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Moose Drop Shootout Decision To Heat 2-1

November 26, 2010 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Manitoba Moose News Release


Not very often can an AHL team benefit from a home away from home. But the crowd in Abbotsford (12-8-0-2) can be pretty supportive for the Manitoba Moose (10-6-0-2) considering the Heat's proximity to Manitoba's NHL affiliate in Vancouver. The road support didn't provide the edge the Moose needed as Heat goalie Leland Irving stopped 40 shots in regulation and all three Manitoba shooters in the shootout providing his team with a 2-1 win on Friday night.

Entering Friday's game, the Manitoba Moose had won five of their last six games so there was no need to fix what ain't broke. That being said, the Moose made a few adjustments to the roster tonight adding forwards Jonas Andersson (last game on Oct. 22 vs. Hamilton) and Tommy Maxwell (last game on Nov. 5 @ Grand Rapids), as well as defenceman Ryan Parent who made his Manitoba Moose debut after being assigned by the Vancouver Canucks earlier in the day. Andersson started the game playing alongside Marco Rosa and Victor Oreskovich and Parent began on the blue line next to Chris Tanev.

The first power play of the game went to the Moose just 0:57 in. That opportunity was foiled by a tripping call to Manitoba right winger Sergei Shirokov eight seconds into the man advantage. The Moose would get another special teams opportunity at 13:03 when Abbotsford's Andrew Carroll upended Moose captain Nolan Baumgartner as he was trying to evade Carroll at the point. That power play lasted more than eight seconds but was equally productive as the game remained tied 0-0 when Carroll returned to the ice.

The Manitoba Moose more than doubled up the Heat in shots through 20 minutes, 13-6. Each team left the ice after the first empty handed as both Eddie Lack in the Moose net and Heat goalie Leland Irving were perfect in the game's opening frame.

Early in the second period, Heat rookie Greg Nemisz gained possession in Manitoba's end and charged the net from the right wing corner. Nemisz didn't get away much of a shot, but winger Lance Bouma did as he buried his fifth goal of the season past Eddie Lack. The assist by Nemisz at 0:58 of the second period gave him his team leading 13th point of the season.

Moose forward Kevin Clark ate the boards after getting hit from behind by the Heat's Joe Piskula. Then four seconds into Manitoba's power play, Greg Nemisz fired the puck over the glass in his own end resulting in a delay of game penalty and a 1:56 two-man advantage for the Moose.

Heat goalie Leland Irving had shut the door on the Moose throughout the game and was at his best during the five-on-three. Irving's best saves of the game came early in the power play as Moose defenceman Lee Sweatt was robbed twice as he fired a pair of point shots from the high slot. Sweatt's second shot found Irving's extended glove hand, freezing the flurry of chances in front of the Heat net.

At the end of two periods the Heat led the Moose 1-0 while Irving had stopped all 15 second period shots on goal by the Moose. After 40 minutes the Moose outshot the Heat 28-14.

The Moose power play had been cold through the first two periods but produced after Abbotsford's John Armstrong took a slashing minor at 6:20. Manitoba controlled the play and rookie defenceman Kevin Connauton put a point shot off the post early in the man advantage. Shortly after, Connauton got another opportunity from the point and this time blew one past Irving through a thick screen with both Bill Sweatt and Sergei Shirokov standing in his shooting lane. Connauton's fifth goal of the season at 8:06 of the third period was assisted by Sweatt and Shirokov.

Manitoba got an extended power play at 10:18 when Heat defenceman T.J. Brodie speared Victor Oreskovich behind the play. Brodie received a game misconduct and a five-minute major for his stickwork. The Moose were unable to capitalize on the man advantage, partly because it was shortened by a bench minor for too many men at 11:24.

Neither team was able to break the deadlock through the remaining minutes of the third period so the Heat and Moose headed to sudden death overtime tied 1-1.

During the wide open four-on-four overtime period, the Moose and Heat traded several scoring chances but Irving and Lack wouldn't allow an end in regulation. The best scoring chance came with less than a minute left as Mario Bliznak spotted Evan Oberg pinching in Abbotsford's end, but Irving stoned Oberg from point blank range.

The shootout stage belonged to the Heat as three-of-four Abbotsford shooters solved Eddie Lack and Leland Irving stoned Jordan Schroeder, Marco Rosa, and Cody Hodgson for the Moose. The final score after the shootout was 2-1 in favour of the hometown Abbotsford Heat.

The Moose and Heat renew their rivalry on Saturday night at the Abbotsford Entertainment & Sports Centre. Manitoba's NHL affiliate and Abbotsford's pro hockey neighbour, the Vancouver Canucks, have the night off tomorrow which has resulted in an early sellout of 7,046 for Saturday's rematch. Game time is at 9:00 p.m. CST.

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