Moose Fire Three Quick For 3-1 Win In Rockford

November 6, 2010 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Manitoba Moose News Release


That homesick feeling was likely setting in for the Moose (7-5-0-1) who ended a seven game road trip in Rockford (5-5-0-1) on Saturday night. After finishing the trip with a 3-1 win over the IceHogs in front of 5,593 at the Rockford Metrocentre on Saturday, the Moose ended the stretch with a record of 3-3-0-1. Eddie Lack was valiant in the Moose net stopping 28 of 29 shots net and Jeff Tambellini buried his first in a Moose jersey late in the game for the winner with 3:45 left.

Manitoba Moose forward Tommy Maxwell did not dress Saturday night marking the first time this season the scrappy winger hasn't played. Moose defenceman Travis Ramsey made it known early in the first period of Saturday's game that despite Maxwell's missing physical presence, that the Moose would not be pushed around. Ramsey dropped the gloves with Rockford rookie Brandon Bolig at 9:40 of the game's opening period.

Moose rookie Aaron Volpatti had three fighting majors entering the Moose-IceHogs game and followed Ramsey's lead by taking on Rockford defenceman Kyle Hagel. The swift throwing Volpatti met his match in Hagel during the brief, punch-filled bout at 14:36.

The Moose and IceHogs ended the first period of play in a scoreless draw thanks to the efforts of Eddie Lack in Manitoba's net (five saves) and Hannu Toivonen in Rockford's (six saves).

Sergei Shirokov is known more for his goals than his saves, but he made a big goal saving play early in the second period. Lack was peppered early in the middle frame until Rockford captain Garnet Exelby fired a shot that squeaked through Eddie Lack positioned outside of his crease. Shirokov, returning to the Moose end on the back check, swooped behind Lack to snatched the loose puck rolling dangerously toward the open Manitoba net.

That play along with the superb play of Lack between the pipes through a busy second period preserved the 0-0 tie. After 40 minutes the Moose had been outshot 18-10 by the IceHogs. The scoreless periods weren't the result of a lack of scoring chances as both teams endured five power plays each without capitalizing.

The IceHogs began with a power play carried over from the end of the second period that Lack and the Moose killed off but at 4:26, defenceman Chris Tanev put Lack and his teammates back on their toes by taking a high-sticking minor. Manitoba was able to kill off six previous power plays but the seventh power play proved deadly as IceHogs Shawn Lalonde let go of a pair of point shots with the second finding its way through to Lack. The Moose netminder handled the initial shot but the rebound dropped onto the stick of IceHogs right winger Ben Smith who made no mistake from the top of the crease and scored his second goal of the season and the first goal of the night.

Then it happened in enough time for someone to miss during a bathroom break. Manitoba's offence, which had been in a slumber until late in the third period, woke up in a big way. First at 15:20 of the third, Cody Hodgson received a pass from Travis Ramsey before firing a wrist shot past Rockford goalie Hannu Toivonen. The first Moose goal of the game extended Hodgson's current point streak to four games.

Jeff Tambellini, playing in his third game with the Moose, scored with 3:45 remaining in the third period with assists going to Mario Bliznak and Kevin Clark. Tambellini's marker was the first as a member of the Moose but it would only take 15 seconds for him to chalk up his second. The puck had hardly been dropped when the Rockford's turned over the puck in the neutral zone to Nolan Baumgartner who spotted Tambellini the puck. He then spotted the top corner by Hannu Toivonen completing the three-goal swing in one minute and 10 seconds.

The Rockford IceHogs immediately called a timeout but couldn't salvage anything in the remaining 3:30. Eddie Lack made 28 saves on 29 Rockford shots in the end helping his Moose team to a 3-1 win.

The Moose now return home for a six-day break before hosting the Rochester Americans on Friday, November 12th. The game on Friday is Heritage Night at MTS Centre recognizing both the 15th anniversary of the Manitoba Moose in Winnipeg and the 75th season of the American Hockey League.



American Hockey League Stories from November 6, 2010


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