On Friday night the Moose were in Chicago to take on the Wolves. Chris Chelios made his debut for Chicago but it was Cory Schneider and Manny Legace who stole the show. Schneider, who made 24 saves, and Legace, who made 31, did not allow a goal in all three periods and overtime. This game was one of those rare instances where both goalies get a shutout even though one takes the loss. As the game entered a shootout it was apparent that both goalies were ready to face all comers. Both made a couple of great saves in the competition but it was Schneider who made one more than Legace as the Moose scored twice in the shootout (Mike Keane and Matt Pettinger) while the Wolves could only beat Schneider once (Tim Stapleton). The Moose have now defeated Chicago all three times they have faced off this season.
The next night, Saturday, the Moose closed their six game road trip in Milwaukee to take on the Admirals. Darren Machesney got the start in goal for the Moose and did all he could to earn a victory. Manitoba fell short, falling 3-2 in OT, to no fault of Machesney. He made 35 saves in the loss. The Moose got goals from Brian Salcido, his first of the season, and Sergei Shirokov, his fourth. Manitoba played very well early, out shooting Milwaukee 13-6 in the first. The effects of playing the night before started to show however as Milwaukee took over and out shot the Moose 32-14 over the last two periods and OT. Manitoba only managed 3 shots in the entire third period and had none in overtime making it even harder to blame Machesney who was turning away everything he could. He definitely earned the single point for the Moose as they finished their road trip 3-2-1.
Manitoba heads home for a well deserved break before back to back home games against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Thursday the 29th and Friday the 30th of October.
Check back later in the week for Player of the Week/Transactions/Players to Watch as well as a look ahead to the series with the Penguins.
For all the latest news follow us on twitter @moosehockeyblog.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Player of the Week/Transactions/Players to Watch
Player of the Week
Marty Murray
Marty Murray had a very good week for the Moose registering a point in each of the 4 games played. With 1 goal and 3 assists Murray showed why Scott Arniel put him on the top line with Sergei Shirokov and Matt Pettinger.
Transactions
oct.17 - Vancouver Canucks recall Alexandre Bolduc
After a 5-3 loss to the Calgary Flames the Vancouver Canucks could see they were lacking more than the missing scoring of Daniel Sedin. They were lacking speed and energy. Bolduc provides both of those in spades, as well as a compete level that never seems to drop. Although he will not put the puck in the net consistently he will create space for linemates Kyle Wellwood and Steve Bernier which is equaly important as Wellwood has been off to a slow start offensively.
Players to Watch
Cory Schneider
Schneider is coming off a great week in which he went 2-1 and single handedly won a game against the Hamilton Bulldogs. After a shaky training camp in Vancouver many wondered whether or not another season in Manitoba would hamper his development. If his start so far is any indication he is doing just fine. Look for him to continue his strong play as the Moose visit Chicago and Milwaukee.
Matt Pettinger
Since his return to the Moose this past week Pettinger has been playing on the top line with Marty Murray and Sergei Shirokov. Pettinger is also being used on the Power Play and has put up 3 points (2 goals, 1 assist) in 3 games. Look for his production to continue as he is being given ample opportunity to try and work his way back to the NHL.
You can watch the Moose take on the Chicago Wolves for free tomorrow on http://www.theahl.com/. This game will mark the debut of Chris Chelios as a member of the Wolves. Puck drop at 6:30 PST.
Check back on Monday for recaps of the Moose as they take on the Chicago Wolves on Friday and the Milwaukee Admirals on Saturday.
Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @moosehockeyblog.
Marty Murray
Marty Murray had a very good week for the Moose registering a point in each of the 4 games played. With 1 goal and 3 assists Murray showed why Scott Arniel put him on the top line with Sergei Shirokov and Matt Pettinger.
Transactions
oct.17 - Vancouver Canucks recall Alexandre Bolduc
After a 5-3 loss to the Calgary Flames the Vancouver Canucks could see they were lacking more than the missing scoring of Daniel Sedin. They were lacking speed and energy. Bolduc provides both of those in spades, as well as a compete level that never seems to drop. Although he will not put the puck in the net consistently he will create space for linemates Kyle Wellwood and Steve Bernier which is equaly important as Wellwood has been off to a slow start offensively.
