Special Teams Push Bears Past Moose 4-3

Published on February 28, 2008 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Manitoba Moose News Release


WINNIPEG, MB. - Two powerplay goals, a shorthanded goal, and perfect penalty killing helped push the Hershey Bears past the Manitoba Moose 4-3 Wednesday night. After taking an early 2-0 lead, the Bears staved off multiple Moose attempts to tie things up and held on for the win. Both clubs meet again Thursday night for a rematch.

After five minutes of balanced play, the Bears benefited from the game's first powerplay when Moose forward Greg Classen served two minutes for hooking. Only 26 seconds into the man-advantage, Scott Barney snapped up a rebound at the top of the crease and fed it over to Hershey's newest acquisition, Alexandre Giroux, who converted it past goalie Drew MacIntyre to put the visitors up 1-0.

The Bears continued to test MacIntyre following the goal, but the Moose responded near the period's halfway point, tying-up the shot count and drawing consecutive powerplays in the period's final six minutes.

Though the second five-on-four worked in Manitoba's favour, the scoreclock soon reflected the opposite. With Tyler Sloan in the penalty box, four Bears skaters carried the play into the Moose zone, and by sweeping the puck around the net, Jay Beagle caught MacIntyre off-guard and put Hershey up 2-0 on a shorthanded goal.

On the first shot of the second period, Manitoba broke their goose-egg. Though Shaun Heshka's slapshot from the top of the slot got caught in traffic, the bumbling puck made its way to Jason Jaffray and then Brad Moran, who snapped it past goaltender Daren Machesney to put the Moose back within one.

A group scuffle near MacIntyre's net and extra cross-checking penalty to Bears winger Ryan Flinn put the the Moose back on the powerplay at the three-minute mark. But the home team was unable to tie things up and suffered as the powerplay tables soon turned in the other direction.

With Moose captain Mike Keane serving a tripping penalty, the Bears set themselves up in the offensive zone. After receiving the puck out at the point, defenceman Josef Boumedienne fooled MacIntyre on the long shot to put Hershey up 3-1 nearing the game's midway point.

While a fourth powerplay failed to result in a goal for Manitoba, the club once again found the back of the net during five-on-five. After breaking free of a cluster of players in the near face-off circle, Jannik Hansen cut across Machesney's crease and burried a backhander to set the score at 3-2.

But the Bears would bite back with only 11 seconds left on the clock. Firing from a sharp angle, Flinn bounced the puck off MacIntyre and into the Moose net to put Hershey back up by two goals to close out the second period.

Manitoba started the third period with a penalty, but after killing that man-advantage, the club went on the offensive. With 13:15 left in the game, persistent plugging at the puck freed it for Moose forward Mike Brown, who gained control and fired above a sprawled-out Machesney to put the home team back within one.

Unfortunately for the Moose, one goal is as close as they would come, as the Bears carried their lead through to the final buzzer to beat Manitoba 4-3 on Wednesday night.

LOOKING AHEAD: The Moose and Bears meet for a rematch Thursday night at the MTS Centre. It's curling night, so don't miss your chance to win great Brier ticket packages, jackets, merchandise and more!

NEXT GAME: THURSDAY, FEB. 28 (MTS CENTRE - WINNIPEG, MB.)

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American Hockey League Stories from February 28, 2008


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