By Jen Sharpe
www.moosehockey.com
The Manitoba Moose closed out 2007 with an exciting New Year's Eve performance at the MTS Centre. Three powerplay goals, four fights, and a two-goal, three-point performance from Milan Gajic helped the Moose defeat the Lake Erie Monsters 3-1 in front of 11,915 revelers. Drew MacIntyre stopped 20 of 21 shots for his 13th win of the season, and Michael Grabner extended his goal-scoring streak to three games.
>> Click to view photos of tonight's game.
>> Click here to see official scorer's sheet
First Period
Just over a minute into the game, one of Manitoba's newest acquisitions, Chris Blight, was called for slashing and Lake Erie benefited from the game's first powerplay. A scramble in front of the Moose net resulted in the Monsters' first three shots of the game, but the club failed to slip the puck past Drew MacIntyre and Lake Erie went 0-for-1 on the powerplay.
Soon after the return of five-on-five play, the Moose drew a hooking penalty from Matt Hussey and went on the powerplay. 42 seconds into the man-advantage, Milan Gajic broke Manitoba's three-game powerplay-goal drought with a slick shot from the near face-off circle that made its way past Tyler Weiman, and the Moose assumed the first lead of the game.
Although the Monsters continued to lead the shot-count and benefited from a second powerplay in the first, MacIntyre and the rest of the Moose kept the visitors from hitting the scoreboard. In the dying minutes of the opening frame, Moose rookie Pierre-Cedric Labrie went toe-to-toe with Monsters bruiser Dale Purinton and the Monsters started another five-on-four, thanks to an interference penalty to Luc Bourdon.
After 20 minutes of play, Lake Erie had doubled-up Manitoba in shots but trailed 1-0.
Second Period
The Monsters continued to fire two shots for every Moose attempt through the early part of the second. Just after the five-minute mark, fans near the site of the Labrie-Purinton fight were treated to another clash, this time between Nathan McIver and Johnny Boychuk. No extra penalties were awarded, but Codey Burki took a holding penalty 30 seconds later and the Moose went on the powerplay for the second time.
Though the club failed to extend their lead on that man-advantage, Greg Classen drew another penalty near the game's midway point, providing the Moose with another chance to score on the five-on-four.
As the powerplay ticked down, Michael Grabner maneuvered the puck to the top of the far face-off circle and slapped it home. Lake Erie's Jeff Jillson took a cross-checking penalty on the play, and Manitoba's powerplay unit capitalized for the third time in four opportunities, with Gajic netting his second of the game at 11:50.
The trio of powerplay goals marked the second time this season and first time since Oct. 17 that the club has scored three or more man-advantage markers in a single game.
Tempers flared and fists flew in the aftermath of the goals. Labrie and Purinton met for a brief rematch in the neutral zone at 15:38, followed by a bloody scrap along the red-line between Rick Rypien and Vladimir Denisov. In addition to Rypien and Denisov's five minutes each for fighting, Purinton was awarded 2:00 for roughing and a ten-minute misconduct.
The penalties continued in the final minute of the second, as Bourdon was dealt two for interference and another two for unsportsmanlike conduct, offering the Monsters their fourth and fifth powerplays of the game to equal the Moose in man-advantages.
At the second period buzzer, Manitoba carried a 3-0 lead but trailed Lake Erie 16-15 in shots.
Third Period
On their sixth powerplay, the Moose assumed their first shot-lead of the game, firing five shots on Weiman nine minutes into the frame. Although Manitoba had more opportunities in the final frame, Lake Erie made one of theirs count. At 10:29, Jamie Lundmark broke Lake Erie's goose-egg and netted the Monsters' first goal of the game.
With 2:50 left on the clock, Zack FitzGerald earned a boarding penalty by colliding with Eric Healey behind the Moose net. The infraction would offer the Monsters their sixth powerplay of the game, but Manitoba made it a perfect 6-for-6 on the penalty kill by stifling that final man-advantage.
After one last fight involving Labrie, this time against winger Chris Stewart, the Moose wrapped up 2007 with a 3-1 victory over Lake Erie.
|
Highlights - Moose vs. Monsters - stream
| SCORING |
1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
| Lake Erie |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
| Manitoba |
1 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
Dec 31, 2007 - MTS Centre FIRST PERIOD:1. Manitoba, M. Gajic (2) (D. Groulx, S. Heshka) 4:30 PP Penalties - C. Blight Mtb (slashing) 1:06, M. Hussey Lem (hooking) 3:47, A. Bolduc Mtb (hooking) 13:36, D. Purinton Lem (fighting) 18:39, P. Labrie Mtb (fighting) 18:39, L. Bourdon Mtb (interference) 19:29 SECOND PERIOD:2. Manitoba, M. Grabner (10) (S. Heshka, M. Gajic) 10:17 PP 3. Manitoba, M. Gajic (3) (M. Grabner, G. Classen) 11:50 PP Penalties - J. Boychuk Lem (fighting) 5:25, N. McIver Mtb (fighting) 5:25, C. Burki Lem (holding) 5:57, R. Macias Lem (tripping) 8:46, J. Jillson Lem (cross-checking) 10:17, D. Purinton Lem (roughing, misconduct) 15:38, V. Denisov Lem (fighting) 17:01, R. Rypien Mtb (fighting) 17:01, L. Bourdon Mtb (interference, unsportsmanlike conduct) 19:02 THIRD PERIOD:4. Lake Erie, J. Lundmark (2) (D. Purinton, E. Healey) 10:29 Penalties - J. Lundmark Lem (hooking) 7:07, Z. FitzGerald Mtb (boarding) 17:10, C. Stewart Lem (fighting) 19:57, P. Labrie Mtb (fighting) 19:57
| SHOTS |
1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
| Lake Erie |
8 |
8 |
5 |
21 |
| Manitoba |
4 |
11 |
7 |
22 |
POWER PLAYS:Lake Erie Monsters 0-6. Manitoba Moose 3-6. GOALTENDERS:Lake Erie Monsters Weiman 9-19-1 Start: 1st 0:00 Min: 58:22 SV: 19 GA: 3 [L] Manitoba Moose MacIntyre 25-18-2 Start: 1st 0:00 Min: 59:57 SV: 20 GA: 1 [W]
Attendance:
11,915
- MTB - Milan Gajic
- MTB - Drew MacIntyre
- MTB - Michael Grabner
- The Moose usher in 2008 by hosting the Monsters for the final time this season. The New Year's Day game starts at 7:30pm, and the first 1,500 fans into the building will receive a free 2008 Manitoba Moose Calendar!
|
Updated: Dec. 31, 2007 at 6:32 PM CST