Players to Watch
Cory Schneider
Schneider is coming off a great week in which he went 2-1 and single handedly won a game against the Hamilton Bulldogs. After a shaky training camp in Vancouver many wondered whether or not another season in Manitoba would hamper his development. If his start so far is any indication he is doing just fine. Look for him to continue his strong play as the Moose visit Chicago and Milwaukee.Matt Pettinger
Since his return to the Moose this past week Pettinger has been playing on the top line with Marty Murray and Sergei Shirokov. Pettinger is also being used on the Power Play and has put up 3 points (2 goals, 1 assist) in 3 games. Look for his production to continue as he is being given ample opportunity to try and work his way back to the NHL.You can watch the Moose take on the Chicago Wolves for free tomorrow on http://www.theahl.com/. This game will mark the debut of Chris Chelios as a member of the Wolves. Puck drop at 6:30 PST.
Check back on Monday for recaps of the Moose as they take on the Chicago Wolves on Friday and the Milwaukee Admirals on Saturday.
Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @moosehockeyblog.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Moose take 1 of 2 in Hamilton
Game 1 in Hamilton saw Cory Schneider shine as he made 31 saves en route to a 2-1 victory for the Moose over the Bulldogs. Schneider was great early and often as he made some key saves on a Bulldogs power play only seconds into the game and stopped Ryan White on a penalty shot midway through the first. Shortly after the penalty shot the Moose took consecutive penalties which set up a 5 on 3 for Hamilton. Unable to score the Bulldogs peppered Schneider with 10 shots in that two man advantage. At the conclusion of the second period the score was still 0-0 with the Bulldogs out shooting the Moose 21-10.
Seven minutes into the third Schneiders hard work paid off as Sergei Shirokov sniped a shot from the face off circle over Curtis Sanford's glove to give Manitoba a 1-0 advantage. Matt Pettinger and Marty Murray drew the assists. Mere moments after the Moose tally the Bulldogs got even with a beautiful goal by Ryan Russell who took advantage of a great tic-tac-toe passing play and slid the puck under Schneider. As the game drew to a close Schneider made several outstanding saves to keep it notched at 1 and force overtime.
In overtime both clubs came out with a purpose looking to end it early. After some back to back action with some great opportunities at both ends Nolan Baumgartner finally ended the game. His shot was initially stopped by Sanford, but he fell backwards and as he did took the puck into the net with him. Assists go to Mario Bliznak and Guillame Desbiens.
Baumgartner earned first star credits for his goal as well as his solid job on the Penalty Kill while Cory Schneider drew second star in a first star effort.
In Game 2 Hamilton came out flying and scored only 23 seconds into the game. Mathieu Darche showed great patience and hand-eye co-ordination as he batted the puck out of mid-air past Cory Schneider to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead. Just over 3 minutes later, however, Manitoba would get even as Matt Pettinger batted in a rebound on the Power Play to tie the game at 1. Sergei Shirokov and Marty Murray drew helpers on the play. Less than 3 minutes after that Hamilton pulled ahead for good as Ryan White scored to give the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead, one they would not look back on.
Darche would score again in the second to extend the lead to 3-1. The shots at this point were 18-8 Bulldogs and for a second game in a row they were throwing everything they could at Schneider. It would serve to pay off as Tommy Pyatt would score on a Power Play with 35 seconds remaining to serve the final score 4-1 Hamilton. Manitoba would end up being out shot 29-15 in the game and on back to back nights could thank their goaltender for not being blown out.
The Moose will now have two days off before games in Chicago on Friday and Milwaukee on Saturday. Many people are looking forward to Friday as it marks the debut of Chris Chelios as a member of the Chicago Wolves. The 47 year old recently signed with the AHL club which plays in his hometown and is eager to make his debut. NOTE: All can watch this game FREE as the AHL is offering a free preview of their online game center service. Simply visit www.theAHL.com on Friday and check out the Moose take on Chelios on the Wolves, as well as any other AHL game on that night for free.
On Saturday the Moose end their road trip in Milwaukee to take on one of the two teams named the Admirals in the AHL (Norfolk). I was personally looking forward to this game as I would be able to see one of my favourite Canucks in Dave Scatchard play. This will not take place as Scatchard has been re-called by the Nashville Predators. Hopefully he sticks in the NHL as he continues his comeback bid.
Check back tomorrow for the weekly Thursday edition of Players of the Week, Transactions, and Players to Watch.
Thanks for reading and don't forget to follow us on twitter @moosehockeyblog.
