Moose Start Season with Three Consecutive Victories

Published on October 15, 2002 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Manitoba Moose News Release


The team started their second season in the AHL by rattling off three consecutive victories - the best start to the season in franchise history. They took both games against the Worcester IceCats on the season opener weekend at the Winnipeg Arena. The Moose then embarked on their first road trip and captured a road win against the Lowell Lock Monsters on Thanksgiving Day. The squad continues their road odyssey in Saint John with a pair of games and a Sunday match in Portland.

Last week: Friday, Oct. 11 - Worcester 1 vs. Manitoba 4: Manitoba earned their first AHL season opener victory by defeating the Worcester IceCats by a score of 4-1. The game had a good flow and moved briskly along as the two teams remained scoreless after the first. In the second, the first Moose goal of the season was potted by newcomer Nathan Smith. The Moose increased their lead when Bryan Helmer notched the power play goal to end the period scoring. After two, Moose 2-1. In the third, the hosts took advantage of penalties by Worcester and notched a second power play tally of the night when Brandon Reid fired the puck into a wide-open net. Worcester tried to mount a comeback but Manitoba extinguished the efforts with an empty netter by Jeff Farkas. The Moose won the season opener 4-1 in front of 7,564 fans. The Moose went two for eight on the power play while Worcester were denied on their five PP attempts. Alex Auld made 34 saves for his first victory of the season. Brian Chapman earned first star with a three assist performance.

Saturday, Oct. 12 - Worcester 4 vs. Manitoba 6: Manitoba was looking to sweep their season opener weekend. The Moose scored first in the game (first time this year) when forward Herbert Vasiljevs took a nice pass from Jeff Farkas and fired home a power play tally. Defenceman Darrell Hay upped the lead to two when his point shot found the back of the net. Worcester responded with a goal by John Pohl and after one, the Moose led 2-1. In the second, there was a scoring explosion with six markers. The IceCats capitalized on a two-man advantage to tie the score before Manitoba regained the lead when last year's team scoring leader Steve Kariya notched his first goal of this season. Worcester tied the score but the home side fired three unanswered goals to end the period. Kariya potted his second of the match, Ryan Ready and newcomer Nolan Baumgartner blasted a power play goal to end the Moose scoring. After two, Moose 6-3. In the third, Worcester added one more, but the Moose remained undefeated in the young season by defeating Worcester by a score of 6-4. Manitoba's pace was set by Farkas with four assists (first star), Kariya with two goals and an assist (second star) and Hay with four points (1g, 3a for third star). Goaltender Tyler Moss earned his first Moose win with 25 saves. Worcester outshot the hosts 29-22. Manitoba went two for four with the man advantage and the IceCats were shut down on five of six PP chances.

Monday, Oct. 14 - Manitoba 3 vs. Lowell 2: Manitoba went for their third consecutive win to start the season. The Moose started their first road trip of the 2002-03 campaign and met the Lowell Lock Monsters for the first time ever. The Thanksgiving Day game was high paced and the team skated to a 3-2 victory over Lowell. In the first period, the home side scored the opening goal. The Moose responded only 22 seconds later when Jeff Farkas fired his second goal of the season and sixth point in three matches. Ryan Ready and Steve Kariya assisted on the play. After one, the score was tied at one. In the middle frame, the Moose scored early and late to take a two-goal advantage. Zenith Komarniski tallied his first marker and Kariya notched his third of the young season just before the end of the period. Lowell scored a third period tally to round out the scoring and Manitoba walked away with their first road victory of the season by a score of 3-2. Kariya earned first star honours with a goal and an assist while defenceman Justin Kurtz chipped in two helpers for second star recognition. Goalie Alex Auld stopped 30 shots for his second win of the season. The win increases the team's lead in the Canadian Division to four points.

Up Next: Manitoba (3-0-0-0) vs. Saint John (0-2-0-0) - Friday, October 18 - 5:00 p.m. & Saturday, October 19 - 5:30 p.m.

T.V.: none Radio: CJOB - 4:35 p.m. on Friday and 5:05 p.m. on Saturday

Flames Watch: Saint John lost their first two games of the season. They lost their season home opener against Providence by a 3-2 score and the next night lost 5-2 to the P-Bruins. The team has four players (Matthew Lombardi, Oleg Saprykin, Garett Bembridge and Ryan Christie) who notched a goal on the weekend. Ten players have scored one point so far this season to lead the team in scoring. Darcy Verot leads the AHL in major penalties with three. Saint John has the league's sixth best shots per game at 34.50 (2 GP/69S). They are tied for the fourth lowest shots per goal by opponents at 26.00 (2GP/52S). The Moose held a 5-2-0-1 mark against the Flames last season.

Up Next: Manitoba (3-0-0-0) vs. Portland (1-1-0-0) - Sunday, October 20 - 3:05 p.m.

T.V.: none Radio: CJOB - 2:35 p.m. on Sunday

Pirates Watch: This will be the first ever meeting between the Moose and the Pirates. Portland began their season with a home opener loss to Norfolk by a 4-2 margin. They bounced back with a 6-2 road victory over Springfield. Peter Ferraro paces this team with four points (1g, 3a) while Roman Tvrdon, Chris Ferraro and Colin Forbes lead the team with two goals. Goalie Maxime Ouellet leads the team with a 2.00 Avg. and one win. The team is tied for the league lead in shorthanded markers with two. Portland stands in an eighth place tie in the AHL for goals average per game at 4.0 (2GP/8G). They have allowed the second lowest shots per goal by opponents at 24.00 (2GP/48S). The Pirates play Manchester and Worcester on the road before hosting the Moose on Sunday.

Moose Notes:

- This is the first time ever that the Moose have opened a season with three consecutive wins.

- On Saturday, Jeff Farkas and Darrell Hay each had a four point night. Farkas contributed four assists while Hay added one goal and three assists. This was the first time Moose players had tallied four points in a game since Artem Chubarov accomplished the feat on Nov. 8/01 versus Quebec. Farkas fell one assist short of tying the franchise mark for a single game.

- Steve Kariya has scored points in each of the first three games and shares the team scoring lead at six points (3g, 3a). He was selected first star in Lowell and second star on Saturday versus Worcester.

- Farkas is tied for the team scoring lead with six points (2g, 4a). He stands tied for second in league scoring and is the AHL leader in plus/minus rating with a +6. He fired a team season high of six shots against Worcester on Friday.

- Kariya and Farkas are tied for third in the league for shots with 15.

The Moose scored their first season opener victory since 1999 when they defeated Chicago 5-1. The team's season opener record is now 3-2-2-0 (4-3-2-0 overall).

- Captain Brain Chapman had a three assist performance on the season home opener which earned him a first star selection on Friday night.

- On Saturday, it was Military Appreciation Night at the Arena, when the team wore (for one game only) the specially-made home jerseys for this occasion. The jerseys were of a green colour with camouflage striping in honour of Charlie Company, 2 PPCLI.

- Defenceman Justin Kurtz had four assists in his first two games. Darrell Hay and Kurtz are tied for second in AHL defenceman scoring with four points.

- Alex Auld has won two games and stands fifth in the league with a 1.59 Avg.

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American Hockey League Stories from October 15, 2002


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