third but it wasn't enough as Jonas Gustavsson made 23 saves for the Marlies in Toronto's 3-1 win.

Tyler Weiman was ready to start for the Moose in Saturday's game against Toronto but because of a bout of the flu, Eddie Lack returned to Manitoba's net for his fifth straight start. His counterpart in the Marlies net was fellow Swedish stopper Jonas Gustavsson.

The AHL is widely considered the top developmental league in the world. Very early in Saturday's game, fans of the Maple Leafs got to see what's been cooking at Ricoh Coliseum. Top prospect Nazem Kadri dangled between a pair of Moose defencemen before picking the blocker side on Eddie Lack for the game's first goal at 3:00.

Kadri got another rise out of the home crowd midway through the period when he connected on a big hit on Aaron Volpatti while forechecking in Manitoba's end.

Manitoba defenceman Kevin Connauton took the game's first penalty at 12:36. While he sat for interference, Nazem Kadri and Joe Colborne worked the cycle on the power play in Manitoba's corner. Kadri spotted Aaron Voros at the top of the crease and labelled a pass that Voros tapped in for Toronto's second goal at 14:06.

Jonas Gustavsson stopped all 10 of Manitoba's first period shots. The Moose entered the first intermission trailing by a pair and once again shorthanded as Connauton took a delay of game penalty at 19:09.

Manitoba's deficit nearly grew to three goals early in the second period but Toronto's Ryan Hamilton misfired on a wide open cage. Greg Scott faked a shot to Eddie Lack's right side, then dished the puck to Hamilton but his shot cleared the crossbar.

Two things Moose forward Aaron Volpatti does better than most are hitting and fighting. He did both during a sequence midway through the second period when Volpatti caught Marcel Mueller with a thunderous open ice hit. Then trying to defend his teammate, Danny Richmond grabbed a hold of Volpatti but likely regretted his decision as Volpatti began throwing haymakers. When the dust settled, Richmond and Volpatti were assessed fighting majors and Marcel Mueller was able to leave the ice under his own power.

Manitoba finally went to work on their first power play of the game at 17:49 of the second period when Matt Lashoff hauled down Moose leading scorer Sergei Shirokov. The Moose spent most of the man advantage in the Marlies zone but were boxed out, getting very few shots through to Jonas Gustavsson in the Marlies net. The second period ran out with Toronto ahead 2-0 despite being outshot 17-12.

The Moose failed to score on their first man advantage but got an extended opportunity to score on their second of the game. Marlies defenceman Simon Gysbers was assessed a double minor for high sticking at 5:38. The best scoring chance of the four minute power play went to Toronto's Greg Scott. The Marlies penalty killer charged down the left wing wall and cut to the Moose net on a partial break with only one Moose defenceman on him. Scott was denied when he snapped a shot into Lack's chest.

Manitoba's penalty killers were tested again late when Mark Flood was booked for tripping at 15:32. But just as the Marlies PK unit applied the pressure on Manitoba's last power play, the Moose were able to do the same as defenceman Evan Oberg scored shorthanded at 16:59. Manitoba's sixth shorthanded goal of the season closed the Marlies lead to 2-1.

With less than a minute remaining, the Moose pulled Eddie Lack for the extra attacker but that tactic didn't last long. Marlies forward Christian Hanson intercepted a pass and walked in on the empty cage all alone. Hanson scored the empty netter at 19:09 to put the lid on Toronto's 3-1 win. The Moose and Marlies rematch takes place Sunday at noon, 12:00 p.m. CST, at Ricoh Coliseum. The game will be televised nationally on CBC and as always, Brian Munz brings you the action live on CJOB 68.

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American Hockey League Stories from February 26, 2011


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