Seven minutes into the third Schneiders hard work paid off as Sergei Shirokov sniped a shot from the face off circle over Curtis Sanford's glove to give Manitoba a 1-0 advantage. Matt Pettinger and Marty Murray drew the assists. Mere moments after the Moose tally the Bulldogs got even with a beautiful goal by Ryan Russell who took advantage of a great tic-tac-toe passing play and slid the puck under Schneider. As the game drew to a close Schneider made several outstanding saves to keep it notched at 1 and force overtime.
In overtime both clubs came out with a purpose looking to end it early. After some back to back action with some great opportunities at both ends Nolan Baumgartner finally ended the game. His shot was initially stopped by Sanford, but he fell backwards and as he did took the puck into the net with him. Assists go to Mario Bliznak and Guillame Desbiens.
Baumgartner earned first star credits for his goal as well as his solid job on the Penalty Kill while Cory Schneider drew second star in a first star effort.
In Game 2 Hamilton came out flying and scored only 23 seconds into the game. Mathieu Darche showed great patience and hand-eye co-ordination as he batted the puck out of mid-air past Cory Schneider to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead. Just over 3 minutes later, however, Manitoba would get even as Matt Pettinger batted in a rebound on the Power Play to tie the game at 1. Sergei Shirokov and Marty Murray drew helpers on the play. Less than 3 minutes after that Hamilton pulled ahead for good as Ryan White scored to give the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead, one they would not look back on.
Darche would score again in the second to extend the lead to 3-1. The shots at this point were 18-8 Bulldogs and for a second game in a row they were throwing everything they could at Schneider. It would serve to pay off as Tommy Pyatt would score on a Power Play with 35 seconds remaining to serve the final score 4-1 Hamilton. Manitoba would end up being out shot 29-15 in the game and on back to back nights could thank their goaltender for not being blown out.
The Moose will now have two days off before games in Chicago on Friday and Milwaukee on Saturday. Many people are looking forward to Friday as it marks the debut of Chris Chelios as a member of the Chicago Wolves. The 47 year old recently signed with the AHL club which plays in his hometown and is eager to make his debut. NOTE: All can watch this game FREE as the AHL is offering a free preview of their online game center service. Simply visit www.theAHL.com on Friday and check out the Moose take on Chelios on the Wolves, as well as any other AHL game on that night for free.
On Saturday the Moose end their road trip in Milwaukee to take on one of the two teams named the Admirals in the AHL (Norfolk). I was personally looking forward to this game as I would be able to see one of my favourite Canucks in Dave Scatchard play. This will not take place as Scatchard has been re-called by the Nashville Predators. Hopefully he sticks in the NHL as he continues his comeback bid.
Check back tomorrow for the weekly Thursday edition of Players of the Week, Transactions, and Players to Watch.
Thanks for reading and don't forget to follow us on twitter @moosehockeyblog.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Moose Split Back to Back
The Manitoba Moose headed into Lake Erie looking to take advantage of a Monsters team that was in the basement of the AHL.
In game 1 on Friday they did not start the way they would have liked, but quickly turned that around to pull out a 3-2 victory. After surrendering the first goal of the game the Moose scored three in a row and held on for the victory. Eric Walsky scored the first goal of the night, his first goal as a pro, to tie the game at one only two minutes after the Monsters had taken a 1-0 lead. Walsky's strong play would continue as he would take a feed from Mike Funk and wire a shot which was deflected home by Marty Murray. Just a few minutes later, the ageless wonder Mike Keane netted his fourth goal of the season to put the Moose up 3-1, a lead they would not look back on. The Schneider Show then took over as the last minute of play was frantic with the Monsters having a 6 on 4 advantage (Funk in the box) but not able to find a hole in the Moose net minder. Schneider make 26 saves in total to preserve a 3-2 victory and a good start to the 6 game road trip.
