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Moose Finish Five-Game Road Trip with 4-1 Record

March 10, 2003 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Manitoba Moose News Release


Last week, the Moose won all three road games to finish the five-game homestand. They started by defeating Bridgeport 4-2 on Wednesday, victorious against Providence by a 5-1 score on Friday and posting a 3-0 shutout win over Saint John on Saturday. This week, Manitoba starts a quick and important four-game homestand on Tuesday. They play the Milwaukee Admirals in a two-game series and a weekend series against the Portland Pirates. The Moose remain in second spot in the Canadian Division with 69 points and are battling for a high playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Last week: Wednesday, Mar. 5 - Manitoba 4 vs. Bridgeport 2: There was no scoring in the first but in the second, the visitors opened the scoring when rookie Jason King notched his 16th of the season. This ended a 13 game scoreless drought for King. Team leading goal scorer Ryan Ready fired home his 19th and defenceman Justin Kurtz scored his 10th to increase the Moose lead to 3-0. Bridgeport scored late in the second but the hosts were down 3-1 going into the final frame. King added his second of the game to regain a three-goal advantage. Bridgeport registered a power play goal to end the scoring. Manitoba left with a 4-2 road victory and captured the season series four games to none.

Friday, Mar. 7 - Manitoba 5 vs. Providence 1: Manitoba went on a scoring binge in the first period that has not been seen this season on the road. The visitors potted three unanswered goals in the first 20 minutes. Defenceman Nolan Baumgartner kept up his strong play with his eighth of the season. John Craighead scored the eventual game-winner and Chris Nielsen scored on a weird goal to end the scoring in the first. In the second, Providence scored their lone goal. After two, Moose 3-1. In the final frame, Manitoba stopped any chance of a comeback with two more markers. Moose leading scorer Brandon Reid notched his 15th and defenceman Bryan Helmer added his fifth to end the scoring. The home side saw their 19 game home unbeaten streak end with the 5-1 loss. This was Manitoba's first-ever win against the Bruins.

Saturday, Mar. 8 - Manitoba 3 vs. Saint John 0: There was no scoring during the first two periods. Moose goalie Tyler Moss had to be sharp as he faced 31 shots to the five directed at the Flames netminder. In the third, the visitors scored the opening goal when Moose leading scorer Brandon Reid fired home his 16th. Rookie Nathan Smith notched a power play tally late in the frame for a 2-0 lead. Reid pocketed his second of the game and 17th of the season to finish the scoring. Moss stopped a season team-high 41 shots to preserve the shutout win and earn first star honours. This was Moss's second shutout this season and 11th in his pro career. Reid was second star and Tyler Bouck with two assists was named third star. Manitoba now has registered at least one point in eight of their last nine matches.

Up Next: Manitoba (31-29-7-0) vs. Milwaukee (25-22-13-4) - Tues. Mar. 11 & Wed., Mar. 12 - 7:30 p.m.

T.V.: none Radio: CJOB - 7:05 p.m. both games

Admirals Watch: Milwaukee went 2-1-1 last week. They beat Houston 3-2 on Wed., tied 3-3- to Cincinnati on Fri., lost 6-4 on Sat. at Chicago and 2-1 overtime win versus Cincy on Sun. The Admirals are fourth in the West Division and eighth in the Western Conference playoff seeding with 67 points. This will be the first meetings of the season between the two teams this season. Last season, the season series was split 4-4. Milwaukee are 11-16-5-2 on the road. The club is led by Darren Haydar (26g, 40a) with 66 points which is good for fifth best in the league and best among AHL rookies. His plus/minus rating of +23 is tops among active AHL rookies and he also has the most assists and game-winners (7) for league rookies. Netminder Brian Finley leads the team with 2.93 Avg. and Jan Lasak has 12 wins. The Admirals have the league's sixth best goals for per game at 3.16 (64gp/202g) and holds the league's ninth shots against per game at 29.23 (64gp/1871s).

Up Next: Manitoba (31-29-7-0) vs. Portland (31-23-8-5)- Fri., Mar. 14 - 7:30 p.m. & Sun., Mar. 16 - 2 p.m.

T.V.: none Radio: CJOB - 7:05 p.m. on Fri., 1:35 p.m. on Sun.

