By Jen Sharpe
www.moosehockey.com
It was the final home game of the regular season for the Manitoba Moose, and the club couldn't have asked for a better playoff send-off, trouncing the Toronto Marlies 6-0 in front of 13,520 fans. Colby Genoway led all skaters with four points, while rookie goalie Cory Schneider stopped 29 shots for his third shutout of the season.
>> Click to view photos of tonight's game.
>> Click here to see official scorer's sheet
Prior to the game, the Manitoba Moose announced the winners of their annual Player Awards.
LAWTON PARTNERS ROOKIE OF THE YEAR - Michael Grabner
CONTINENTAL TRAVEL JULIAN KLYMKIW COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD - Drew MacIntyre
TOYOTA NEVER QUITS HARDEST WORKING PLAYER - Mike Keane
RE/MAX MOST POPULAR PLAYER - Mike Brown
BLUE CROSS UNSUNG HERO AWARD - Alexandre Bolduc
PAYWORKS BEST DEFENCEMAN - Maxime Fortunus
MTS THREE-STAR CHAMPION - Brad Moran
TFI SERVICES LEADING SCORER AWARD - Brad Moran
INSTA-FRAME GALLERIES MOST VALUABLE PLAYER - Brad Moran & Drew MacIntyre
First Period
Four minutes and three shots into the game, the Moose hit the scoreboard. Poised at the corner of Justin Pogge's crease, Manitoba sniper Colby Genoway received a pass from Pierre-Cedric Labrie and redirected it past the Toronto 'tender to put the home team up 1-0.
At four-minute intervals, the Moose steadily increased their lead. Shortly after earning the team's Unsung Hero Award during the club's annual pre-game player award ceremony, Alexandre Bolduc made a hero of Greg Rallo by setting up the center for his second of the season.
At 11:13, Rallo notched goal number two, this time with help from Genoway. After sweeping into the Marlies zone, the Illinois native snapped the puck past Pogge to put the Moose up 3-0 on six shots.
A scrap between Bolduc and Phil Oreskovic kept the crowd of 13,520 on its feet through the latter half of the first, but it would take a tripping penalty to Toronto's Andy Wozniewski to interrupt even-strength play. Though Manitoba was unable to increase their lead on the powerplay and trailed 10-8 on the shot clock, the Moose, backstopped by Cory Schneider, carried their 3-0 lead to the second period.
Second Period
Two more Marlies penalties early in the middle frame put the Moose powerplay unit back on the ice. But the league's best penalty killers limited Manitoba to only two shots, and Pogge stopped them both to keep his club within three.
A brief punch-up against the glass put Mike Brown and Patrick Wellar in the penalty boxes at the game's midway point. At 12:13, defenceman Shaun Heshka joined Brown and the Marlies benefited from their first five-on-four. But Manitoba forced another scoreless powerplay and resisted the swarming Marlies through to the period's final minute.
Just as Jannik Hansen and Brent Aubin concluded their respective hooking and slashing penalties, Heshka and Brown pounced on an odd-man situation and descended on Pogge. Heshka drew Pogge over to the right side of the net and then fed the puck to Brown at the opposite end, who tapped it across the goal-line to give the Moose a 4-0 lead heading into the third period.
Third Period
Toronto's Ben Ondrus started a slashing penalty at the onset of the final frame, but the Marlies Captain would serve only a minute of it. With help from his powerplay mates Moran and Bolduc, Hansen fired from the middle of the slot and scored on a sliding Pogge. The goal would give the Moose a 5-0 lead and put Bolduc in the multi-point category with Genoway and Rallo.
Toronto closed in on 30 shots with just under six minutes remaining in the game, but although Schneider surrendered a juicy rebound, a quick slide and pad save kept the visitors from lighting the lamp.
Following the play, a trio of penalties resulted in a minute-long powerplay for the Marlies and then a two-man-advantage for the Moose. Though the club was unable to increase their lead on the five-on-three, the tail-end of the second penalty resulted in Labrie's seventh goal of the season, Genoway's fourth point of the game, and a 6-0 victory shutout victory for Schneider and the Moose.
|
Moose vs. Toronto Marlies Highlights - stream
| SCORING |
1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
| Toronto |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Manitoba |
3 |
1 |
2 |
6 |
Apr 5, 2008 - MTS Centre FIRST PERIOD:1. Manitoba, C. Genoway (14) (P. Labrie, D. Groulx) 3:52 2. Manitoba, G. Rallo (2) (A. Bolduc) 7:53 3. Manitoba, G. Rallo (3) (C. Genoway) 11:13 Penalties - P. Oreskovic Tor (fighting) 14:42, A. Bolduc Mtb (fighting) 14:42, A. Wozniewski Tor (tripping) 18:00 SECOND PERIOD:4. Manitoba, M. Brown (10) (S. Heshka, C. Genoway) 19:16 Penalties - R. Earl Tor (holding) 0:38, T. Doig Tor (high-sticking) 4:04, P. Wellar Tor (fighting) 10:07, M. Brown Mtb (fighting) 10:07, S. Heshka Mtb (hooking) 12:13, B. Aubin Tor (slashing) 17:16, J. Hansen Mtb (hooking) 17:16, B. Ondrus Tor (slashing) 20:00 THIRD PERIOD:5. Manitoba, J. Hansen (19) (B. Moran, A. Bolduc) 1:01 PP 6. Manitoba, P. Labrie (7) (C. Genoway, T. Ramsey) 18:56 Penalties - C. Genoway Mtb (hooking) 14:30, A. Wozniewski Tor (hooking) 15:49, P. Wellar Tor (tripping) 16:24
| SHOTS |
1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
| Toronto |
10 |
7 |
12 |
29 |
| Manitoba |
8 |
8 |
10 |
26 |
POWER PLAYS:Toronto Marlies 0-2. Manitoba Moose 1-6. GOALTENDERS:Toronto Marlies Pogge 26-10-4 Start: 1st 0:00 Min: 60:00 SV: 20 GA: 6 [L] Manitoba Moose Schneider 21-12-2 Start: 1st 0:00 Min: 59:49 SV: 29 GA: 0 [W]
Attendance:
13,520
- MTB - Colby Genoway
- MTB - Cory Schneider
- MTB - Greg Rallo
- The Moose conclude their regular season with three road games, starting next Friday night in Grand Rapids.
|
Updated: Apr. 5, 2008 at 10:12 PM CDT