In game 2 the Moose not only did not start the way they wanted to, they did not start at all. The Monsters struck early and often on their way to a 5-2 victory. Chris Durno and Ryan Stoa scored 30 seconds apart to give the Monsters a quick 2-0 lead only 5 minutes into the contest. Shortly after a perfect penalty kill by the Moose Matt Pettinger scored his first since his return to the club. It wasn't pretty, a rebound going off his skate and in, but it was just what Manitoba needed to get back into the game. Eric Walsky picked up a helper on the goal, his third point in two games, while the other assist was credited to Nathan McIver. In the second period Pettinger took a high-sticking penalty to put the Moose down two men and Stoa capitalized with his second goal of the game putting Lake Erie back up on top 3-1. Durno then took advantage of a Moose giveaway to score his second of the game and put the Monsters up 4-1. Manitoba tried to make a game of it with Desbiens scoring on the power play from Marty Murray and Evan Oberg to bring the score to 4-2. With this PP goal the Moose have now scored on the PP in six straight games. Darren Haydar would score in the third to make it 5-2 Monsters which would end up being the final.
Next Up for Manitoba is a back to back series with the Hamilton Bulldogs starting tomorrow. Hamilton is undefeated in regulation thus far with a record of 3-0-1 with their only loss coming via shootout. The Bulldogs are led by a few familiar names. Marc-Andre Bergeron, getting back into playing shape as he was signed late and missed training camp, leads the team with 6 points, all assists, in only 3 games. Better than the points is his +6 rating which the Canadiens are sure to be pleased with as the criticism on Bergeron has always been his size and inability to play down low in his own zone. Sergei Kostitsyn, who initially refused his assignment to Hamilton, has 2 goals and 2 assists in only 3 games and Tommy Pyatt, younger brother of former Canuck Taylor, has 3 points in 4 games. The Moose will also run into Curtis Sanford, who played for the team briefly last season. He currently is 2-0-1 with 1 shutout, a .944 save percentage and a very clean 1.62 GAA. He has only allowed 5 goals in the 3 games he has played thus far.
Check back in a couple of days for the recap of the series with the Bulldogs, a look ahead to the end of the road trip in Chicago to take on the Wolves and Milwaukee to face the Admirals, as well as the Player of the Week, Transactions, and Who to Watch. And don't forget to follow us on twitter @moosehockeyblog.
In game 1 on Friday they did not start the way they would have liked, but quickly turned that around to pull out a 3-2 victory. After surrendering the first goal of the game the Moose scored three in a row and held on for the victory. Eric Walsky scored the first goal of the night, his first goal as a pro, to tie the game at one only two minutes after the Monsters had taken a 1-0 lead. Walsky's strong play would continue as he would take a feed from Mike Funk and wire a shot which was deflected home by Marty Murray. Just a few minutes later, the ageless wonder Mike Keane netted his fourth goal of the season to put the Moose up 3-1, a lead they would not look back on. The Schneider Show then took over as the last minute of play was frantic with the Monsters having a 6 on 4 advantage (Funk in the box) but not able to find a hole in the Moose net minder. Schneider make 26 saves in total to preserve a 3-2 victory and a good start to the 6 game road trip.
In game 2 the Moose not only did not start the way they wanted to, they did not start at all. The Monsters struck early and often on their way to a 5-2 victory. Chris Durno and Ryan Stoa scored 30 seconds apart to give the Monsters a quick 2-0 lead only 5 minutes into the contest. Shortly after a perfect penalty kill by the Moose Matt Pettinger scored his first since his return to the club. It wasn't pretty, a rebound going off his skate and in, but it was just what Manitoba needed to get back into the game. Eric Walsky picked up a helper on the goal, his third point in two games, while the other assist was credited to Nathan McIver. In the second period Pettinger took a high-sticking penalty to put the Moose down two men and Stoa capitalized with his second goal of the game putting Lake Erie back up on top 3-1. Durno then took advantage of a Moose giveaway to score his second of the game and put the Monsters up 4-1. Manitoba tried to make a game of it with Desbiens scoring on the power play from Marty Murray and Evan Oberg to bring the score to 4-2. With this PP goal the Moose have now scored on the PP in six straight games. Darren Haydar would score in the third to make it 5-2 Monsters which would end up being the final.
Next Up for Manitoba is a back to back series with the Hamilton Bulldogs starting tomorrow. Hamilton is undefeated in regulation thus far with a record of 3-0-1 with their only loss coming via shootout. The Bulldogs are led by a few familiar names. Marc-Andre Bergeron, getting back into playing shape as he was signed late and missed training camp, leads the team with 6 points, all assists, in only 3 games. Better than the points is his +6 rating which the Canadiens are sure to be pleased with as the criticism on Bergeron has always been his size and inability to play down low in his own zone. Sergei Kostitsyn, who initially refused his assignment to Hamilton, has 2 goals and 2 assists in only 3 games and Tommy Pyatt, younger brother of former Canuck Taylor, has 3 points in 4 games. The Moose will also run into Curtis Sanford, who played for the team briefly last season. He currently is 2-0-1 with 1 shutout, a .944 save percentage and a very clean 1.62 GAA. He has only allowed 5 goals in the 3 games he has played thus far.