Pirates Watch: This is third and fourth meeting between the Moose and the Pirates this season. Portland leads with a win and a tie (The teams tied 2-2 on Oct. 20 at Portland, 5-2 win for Portland on Nov. 1). The Pirates played three games last weekend. They lost 5-3 to Manchester on Wed., lost 4-1 to Providence on Sat. and beat them 3-1 in Providence on Sun. Trent Whitfield (25g, 32a) leads the club with 57 points (18th best in the AHL). Peter Ferraro leads the team with 36 assists. Whitfield is tied for second in the league with five shorthanded markers. Rookie Josef Boumedienne is tied for sixth among AHL rookies with 40 points. Goaltender Ratislav Stana has a 2.46 Avg. The Pirates have the ninth best PP with 17.7% (76g/430a). They have the fourth best penalty kill at 86.3% (51g/371a). Portland has the AHL's third lowest goals against with 2.37 (67gp/159g). The Pirates play in Hartford on Wed. before travelling to Manitoba.

Moose Notes:

- Moose goalie Tyler Moss was named AHL Player of the Week for the week ending March 9. This was the second time a Moose player was selected for AHL Player of the Week honours during the 2002-03 season (first time: Justin Kurtz for week ending Feb. 2). Moss had a 41 save game (a season team-high) in the 3-0 shutout win on Mar. 8. The veteran netminder extended his personal winning streak to five games and unbeaten streak to seven games (6-0-1) since Feb. 19. Moss earned first star honours on Mar. 8 and a second star selection on Mar. 5. Moss finished the week with a record of 3-0-0, a 1.00 Avg. and a .972 Save Pct.

- Manitoba won all three road games last week and improved the road trip record to 4-1. The Moose now has registered at least one point in eight of their last nine matches.

- With the 3-0 road win against Saint John on Sat. Mar. 8, the Moose have climbed two games above .500 mark for the first time since Jan. 5. On Mar. 7, Manitoba scored three unanswered goals. This was the first time this feat was done on the road this season and only the third time all season (Dec. 21/02, Nov. 23/02).

- Moose leading scorer Brandon Reid had three goals and two assists during the week. He now has 17 goals, 30 assists for 47 points. Reid was second star on Sat., Mar. 8.

- Defenceman Nolan Baumgartner had a three point game on Friday. He scored a goal and an assist to move his Moose totals to eight goals, 28 assists for 36 points in 56 AHL matches. This moves Baumgartner into third place in Moose scoring. It is the second time in seven games that he has registered a three point game. The Calgary native is now only two markers shy of his career total set last season in Norfolk.

- Rookie Jason King had two goals on Wed., added two assists on Fri. and two assists on Sat. to increase his season point total to 34 points. He was first star on Wed., Mar. 5. King is now only three points away from moving into a second place tie with Brandon Reid (37; '01-02) and two points back of Alexander Korolyuk (36; '96-97). King is in fifth place in Moose scoring.

- Defenceman Justin Kurtz scored the 20th AHL goal in his career on Wed. He is second among Moose defencemen in scoring with 35 points (ten goals, 25 assists). This is the third time in his pro career that he has notched at least ten goals in a season. He played in his 350th game in his AHL/IHL career on Fri.

- Moose leading goal scorer Ryan Ready scored his 19th goal in his 125th game as a Moose on Wed.. He now is six shy of tenth for franchise goals (Rusty Fitzgerald, 48).

- With the 4-2 road win against Bridgeport on Wed., the Moose have surpassed 150 points in the AHL. Last season, the club earned 86 points. In two years in the AHL, Manitoba's record is now: 147GP, 70W-62L-11T-4OTL=155PTS. The squad posted their tenth road victory. Last season, the team captured their tenth on Jan. 2/02.

- Tyler Bouck earned third star for the Saint John game. He notched two assists and moved his point total to 26 points ( a career-high).

- Rugged winger John Craighead had a goal and an assist on Mar. 7. His goal was his third of the season and first game-winner. He also added an assist on Mar. 5 to increase his point total to 11.

- Pat Kavanagh was recalled by Vancouver on Sun. He made his NHL regular season game debut on Tues. against Philadelphia. He recorded two shots, two penalty minutes and had 11:31 of ice time in the 3-0 loss.

- Goalie Alex Auld was called-up by Vancouver on Mon. This will be his first stint with them this season.

- John Craighead leads with 96 PIM.

- Nolan Baumgartner leads the team with a +12 rating.

- The team's penalty kill ranks 22nd with 81.3% (63g/337a).

- Manitoba ranks 15th in power play with 16.5% (64g/389a).

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American Hockey League Stories from March 10, 2003


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