By Travis Kondratuk
www.moosehockey.com
The Manitoba Moose jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead over the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights and never looked back as they skated to a 4-1 victory, their fifth in a row. Most of the action took place in the first two periods as the Moose went into a defensive shell in the third, to hold on for the win. There were six fights in the first two frames as the teams showed no love for each other. Manitoba improved their record to 27-16-7-4 and are now in the middle of their second longest winning streak of the season. The team will now embark on a six-game road trip that gets started Friday in Syracuse.
>> Click to view photos of tonight's game.
>> Click here to see official scorer's sheet
>> Click to view the ice-times for tonight's game.
First Period
Drew MacIntyre is back between the pipes for the Moose tonight, after Wade Flaherty was victorious in his return from injury in Monday's contest.
Jason Jaffray showed why he's the leading goal scorer for the Moose this season as he earned his 27th goal of the year. Knights goaltender Curtis McElhinney handled the puck behind his net where Jaffray came storming in to pressure him as his team mates were changing. Jaffray stole the puck from the Omaha goalie and as McElhinney tried to get back into the net, Jaffray shot the puck off the back of his leg and it bounced in.
Right off the subsequent face-off Lee Goren fired a shot on net that fooled McElhinney low to his stick side and the score was suddenly 2-0 just 0:50 into the opening frame.
The two goals set a record for the fastest two opening goals in Moose franchise history. The previous fastest two goals to start a game was 1:22, set Dec. 8/99. The two goals scored 0:07 apart tied the franchise record for fastest two goals scored.
Then queue the rough stuff, as the two teams engaged in three fights in just over 7:00.
First Nathan McIver dropped the gloves with Brandon Prust at 0:59. Both players landed some bombs as the two players kept throwing punches until neither had enough energy to throw any more.
Then Ryan Bonni just signed to a PTO for the Knights, laid the lumber on Alexandre Bolduc, causing the young Moose forward to stand up for himself. He looked to bite off a bit more than he could chew though, as Bonni had his way with him. Bonni was given an extra 2:00 for cross-checking on the play.
Finally at the 7:15 mark, Mike Brown and Carsen Germyn renewed their friendship established on Monday's game when the two players had at it again. This scrap was short as both players flailed wildly until Germyn hip-tossed Brown to the ice.
The Knights then got themselves in penalty trouble as Dustin Boyd took a hooking penalty and then Brad Ference took a high-sticking penalty 0:30 later to give the Moose an extended 2-man advantage.
Jason Jaffray scored his 28th goal of the season and his second of the game to put the Moose up 3-0. With the Moose still on the 2-man advantage, Yannick Trembaly whistled a point shot that missed the net, but bounced hard off the end boards to Jaffray at the far side of the goal. Jaffray took a couple of whacks at it before finally getting it up and over McElhinney for the third goal of the game. Tremblay and Genoway drew the assists on the powerplay marker at 13:53 of the first.
The fisticuffs continued as Alexandre Bolduc stepped up for his second scrap of the night. Bolduc laid a hit on Brad Ference who took exception and dropped his mitts. To Bolduc's credit he made a strong showing of himself in this one, going punch for punch with Ference. The linesmen finally stepped in once both players were gassed.
The Moose came out with tons of jump in this game, as they looked like the better team in the first period dominating in chances and shots.
Second Period
The fighting continued to start the second period as Maxime Fortunus got into his first fight of the season with Brandon Prust. For a player that doesn't fight very often Fortunus did well for himself. Unfortunately for Max he was given the extra 2:00 for instigating and a 10:00 misconduct for his efforts.
With the Moose enjoying their first powerplay of the period, Curtis McElhinney robbed Mike Keane with his glove, as Keane snapped a hard shot from the slot.
On the save a scrum developed in the crease where Mike Brown and Brad Ference decided to go at it. Brown got his right arm pumping, landing some good uppercuts before losing his balance and falling to his back. Both players earned their second fighting majors of the game on the play.
Colby Genoway scored his ninth goal of the season, but his first as a member of the Moose to put the home squad up 4-0. The line of Genoway, Santala, and Schultz had a great shift, cycling the puck and causing chaos leading up to the goal. The goal itself won't make many hilight reals as Genoway bullied his way through the crease and the puck squirted into the net.