Check back in a couple of days for the recap of the series with the Bulldogs, a look ahead to the end of the road trip in Chicago to take on the Wolves and Milwaukee to face the Admirals, as well as the Player of the Week, Transactions, and Who to Watch. And don't forget to follow us on twitter @moosehockeyblog.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Player of the Week/Transactions/Players to Watch
Since the season is two weeks old, and this is my first edition of this column, it will be based on the season up until this point.
Player of the Week
This was a very tough decision as there were many candidates. Marco Rosa put up 7 points (3 G 4 A) in 6 games and has impressed many fans who were not familiar with him when the season began. Sergei Shirokov could have wilted under the fact that he got sent down to the Moose but used his demotion as motivation to put up 2 goals and 5 assists for 7 points in only 4 games. As strong as these candidates were, the POTW Award goes to Michael Grabner.
Grabner had 6 points (4 G 2 A) in 5 games and was called up to the Vancouver Canucks. He took a ton of shots, used his excellent speed to his advantage and was ready when called upon to lead the Moose to their great start. The former first round pick has continued to show he can dominate at the AHL level and for his performance is more than deserving of the Player of the Week award.
Transactions
This section will deal with notable transactions involving the Moose.
October 10 - Canucks recall Guillaume Desbiens
October 13 - Canucks re-assign Guillaume Desbiens
Many Canucks and Moose fans scratched their heads when Desbiens was recalled. He barely played in the pre-season due to injury and was getting the call instead of "more deserving" guys like Grabner and Shirokov. Head Coach of the Canucks Alain Vigneault stated that since Steve Bernier was moving to the top line, he wanted someone to replace Bernier on the third line, which Desbiens would do. Fair enough. As soon as he came, he went. Desbiens played about 9 minutes as a Canuck and is now back with the Moose.
October 14 - Manitoba Moose sign Matt Pettinger to PTO
Pettinger makes his return to the Canucks organization after a short hiatus. He played two games with the Moose last season before being claimed off waivers by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Let me make something clear with a Pro Tryout Contract (PTO). This by no means the Canucks can call him up, nor does he count against the salary cap. AHL teams have the right to sign players on their own, which is exactly what this is. Should the Canucks want him to play for them, they would need to sign him to an NHL contract, just like any of the other 29 teams could. This is a signing for the Moose as the Canucks have run into injury problems and Manitoba is solidifying their depth.
October 14 - Canucks recall Michael Grabner
After a 3 year wait from hearing his name being called in the first round of the NHL entry draft Grabner finally makes his debut for the big club. Not only is he playing with the Canucks, he is scheduled to play on their first line with Henrik Sedin and Alex Burrows. With Daniel Sedin injured long term Moose fans know they may have seen the last of Grabner for some time.
Players to Watch
Marco Rosa
Rosa has 7 points in 6 games to start the season and shows no sign of slowing down. With at least a point in every game thus far Rosa is impressing fans in his new hometown day by day.
Sergei Shirokov
Since being sent down to the Moose Shirokov has responded by contributing 7 points in the 4 games he has played. His skill level is extremely high and Shirokov can take over a game on his own with his speed, vision and soft hands. With Michael Grabner being called up, look for Shirokov to continue his rapid pace as he is counted on more and more.
Player of the Week
This was a very tough decision as there were many candidates. Marco Rosa put up 7 points (3 G 4 A) in 6 games and has impressed many fans who were not familiar with him when the season began. Sergei Shirokov could have wilted under the fact that he got sent down to the Moose but used his demotion as motivation to put up 2 goals and 5 assists for 7 points in only 4 games. As strong as these candidates were, the POTW Award goes to Michael Grabner.
Grabner had 6 points (4 G 2 A) in 5 games and was called up to the Vancouver Canucks. He took a ton of shots, used his excellent speed to his advantage and was ready when called upon to lead the Moose to their great start. The former first round pick has continued to show he can dominate at the AHL level and for his performance is more than deserving of the Player of the Week award.
