Moose slay Monsters 2-1 in shootout

Published on December 15, 2007 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Manitoba Moose News Release


WINNIPEG, MB. -- After falling to the Lake Monsters 4-1 Friday night, the Moose were looking to stop a three-game skid and rebound with a win Saturday night at the MTS Centre. Although the club took an early one-goal lead, Manitoba would require three full periods, overtime, and five rounds of shootout to complete their quest and earn two points in the North Division standings. Rookie goaltender Cory Schneider made 14 saves for his fourth win of the season, while Colby Genoway scored the game's opening goal as well as a shootout goal.

Like in Friday night's game, tempers flared early between the Moose and Monsters, as punches flew between Nathan McIver and Cody McLeod only two seconds after the opening puck drop. But no additional penalties meant the teams were at even strength through the first few minutes of the game.

Determined to make up for last night's 4-1 defeat, Manitoba tested starting goalie Mike Wall by taking an early 4-1 shot-lead. At the period's halfway point, the Moose benefited from the game's first powerplay and wasted no time converting their shot lead into the first lead of the game. Less than a minute into the man-advantage, Genoway snapped up Michael Grabner's rebound and fired the puck past Wall to put the Moose up 1-0.

A few heavy collisions and fumbled pucks meant no shots through nearly four minutes of the middle frame. As the period progressed, the Moose and Monsters' zones saw equal action, including a few pile-ups in the creases that eventually resulted in a goaltender interference penalty to Lake Erie's Eric Healey.

A hooking penalty to Michael Vernace soon after gave Manitoba a 43-second two-man advantage and their third powerplay of the game. Though the home team failed to notch a powerplay goal, a fight in the Lake Erie zone between Mike Keane and Vladimir Denisov resulted in an extra penalty to the Monsters and a fourth powerplay for Manitoba.

Just over a minute into the man-advantage, Lake Erie's David Jones carried the puck into the Moose zone shorthanded and drew a penalty shot with his efforts. Though Moose netminder Schneider didn't make the stop, his left goal-post did and the score remained 1-0 for Manitoba through to the end of the period.

An illegal stick infraction two minutes into the third resulted in Manitoba's fifth powerplay of the game, but the club was unable to extend its lead and soon went on the penalty kill for the second time thanks to a roughing penalty to Alexandre Bolduc.

Though the Monsters couldn't make it happen on the man-advantage, they cranked the intensity in the latter half of the third and firmly planted themselves in the Moose zone. With just over four minutes left in the game, Johnny Boychuck fired a quick shot from the near face-off circle that made it's way past Schneider to tie the game at one.

The stalemate would late through the end of regulation, and Manitoba and Lake Erie headed to overtime with one goal apiece.

Despite exciting scoring chances at both ends of the ice, five minutes of four-on-four play failed to result in a sudden-death decision, and the Moose and Monsters headed to a shootout. Three big saves by Schneider and shootout goals courtesy of Genoway, Milan Gajic, and Rick Rypien secured a home victory for the Manitoba Moose, their first in three games.

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American Hockey League Stories from December 15, 2007


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