Moose Fight Off Penguins In 3-2 Win

Published on February 4, 2011 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Manitoba Moose News Release


WILKES-BARRE, PA - To be the best, you have to be that best. It was all laid out for the Manitoba Moose (27-14-1-5) as a win against the AHL's top team, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (32-13-0-0), could give Manitoba the North Division lead. Eddie Lack was the best player on either team as Manitoba's goalie made 40 saves to stifle the Penguins while NHL veteran Sami Salo scored the game winning goal, his second of the game, midway through the second period.

The last time the Manitoba Moose were at Mohegan Sun Arena was on Jan. 31, 2010. On Friday in front of 6,215, the Moose may not have recognized the place with a giant Pittsburgh Steelers logo covering centre ice on Friday night honouring the Super Bowl XLV contender.

It took more than four minutes for the Moose to register their first shot on goal but they made it count as defenceman Mark Flood whipped a shot on goal from the point seconds after Manitoba beat out an icing call. Flood's sixth goal of the season was assisted by Manitoba's leading scorer Sergei Shirokov and Guillaume Desbiens.

NHL veteran d-man Sami Salo joined the Moose on a conditioning assignment in time for this weekend's Eastern Conference road trip. He took his first shift with Travis Ramsey and contributed early by scoring on his second shift of the game. Salo pinched from the point and picked up a puck in the slot after Moose rookie Jordan Schroeder won a battle along the left wing boards. Wilkes-Barre goalie John Curry was fooled by Salo's backhand deke allowing him to put Manitoba up 2-0 at 6:18.

Saying both goalies were kept busy is an understatement as the Penguins and Moose combined for 32 first period shots. Wilkes-Barre were stopped 18 times by Moose goalie Eddie Lack while John Curry allowed a pair of Manitoba goals on 14 shots.

Manitoba did not pick up where they left off as Wilkes-Barre picked up the pace early in the second period. With Dustin Jeffrey recently recalled by Pittsburgh, current Wilkes-Barre leading scorer Nick Johnson lived up to his billing and recorded the Penguins first goal at 2:00 of the second. He shovelled in a loose puck after Ryan Craig tried to stuff it in between Lack's pad and the post.

The Moose went nearly 10 minutes without a recorded shot on John Curry until a tripping call by Wilkes-Barre's Andrew Hutchinson gave Manitoba their third power play of the game. Sami Salo, who scored Manitoba's second goal of the game, is known for his wicked slap shot and was given time and space to unload it. His blast may have been heard but not seen by Curry as Salo wired his second goal of the game. Moose regained their two-goal lead at 9:56 of the second period.

The goalies shut the door in the following 10 minutes highlighted by a remarkable pad save on Moose captain Nolan Baumgartner. Manitoba's leading scoring defencemen felt left out following the first three goals by Moose d-men but was robbed on a great three-on-two passing play with four minutes remaining in the second period.

Manitoba's Victor Oreskovich likely delivered the hit of the game with the puck on his stick. Midway through the third period, Oreskovich carried the puck out from behind the Penguins' net when Kevin Veilleux was trucked by Oreskovich trying to knock the big winger off the puck. Oreskovich had already reacorded two assists on the night in his first game since Dec. 28.

Lack was flawless when he needed to be stifling the Penguins offence in the game's dying moments. At the end of 60 minutes, Lack had stopped 40 of 42 shots by Wilkes-Barre to capture his 16th win of the season. Sami Salo's two goals made the difference with his second proving to be the game winner in Manitoba's 3-2 win.

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American Hockey League Stories from February 4, 2011


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