Manitoba Moose

FIRST PERIOD

Good to see Zack FitzGerald and Aaron Downey with some fireworks about thirty seconds into the game. No dropping the gloves…yet.

3:18 in, Nolan Baumgartner takes a penalty for roughing. The puck was pretty far away, too, so could have been interference as well. Not the greatest penalty to take. But being shorthanded is something Alex Bolduc can work with, as a pair of Griffins fumble the puck behind their own net, and Bolduc swings out in front and jams it past Jimmy Howard. Looked fairly similar to last night’s goal.

A Howard the Duck sign. Classic!

Over ten minutes in, and the Griffins have yet to record a shot. But they’re pretty much hitting everything that moves, except for the puck. I guess they’re trying to wear down the Moose to tire them out over the course of a long series. Umm…it won’t be a long series if you don’t get any shots (but don’t tell them that).

Umm…guess they got the message, carrying the play for the last half of the period, holding the Moose off the shot sheet for the last several minutes and carrying an advantage of 7-5 going into the second, but it’s still 1-0 Manitoba.

It was a pretty rough first frame, and definitely a surprise that only two penalties was called (Darren Haydar was called at the end of the first, so the Moose start the second up a man) . It wasn’t all one-sided, at least. We got away with a fair bit, they got away with a fair bit. Too many hits from behind not called, though. Dangerous play, it’s gotta be called

Just caught a glimpse of the Blackhawks-Canucks game in the intermission. Can more fans who want to support the Canucks please, please wear the Flying V jersey? I know it’s universally despised, but I’m colourblind, and I love it.

SECOND PERIOD

Great to see Mike Keane sliding down to block a shot with his shins. The guy’s 41! If you look up “leadership” on Wikipedia, you’ll see Mike Keane’s picture. I’m putting it up there.

Baumgartner takes his second penalty of the game, but the Griffins use it this time, with Darren McCarty tipping a pass to the back of the net. It’s tied 1-1.

Moose come right back though, possibly twice. Michael Grabner gets one past Howard, and it’s sliding over the line before a Griffin knocks it away. Didn’t look over from up here, but no big. Later in the sequence, Bolduc gets past a Griff, corrals the puck while on his knees, and gets it out front to Jason Krog, who slams it home. 2-1 Manitoba.

Sign watch: “Griffins aren’t even real. Howard sucks.”

P.C. Labrie finishes a check on Griffs’ rookie Brian Lashoff, and he just doesn’t look like he knows where he is when he gets up. Labrie was probably a little late, but given it’s the lawless Wild West out there, escapes without a penalty call. Lashoff didn’t even see it coming, and those plays are dangerous. It’s been physical, and it seems to be at the ref’s discretion as to how much he’s going to call interference and other obstruction, but late hits are pretty black and white.

Things get ugly with 6:08 to go, as Aaron Downey cheap shots Cory Schneider. Absolute garbage. The Moose get a five minute power play out of it, and need to get one not only to really put their mark on the game, but avenge their goalie as well.

But they don’t. And to make matters worse, the Griffins get the best scoring chance as “Hey Dere” Haydar gets a pretty clean break, but can’t beat Schneider. Michael Grabner runs into the turnbuckle near the Griffins bench, and he goes off in a hurry. But he went down hard in the Toronto series, and came back quickly, so hopefully we’ll see him in the third.

THIRD PERIOD

Justin Abdelkader takes a run at Mario Bliznak from behind, and the sheriff is apparently back in town, as that gets called.

12:35 – loudest Howard chant of the series…so far.

Right as the Grand Rapids penalty expires, Haydar takes off with another breakaway, but Schneider has him again. Baumgartner takes a slashing penalty on the play, though, his third minor of the game. Schneider is in perfect position to keep McCarty from getting his second of the game, sticking the leg out.

About four to go and Schneider makes a devil of a save on Justin Abdelkader, somehow keeping a prime puck sitting in the slot from going into the net. Schneider = king.

The Moose get a chance to seal it late as Ville Leino trips up Jason Krog with just over two to go. Should help solidify a win. Should. Abdelkader takes a shot at Schneider while skating through the crease, and the Moose kill some clock until Grand Rapids finally touches it. 45 to go and Howard hasn’t even left the net. He never bolts for the bench, and the Moose take another 2-1 decision.

I can’t help but feel we did get outplayed (outshot 29-22, along with other intangibles), but we escaped with the win yet. Bolduc is a star for the second straight night, and Schneider is the first star, and gets a deserving loud cheer. Without him, we’d be going to Michigan 1-1 (or maybe even 0-2).

See y’all on the flip side (by which I mean Monday).