Transactions
This section will deal with notable transactions involving the Moose.
October 10 - Canucks recall Guillaume Desbiens
October 13 - Canucks re-assign Guillaume Desbiens
Many Canucks and Moose fans scratched their heads when Desbiens was recalled. He barely played in the pre-season due to injury and was getting the call instead of "more deserving" guys like Grabner and Shirokov. Head Coach of the Canucks Alain Vigneault stated that since Steve Bernier was moving to the top line, he wanted someone to replace Bernier on the third line, which Desbiens would do. Fair enough. As soon as he came, he went. Desbiens played about 9 minutes as a Canuck and is now back with the Moose.
October 14 - Manitoba Moose sign Matt Pettinger to PTO
Pettinger makes his return to the Canucks organization after a short hiatus. He played two games with the Moose last season before being claimed off waivers by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Let me make something clear with a Pro Tryout Contract (PTO). This by no means the Canucks can call him up, nor does he count against the salary cap. AHL teams have the right to sign players on their own, which is exactly what this is. Should the Canucks want him to play for them, they would need to sign him to an NHL contract, just like any of the other 29 teams could. This is a signing for the Moose as the Canucks have run into injury problems and Manitoba is solidifying their depth.
October 14 - Canucks recall Michael Grabner
After a 3 year wait from hearing his name being called in the first round of the NHL entry draft Grabner finally makes his debut for the big club. Not only is he playing with the Canucks, he is scheduled to play on their first line with Henrik Sedin and Alex Burrows. With Daniel Sedin injured long term Moose fans know they may have seen the last of Grabner for some time.
Players to Watch
Marco Rosa
Rosa has 7 points in 6 games to start the season and shows no sign of slowing down. With at least a point in every game thus far Rosa is impressing fans in his new hometown day by day.
Sergei Shirokov
Since being sent down to the Moose Shirokov has responded by contributing 7 points in the 4 games he has played. His skill level is extremely high and Shirokov can take over a game on his own with his speed, vision and soft hands. With Michael Grabner being called up, look for Shirokov to continue his rapid pace as he is counted on more and more.
Solid Start
The AHL season is now two weeks old and the Manitoba Moose sit atop the North Division with a record of 4-2.
The Moose started the season at home playing back to back games against the Houston Aeros, AHL affiliate of the Minnesota Wild. Manitoba took the first game 4-3 on the back of a solid performance by Cory Schneider and goals by Mike Keane, Marco Rosa (former Aero), Pierre-Cedric Labrie and Marty Murray. Mike Funk added two assists in his debut as a member of the Moose.
Houston took the second game of the back to back 4-2. Keane and Rosa both scored their second goals of the year in a losing effort while Schneider made 24 saves on 27 shots.
One week later the Moose continued their six-game home stand to open the season with back to back wins over the Chicago Wolves, AHL affiliate of the Atlanta Thrashers. Game 1 marked the return of former Canucks' property in Jason Krog, Steve McCarthy and Drew MacIntyre in goal. The Moose won the decision 4-1 with strong performances from Mike Funk, Marco Rosa, Michael Grabner and newcomer Sergei Shirokov.. Funk added a goal and assist to his growing point total bringing it to 4 in 3 games (1 G 3 A). Rosa had 2 assists and was a +2. Grabner had 2 goals, was a +2, and most importantly had 8 shots. One major criticism coming out of Canucks camp was that Grabner was not getting his shot through to the net so to see him put up 8 shots is something the Canucks brass has to be pleased with. The most impressive performance came from Sergei Shirokov. Playing in his first game since being demoted from Vancouver the young Russian had a goal, an assist, was +2 and had 4 shots on goal.
The second game against the Wolves saw Moose newcomer Darren Machesney make 30 saves in his debut in a 2-1 victory. Grabner and Keane continued their strong play with a goal each (3 each on the season) with Rosa and Shirokov adding an assist each to their rapidly growing point totals.
The Moose ended their home stand with back to back games against Calgary Flames affiliate, and newcomers to the AHL, the Abbotsford Heat. Game 1 saw the Heat prevail 4-2. Schneider struggled only making 15 saves on 19 shots while Leland Irving of the Heat showed why he is a top notch goalie prospect making 28 saves. Grabner scored again for the Moose, bringing his goal total to 4 while also adding an assist and 5 shots. Mario Bliznak had the other goal in the loss, his first of the season. Noteworthy is the game winning goal which was scored by former Canuck/Moose Jason Jaffray who is now property of the Calgary Flames.
