By Jen Sharpe
www.moosehockey.com
An early four-goal deficit seemed to spell disaster for the Manitoba Moose Friday night, but four unanswered goals in the final two periods forced extra time vs. the Rochester Americans. The valiant Moose comeback wouldn't carry the club to a franchise-record 11th straight win, however, as goalie Tyler Plante carried the Americans to a 5-4 shootout victory.
>> Click here to see official scorer's sheet
First Period
Manitoba's franchise winning streak wasn't the only record within grasp Friday night, as rookie goalie Cory Schneider attempted to extend his individual winning streak to a franchise-record 10 games.
Only 34 seconds into the game, Rochester's Derek Whitmore took the first of two consecutive home penalties, offering Manitoba nearly five minutes of five on four. Despite the man-advantages, the Moose managed only one shot on Americans netminder Tyler Plante.
While the Moose couldn't score on their two powerplays, the Amerks found the back of the net on their first man-advantage opportunity. With Mike Brown serving two minutes for roughing, Manitoba killed the first minute of the penalty but couldn't make it through the second as rookie Jordan Henry beat Schneider from the slot.
62 seconds later, the home team made it 2-0. With help from his swarming teammates, Tanner Glass positioned himself at the corner of the crease and got the puck past Schneider to give his club a two-goal cushion.
Two quick goals gave the Americans the momentum to tally a third. While rushing into the Moose zone, centerman Drew Larman surprised Schneider with a quick shot from inside the near face-off circle. The goal marked the first time the Moose surrendered three regulation goals since February 27th vs. Hershey, 12 games ago.
In the period's final three minutes, Brown and Glass earned fighting majors for dropping their gloves immediately following a face-off. Even-strength play continued, but an interference penalty to Maxime Fortunus put the Moose on the penalty kill and down three goals and three shots heading into the second period.
Second Period
Another Moose penalty early in the second offered the Americans an extended powerplay, including a brief five-on-three. Although Jannik Hansen managed a shorthanded breakaway, Plante kept Manitoba off the board and offered his club the chance to go up 4-0. Dylan Hunter made it happen when play returned to the Moose zone, concluding a pretty play with his 19th goal of the season.
But the four-goal lead would be short-lived. Immediately following a face-off in the Americans zone, Shaun Heshka one-timed the puck past Plante to get the Moose on the scoreboard and extend his point streak to three games. A hooking penalty to Rochester's Luke Beaverson 15 seconds later gave Manitoba their third powerplay, and the club's top line wasted no time tallying another goal. Brad Moran's quick shot hit the back of the net eight seconds into the powerplay and 23 seconds after Heshka's marker, setting this season's new standard for fastest two Moose goals.
Though it would occur nearly seven minutes later, another quick release resulted in a third Manitoba goal and a one-goal game. With Beaverson back in the penalty box, only 12 seconds on the clock, and a face-off in the Rochester zone, Moran won the puck and wired it to Hansen at the top of the crease, who shocked Plante to put the Moose within one after 40 minutes of play.
Third Period
Three minutes into the third, a trio of penalties gave both clubs brief man-advantages as players entered and exited the penalty boxes. Big saves at both ends of the ice highlighted the man-advantages, but upon the return of five-on-five, Moose captain Mike Keane officially dissolved Rochester's 4-0 lead. With a cluster of players crowding Plante's crease, Keane lifted the puck into the net to score Manitoba's fourth unanswered goal and tie the game with 12:38 left to play.
In the game's final six minutes, the Moose benefited from their eighth and ninth powerplays, but Plante quashed all hopes of a go-ahead powerplay goal and kept the game tied at four through to the end of regulation time.
Overtime
The Moose dominated four-on-four play through the early part of overtime, but penalties to Keane and Marc-Andre Gragnani cut the numbers of skaters to three per team and opened up the ice. The penalties came and went, and with 15 seconds left on the clock, Schneider stretched cross-crease to rob Clarke MacArthur of an open net to force a shootout.
Shootout
Though their four-goal lead wasn't enough for a win after three periods and overtime, the Americans rode five straight saves from Plante and a lone goal from Larman to a 5-4 shootout victory. The win kept the Moose from registering a franchise record 11th straight victory but extended the club's point streak to a record-tying 13 games.
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Moose vs. Americans Highlights - stream
| SCORING |
1 |
2 |
3 |
OT |
SO |
T |
| Manitoba |
0 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
| Rochester |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
Mar 28, 2008 - Blue Cross Arena FIRST PERIOD:1. Rochester, J. Henry (1) (M. Gragnani, D. Hunter) 10:04 PP 2. Rochester, T. Glass (5) (A. Stewart, M. Zagrapan) 11:06 3. Rochester, D. Larman (9) (F. MacDonald, J. Henry) 14:27 Penalties - D. Whitmore Rch (boarding) 0:34, J. Kroll Rch (interference) 3:19, M. Brown Mtb (roughing) 8:49, M. Brown Mtb (fighting) 17:05, T. Glass Rch (fighting) 17:05, M. Fortunus Mtb (interference) 19:32 SECOND PERIOD:4. Rochester, D. Hunter (19) (M. Funk, C. MacArthur) 2:59 PP 5. Manitoba, S. Heshka (7) (G. Rallo, D. Yeo) 6:39 6. Manitoba, B. Moran (21) (M. Grabner, J. Hansen) 7:02 PP 7. Manitoba, J. Hansen (17) (B. Moran) 19:47 PP Penalties - D. Groulx Mtb (boarding) 1:18, L. Beaverson Rch (hooking) 6:54, S. Meyer Rch (charging) 8:59, D. Rahimi Mtb (kneeing) 16:09, L. Beaverson Rch (interference) 18:43 THIRD PERIOD:8. Manitoba, M. Keane (8) (N. Baumgartner, K. Estrada) 7:22 Penalties - D. Hunter Rch (tripping) 3:08, M. Fortunus Mtb (holding) 3:59, J. Kroll Rch (hooking) 5:17, R. Globke Rch (tripping) 14:18, T. Glass Rch (tripping) 17:28 OT PERIOD:No Scoring Penalties - M. Keane Mtb (holding) 1:48, M. Gragnani Rch (diving 64.2) 1:48 Shootout Round 1 -
| SHOTS |
1 |
2 |
3 |
OT |
SO |
T |
| Manitoba |
8 |
11 |
12 |
2 |
0 |
33 |
| Rochester |
11 |
11 |
8 |
2 |
1 |
33 |
POWER PLAYS:Manitoba Moose 2-9. Rochester Americans 2-5. GOALTENDERS:Manitoba Moose Schneider 21-12-2 Start: 1st 0:00 Min: 64:24 SV: 28 GA: 4 [SOL] Rochester Americans Plante 6-16-1 Start: 1st 0:00 Min: 65:00 SV: 29 GA: 4 [W]
Attendance:
8,160
- RCH - Jordan Henry
- MTB - Brad Moran
- RCH - Dylan Hunter
- The Moose conclude their four-game road trip Saturday night in Toronto. Manitoba's next home game is Tuesday, April 1st vs. the Chicago Wolves.
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Updated: Mar. 28, 2008 at 9:40 PM CDT