Omaha cut into the Moose lead as Dustin Boyd redirected a nice cross-crease pass from Andrei Taratukhin to get the Knights on the board. Drew MacIntyre had little chance on the play as Boyd went to the net with his stick on the ice and Taratukhin hit him in stride.
The period ended with the Moose holding a 19-9 advantage in shots and a 4-1 lead on the scoreboard.
Third Period
The Moose looked content to try and hold on to their lead as they dumped the puck in and used only one fore-checker, while everyone else stayed backed.
The ice was heavily tilted to the Moose end as the Knights looked like they were on the powerplay for the bulk of the third period, even when they weren't.
The Moose got their best chance of the period as Tommi Santala fed a nice pass that sprung Colby Genoway on a breakaway. He went top shelf but McElhinney made a nice glove save to thwart the Moose scoring chance.
Jason Jaffray and Brad Ference were given coincidental minors at the 18:32 mark of the third to create a little extra skating room as the teams were 4-on-4.
The Moose played their "prevent defence" to a tee as they held the Knights without a goal for the final period despite playing the bulk of it in their own zone.
Moose scratches: Rick Rypien, Jannik Hansen, Tyler Bouck, Patrick Coulombe, Shaun Heshka
Knights scratches: Tim Ramholt, Justin Taylor, Eric Nystrom, Steve Marr
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Global Highlights - Moose vs. Knights - stream
| SCORING |
1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
| Omaha |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
| Manitoba |
3 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
Feb 14, 2007 - MTS Centre FIRST PERIOD:1. Manitoba, J. Jaffray (27) 0:43 2. Manitoba, L. Goren (16) (A. Edler, M. Fortunus) 0:50 3. Manitoba, J. Jaffray (28) (Y. Tremblay, C. Genoway) 13:53 PP Penalties - B. Prust Oma (fighting) 0:59, N. McIver Mtb (fighting) 0:59, R. Bonni Oma (cross-checking, fighting) 4:39, A. Bolduc Mtb (fighting) 4:39, C. Germyn Oma (fighting) 7:15, M. Brown Mtb (fighting) 7:15, N. Smith Mtb (hooking) 8:28, B. Ference Oma (high-sticking) 9:29, D. Boyd Oma (hooking) 13:09, B. Ference Oma (high-sticking) 13:39, B. Ference Oma (fighting) 19:27, A. Bolduc Mtb (fighting) 19:27 SECOND PERIOD:4. Manitoba, C. Genoway (9) (T. Santala, P. Ryan) 14:13 5. Omaha, D. Boyd (15) (B. Palin, A. Taratukhin) 15:40 Penalties - B. Prust Oma (fighting) 2:18, M. Fortunus Mtb (instigating, fighting, misconduct - instigating 47.10) 2:18, D. Van der Gulik Oma (tripping) 9:10, B. Ference Oma (fighting) 11:08, M. Brown Mtb (fighting) 11:08, A. Bolduc Mtb (goaltender interference) 11:24 THIRD PERIOD:No Scoring Penalties - A. Pardy Oma (holding) 2:15, T. Santala Mtb (tripping) 9:14, B. Ference Oma (slashing) 18:32, J. Jaffray Mtb (unsportsmanlike conduct) 18:32, B. Ference Oma (game misconduct - abuse of officials 40.5) 20:00
| SHOTS |
1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
| Omaha |
4 |
5 |
11 |
20 |
| Manitoba |
12 |
7 |
7 |
26 |
POWER PLAYS:Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights 0-4. Manitoba Moose 1-6. GOALTENDERS:Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights McElhinney 35-17-1 Start: 1st 0:00 Min: 60:00 SV: 22 GA: 4 [L] Manitoba Moose MacIntyre 24-12-2 Start: 1st 0:00 Min: 60:00 SV: 19 GA: 1 [W]
Attendance:
6774
- -- #29 Colby Genoway
- -- #15 Jason Jaffray
- -- #38 Yannick Tremblay
- The Moose now head out on a six-game road trip that will take them to Syracuse, Rochester and Toronto for two games versus each division rival. The Moose won't be back to the MTS Centre until Friday, March 2nd when they host the Marlies.
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Updated: Feb. 14, 2007 at 10:22 PM CST
