NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, CFL stats



Moose Fall to Stars 5-2

December 7, 2010 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Manitoba Moose News Release


Tuesday night at Cedar Park Center marked the start of a tough stretch for both the Manitoba Moose (12-9-0-3) and Texas Stars (14-8-1-1). The Moose began their trek across the Southern U.S. while the Stars kicked off the first of five games over the next six nights.

In front of 3,217 fans, the host team took the win and the points as former Moose players Greg Rallo and Raymond Sawada scored for the Stars in a 5-2 Texas victory.

Manitoba Moose goalie Tyler Weiman was called on for his 10th start of the season and he needed to be sharp early on. 1:50 into the first frame, Manitoba rookie Bill Sweatt was called for holding giving Texas the first man advantage of the game. With former Moose Greg Rallo and Maxime Fortunus working the puck on the Stars powerplay, Manitoba's 9th ranked penalty kill stalled Texas for the full two minutes. Six minutes into the game, the Stars had outshot the Moose 6-1.

The Moose held the Stars through the game's opening flurry of chances and the hard work paid off. Bill Sweatt, playing this game alongside fellow rookies Jordan Schroeder and Cody Hodgson, charged down the left wing and squeezed a shot on net through a Stars defenceman. The puck rebounded directly to Hodgson charging from the right and he deposited his 10th goal of the season from the bottom of the right circle to open the scoring at 6:06 of the first.

The Stars and Moose traded a pair of power plays later in the period with Texas winger Francis Wathier and Manitoba defenceman Evan Oberg singled out for hooking and tripping, respectively. Both went unpunished and the Moose led 1-0 after 20 minutes. Manitoba also outshot the Stars 11-9, making it 13 of their past 14 games where they've outshot their opponent in the first period.

Manitoba's 1-0 suddenly turned into a deficit when the Stars put two chances by Weiman midway through the second period. First at 7:28, the Stars Ondrej Roman spotted trailer Francis Wathier on a rush, who wired a shot by the Moose goalie with Maxime Fortunus crashing the crease. Then 44 seconds later, Stars forward Cody Chupp was chased behind the Moose goal and held on to his wrap around attempt until tucking the puck along the ice, inside the far post giving his team a 2-1 lead.

The Moose closed the one-goal gap quickly as Evan Oberg, who took a penalty late in the first period, pinched from the point in the offensive zone and wired a wrist shot by Stars goalie Richard Bachman's shoulder to tie it up at 11:53. Sergei Shirokov recorded an assist on the playing giving him his 62nd point as a member of the Moose in his 100th game.

Texas regained a one goal lead at 13:59 when right winger Sean Backman quite simply was at the right place at the right time. Backman stood to Weiman's left as a point shot by Texas defenceman Darren Spang bounced off the Moose goalie's pads and dribbled to his immediate area beside the crease. Backman jammed the loose puck by Weiman who sprawled for the save.

By the second intermission, the Moose came out on the short end of a Stars second period surge. Manitoba trailed 3-2 after 40 minutes while Weiman faced 10 shots in the second period for a two-period shot total of 19-18 in favour of the Stars.

Raymond Sawada scored six goals as a member of the Moose in 2008-09. Tonight, he scored a big goal against them early in the third period. At 3:24 of the third period, Sawada converted a Moose turnover in the neutral zone into a partial breakaway before ripping a shot by Weiman's glove hand. Sawada's third goal of the season gave the Stars a 4-2 third period lead.

The visiting Manitoba Moose were given a chance to draw closer with less than four minutes to go as the Stars Trevor Ludwig was called for tripping at 16:08. Shortly after, Cody Hodgson was called for tripping at the same time the Stars were called for too many men, presenting the Moose with a rare four-on-three late in the game.

Manitoba failed to capitalize, then with Tyler Weiman pulled for an extra attacker another former Moose Greg Rallo nailed the coffin with a fifth goal at 19:53 of the final period.

The home team Stars racked up five goals on the night, scoring on four of 22 shots before the empty netter. The Moose lost 5-2 in their road trip opener despite outshooting the Stars 28-23.

From Cedar Park, Texas to Oklahoma City, the Moose continue their road trip through the Southern U.S. on Friday, Dec. 10 when the visit the Oklahoma City Barons at COX Convention Center. Game time on Friday is 7:05 pm CST. You can get all the action on CJOB 68 with Brian Munz. Listen online at www.cjob.com.

• Discuss this story on the American Hockey League message board...

American Hockey League Stories from December 7, 2010


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central