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Moose Rack Up 6-2 Win Over Amerks

November 13, 2010 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Manitoba Moose News Release


It was Heritage Night at MTS Centre on Friday night but Saturday was about the present for the Manitoba Moose (9-5-0-1) and the Rochester Americans (8-8-1-0) who were tied for third in the North Division entering the rematch. In front of 9,094 fans, Moose rookie and hometown boy Kevin Clark buried the game winner in a 6-2 victory front of 9,094 fans to extend Manitoba's winning streak to four games.

The Moose Super Skills competition is next Tuesday but Bill Sweatt is already pulling away in the fastest skater event. Shortly after the 13:00 mark, Sweatt fed ice chips to Rochester defenceman Michael Caruso in a foot race and blazed in on goalie Jacob Markstrom. Sweatt tried to stretch out to tuck the puck in on the forehead but just missed the post wide.

With Rochester defenceman Adam Comrie in the box for two minutes, the Moose power play got their second opportunity of the game beginning at the 13:49. Moose rookie Jordan Schroeder fed a pass from the slot where he was covered back to Jeff Tambellini at the top of the left circle. Tambellini missed the net by a fair margin but the puck bounced off the back board to the right side of Markstrom's crease. Not noticing the puck, Rochester's Caruso was spun around trying to cover a Moose player at the side of the crease and made an incidental kicking motion. His skate connected with the loose puck, sending it into his own goal at 14:07 of the opening period.

It wasn't pretty but it counted. The goal, credited to Tambellini, was his 4th of the season and 100th career AHL goal. After the first period the Moose led the Americans 1-0 and outshot them 13-3.

It took two seconds of regulation into the second period before Manitoba's Aaron Volpatti and Rochester's Eric Selleck had rid themselves of their gloves and squared off. Volpatti and Selleck elected to throw punches before tying up and the Moose forward got the worst of the early flurry, leaking on the ice for

The play did not pick up much after the lengthy ice scraping session following the fight. Then shortly after, Rochester right winger Brady Calla crossed the Moose blue line down the left wing and cut toward the middle before ripping a low wrister just over Moose goalie Tyler Weiman's right pad. Rochesters first goal came on their fourth shot of the game, tying the game 1-1 at the 2:37 mark of the second period.

The youngest member of the Manitoba Moose made the squad for his defensive prowess and safe play with the puck. That went out the window for 19-year-old defenceman Chris Tanev when he jumped into a rush with Cody Hodgson early in the second period. Hodgson floated a pass into open ice for Tanev to skate into and while charging full speed toward the Rochester net, deked backhand-to-forehand and tucked his first professional goal by Markstrom at 6:27.

With momentum regained, the Moose extended their lead to 3-1 on a tip by Kevin Clark from between the hash marks. At 7:48, Clark deflected in a point shot by Moose defenceman Kevin Connauton for his third goal on home ice this season and a 3-1 Moose lead. The second period drew to a close with the Moose maintaining their two-goal cushion.

That cushion took a blow early in the third period when Rochester defenceman Joe Callahan sent a shot from the left point a few feet off the boards that found its way through a few players and by Weiman. Rochester's second goal at 1:27 closed the gap to 3-2 in favour of the home team.

Lately Cody Hodgson hasn't met a bounce that didn't go his way. The Moose rookie centre extended his point streak to seven games earlier in the night, then midway through the third period buried his fifth goal over the past five games. Linemate Bill Sweatt received a pass from Hodgson on a two-on-one before putting a shot high on Markstrom. The rebound deflected to Hodgson's feet then after a couple whacks, the puck eventually squeaked between Markstrom's pad and the post at 5:04 extending their lead once again to 4-2.

Then at 7:58, Manitoba was given a man advantage chance thanks to a slashing minor by Rochester's Scott Timmins. Hodgson then showed his hot hand for a second time in the third period. He received a pass from captain Nolan Baumgartner then blasted a slap shot from the top of the left circle with Bill Sweatt planted in front. Sweatt missed the tip but so did Markstrom, giving the Moose their fifth goal of the game and extending their lead to three at 8:18 on the power play.

The onslaught continued late into the third period with Sergei Shirokov cleaning up the garbage left from a Chris Tanev wrist shot. Shirokov's fifth goal of the season was scored at 18:36 of the final frame and fully secured the 6-2 victory for the Moose. The final shots in the game were 43-19 in favour of the Moose.

The Moose continue their current homestand next week on Thursday, Nov. 18 when they host the Rockford IceHogs for the first of two games.



American Hockey League Stories from November 13, 2010


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