Moose Fall Short of Wolves 3-2

Published on March 6, 2011 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Manitoba Moose News Release


There was nothing lazy about Sunday afternoon for the Manitoba Moose (34-23-1-5) and Chicago Wolves (33-25-3-5) who turned up the intensity in front of 9,644 at Allstate Arena for a matinee tilt. The Wolves gained a two goal lead on goals by Darren Haydar and Tim Miller. Manitoba made a strong comeback attempt but Chicago's Edward Pasquale turned away 29 of 31 shots preserving a 3-2 win for the hometown Wolves.

Three games in three days is a difficult task, one that the Moose would attempt to wrap up for the fourth time on Sunday. The Wolves showed no sign of sympathy for the visiting Moose piling on chances early in the game and nearly capitalizing on a number of turnovers by Manitoba.

Not helping their cause, the Moose took a tripping penalty just 1:17 in that they managed to kill off. Then Manitoba's first power play of the game was interrupted by another Moose penalty as centre Alexandre Bolduc was called for slashing behind the play.

After Chicago defenceman Noah Welch returned to the ice for his team's shortened power play, the Wolves jumped out to a one goal lead converting on their second man advantage of the game. Former Moose and long-time Wolves centre Jason Krog threaded a pass through a couple Manitoba penalty killers to Darren Haydar parked at the right side of the Moose goal. Haydar fired it right away beating Eddie Lack to the top half of the net, making it 1-0 Chicago at 11:18.

Moose goalie Eddie Lack entered Sunday's game a little refreshed after getting Saturday night off. His rest was much needed because the Wolves piled on 16 shots in the first 20 minutes. Lack allowed one goal while Wolves goalie Edward Pasquale stopped each of Manitoba's 10 chances before the first intermission.

Less than two minutes into the second period, Wolves forward and Winnipeg native Ryan Garbutt was whistled for holding up Moose forward Sergei Shirokov giving Manitoba their second power play. The best chance of the two-minute advantage went to the Wolves penalty killers as Fredrik Petterson was sprung on a breakaway after stripping Manitoba's point man of the puck. Lack made the save, keeping his team within one goal.

The Wolves killed off the rest of the penalty and made up for a lost opportunity at 7:06 on a goal by Chicago's Tim Miller. After Darren Haydar won the faceoff back to Jamie Sifers, the Wolves d-man had his shot blocked but the puck slid to Miller in the slot who made no mistake firing a low shot past Lack giving his team a 2-0 lead.

Chicago extended the lead to three goals late in the second period when Jason Krog finished off a pretty passing play that dotted across the slot in front of Eddie Lack. Andre Deveaux dished a backhand pass to Michael Davies who fed Krog with an easy pass that the Wolves centre sniped past Lack's blocker at 17:28.

The game continued to sour for the Moose at 18:55 when Shawn Weller was called for hooking. Seconds into the Wolves power play, Moose centre Garth Murray darted away on a breakaway after taking the puck from the Wolves point man. Murray evaded Pasquale's poke check attempt and backhanded in his third shorthanded goal of the season at 19:12 bringing the Moose to within two goals. The period expired with the Wolves ahead 3-1.

It took 37 games in three different professional leagues before Manitoba's rookie defenceman Yann Sauve scored his first pro goal, but he did just that on Saturday night. Early in the third period on Sunday, he received a pass in the offensive zone from Jordan Schroeder before taking a wrist shot from the high slot the evaded Edward Pasquale for Sauve's second pro goal at 4:45 of the third period. Sauve's even strength marker drew the Moose to within one goal with plenty of time to spare in the third period.

Desperate for an even up goal, Moose forward Guillaume Desbiens charged towards the Wolves goal but tied up with the defenceman ending up on top of him and getting called for cross-checking on the play with only 1:43 remaining in the third period. The timing of the penalty made it difficult for the Moose, trailing by a goal, to pull Eddie Lack for an extra attacker instead hoping for a shorthanded chance.

Manitoba's last hope came with 15 seconds left when Chicago was called for icing. The Moose finally pulled Lack but couldn't get a shot off. Time ran out on Manitoba's comeback attempt with Chicago capturing the 3-2 win. The Wolves outshot the Moose 43-31 in the win. The Moose will be in Oklahoma City on Tuesday night to visit the Barons in game four of Manitoba's current seven-game West Division road trip. Brian Munz brings you the action from Cox Convention Center on CJOB 68, beginning at 7:05 p.m. CST. Listen live online at www.cjob.com.

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American Hockey League Stories from March 6, 2011


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