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Moose drop season-opening series to Griffins

October 15, 2007 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Manitoba Moose News Release


For the first time in three seasons, the Moose opened the 2007-08 season at home Thursday, Oct. 11, falling 4-2 to the North Division rival Grand Rapids Griffins. In the first of 21 Saturday night games this season, the Moose forced extra time with the Griffins but ultimately yielded two more points to the Division leaders.

Thursday, October 11, 2007: Griffins 4 - Moose 2 L Player introductions, fireworks, and plenty of scoring opportunities marked the opening game of the 2007-08 season for the Manitoba Moose, but the Grand Rapids Griffins spoiled the party, thanks in large part to stellar goaltending by Jimmy Howard. The Grand Rapids Griffins fired first and took an early 1-0 lead over the home team and held on for the 4-2 win at the MTS Centre. Moose defencemen Jimmy Sharrow and Shaun Heshka scored for Manitoba, while Howard received first star honours. (view game recap / highlights)

Saturday, October 13, 2007: Griffins 4 - Moose 3 OTL Despite tying the game late in the third period, the Manitoba Moose were unable to secure a win in extra time, falling 4-3 to the Griffins on Saturday night. Carl Corazzini scored the game-winner for Grand Rapids, and Cory Schneider made his pro debut in net for the Moose. Play-making centre Brad Moran and rookie defender Luc Bourdon both registered a goal and an assist for Manitoba, earning second and third stars respectively.(view game recap / highlights)

The Divisional battles continue this week, as the Moose host the Rochester Americans Tuesday & Wednesday nights then embark on their first three-games-in-three-nights road stretch: Friday, Oct. 29 in Rochester; Saturday, Oct. 20 in Toronto; and Sunday, Oct. 21 in Hamilton.

UPCOMING OPPONENTS

The Manitoba Moose and Rochester Americans play eachother in three consecutive games this week, starting Tuesday and Wednesday nights at the MTS Centre and wrapping Friday night in Rochester. Last season, the Moose went 4-3-1-0 vs. the Americans, sweeping the final four games of the season series. Historically, Manitoba is 14-11-3-0 (.553) against Rochester -- 6-7-1-0 at the MTS Centre and 8-4-2-0 at the Blue Cross Arena.

Sandwiched between games in Rochester and Hamilton, Manitoba's first game of the season vs. the Toronto Marlies goes down Saturday night at the Ricoh Coliseum. The Moose and Marlies met in two pre-season games Sept. 28 & 29 in Northwestern Ontario, taking a game each to split the exhibition series. Last season, Manitoba had a near-perfect 7-1-0-0 record vs. Toronto, pushing their all-time record to an impressive 13-1-1-1.

Manitoba wraps their first three-games-in-three-nights stretch Sunday night in Hamilton. The Moose have an all-time record of 18-28-2-4 vs. the Bulldogs (4-2-0-2 last season) and will be looking for their sixth win in 27 games-played at Copps Coliseum.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK NOMINEE

#20 Brad Moran - Centre

Brad Moran appeared in both games for the Moose in their opening week of 2007...He scored his first goal of the season (game-tying goal) and added an assist in Saturday's 4-3 overtime loss...It was Moran's only shot on Saturday, while he recorded five shots in Thursday's 4-2 loss, for a total of six shots this week...He also finished the week +1.

MOOSE NOTES

OPEN SEASON: Manitoba's all-time record in the first game of the season fell to 4-5-1-2 Thursday night, marking the third season in a row the club failed to take away two points in Game 1 and the first time in three seasons the Moose opened the season at home. Last season, the Moose dropped a 3-2 overtime decision to the Penguins in Wilkes-Barre on Oct. 4/06. That game was the first of the season in the entire AHL; comparatively, Manitoba had the latest start of any team in the league this year.

GOAL-GETTERS: Last season's number one and two scoring leaders (and fellow line-mates) posted their first points of the year Saturday night vs. the Griffins. Jason Jaffray scored the opening goal late in the first period, and Brad Moran followed up his assist on that play with his own game-tying goal midway through the third. Manitoba's other three goals so far this season have been scored by defencemen: Jimmy Sharrow and Shaun Heshka provided Moose scoring in Thursday's season-opener, while rookie Luc Bourdon netted Manitoba's second of the game Saturday night.

THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS: Thanks to an influx of rookies and prospects, as well as the departure of a handful of veteran players, the average age on Manitoba's current roster is 23.7 years old, a full two years younger than the club's average age at the end of the 06-07 regular season. Tonight's season-opening roster will feature seven players aged 21 and under and only four players over the age of 26. Manitoba's defence is especially youthful, with nine players averaging 22.3 years old. The youngest player on the current Moose squad is Vancouver's 2006 first round draft pick Michael Grabner, who turned 20 on Oct. 5. Manitoba's oldest player is Captain Mike Keane, who at 40 is ten years older than the second oldest player, Greg Classen.

SO-SO OCTOBER: Historically, the first full month of Fall has been touch-and-go for Manitoba. Last season, the club finished 3-5-1-1 in October, earning four fewer points than they did in October 2005, when the Moose finished 6-3-0-0. Manitoba has an overall AHL record of 26-27-4-4 in October.



American Hockey League Stories from October 15, 2007


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