The second game was the opposite of game 1 with 8 goals being scored in total and the Moose pulling out a thrilling 5-4 victory in a shootout. Moose had goals from Marco Rosa, Shirokov, Guillaume Desbiens and Bliznak, his second of the year in as many games. Rosa and Desbiens both scored in the shootout, with Desbiens being the game winner.
Next up for the Moose is a 6 game road trip starting tomorrow in Lake Erie against the Monsters, AHL affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche. The Monsters are off to a 1-3 start which was to be expected. With the Avalanche undergoing a transition/re-building phase, many of the past stars from the Monsters have been called upon to play in the NHL. Thus far only 10 players have recorded at least a point in the Monsters 4 games. Scoring is going to be an issue for the Monsters this year and the Moose need to capitalize early to prevent Lake Erie from getting a lead and shutting it down defensively.
Check back in a few days for recaps of the two game against the Monsters as well as previews of games against the Hamilton Bulldogs (Montreal Canadiens).
The Moose started the season at home playing back to back games against the Houston Aeros, AHL affiliate of the Minnesota Wild. Manitoba took the first game 4-3 on the back of a solid performance by Cory Schneider and goals by Mike Keane, Marco Rosa (former Aero), Pierre-Cedric Labrie and Marty Murray. Mike Funk added two assists in his debut as a member of the Moose.
Houston took the second game of the back to back 4-2. Keane and Rosa both scored their second goals of the year in a losing effort while Schneider made 24 saves on 27 shots.
One week later the Moose continued their six-game home stand to open the season with back to back wins over the Chicago Wolves, AHL affiliate of the Atlanta Thrashers. Game 1 marked the return of former Canucks' property in Jason Krog, Steve McCarthy and Drew MacIntyre in goal. The Moose won the decision 4-1 with strong performances from Mike Funk, Marco Rosa, Michael Grabner and newcomer Sergei Shirokov.. Funk added a goal and assist to his growing point total bringing it to 4 in 3 games (1 G 3 A). Rosa had 2 assists and was a +2. Grabner had 2 goals, was a +2, and most importantly had 8 shots. One major criticism coming out of Canucks camp was that Grabner was not getting his shot through to the net so to see him put up 8 shots is something the Canucks brass has to be pleased with. The most impressive performance came from Sergei Shirokov. Playing in his first game since being demoted from Vancouver the young Russian had a goal, an assist, was +2 and had 4 shots on goal.
The second game against the Wolves saw Moose newcomer Darren Machesney make 30 saves in his debut in a 2-1 victory. Grabner and Keane continued their strong play with a goal each (3 each on the season) with Rosa and Shirokov adding an assist each to their rapidly growing point totals.
The Moose ended their home stand with back to back games against Calgary Flames affiliate, and newcomers to the AHL, the Abbotsford Heat. Game 1 saw the Heat prevail 4-2. Schneider struggled only making 15 saves on 19 shots while Leland Irving of the Heat showed why he is a top notch goalie prospect making 28 saves. Grabner scored again for the Moose, bringing his goal total to 4 while also adding an assist and 5 shots. Mario Bliznak had the other goal in the loss, his first of the season. Noteworthy is the game winning goal which was scored by former Canuck/Moose Jason Jaffray who is now property of the Calgary Flames.
The second game was the opposite of game 1 with 8 goals being scored in total and the Moose pulling out a thrilling 5-4 victory in a shootout. Moose had goals from Marco Rosa, Shirokov, Guillaume Desbiens and Bliznak, his second of the year in as many games. Rosa and Desbiens both scored in the shootout, with Desbiens being the game winner.
Next up for the Moose is a 6 game road trip starting tomorrow in Lake Erie against the Monsters, AHL affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche. The Monsters are off to a 1-3 start which was to be expected. With the Avalanche undergoing a transition/re-building phase, many of the past stars from the Monsters have been called upon to play in the NHL. Thus far only 10 players have recorded at least a point in the Monsters 4 games. Scoring is going to be an issue for the Monsters this year and the Moose need to capitalize early to prevent Lake Erie from getting a lead and shutting it down defensively.
Check back in a few days for recaps of the two game against the Monsters as well as previews of games against the Hamilton Bulldogs (Montreal Canadiens).
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