Manitoba Moose

He would be the most eligible bachelor in Winnipeg, if he were eligible.

And so before we go any further -- and, judging by Friday night's performance at the MTS Centre, Sergei Shirokov is definitely going to go much, much further in this game -- let's just get this out of the way right now: yes, ladies, the newest member of the Manitoba Moose has a girlfriend.

Young, talented, photogenic and destined to make millions, the 23-year-old Russian could surely score -- and score often -- if he were so inclined.

But Shirokov's spoken for by his Russian girlfriend and the only scoring he will be doing in Winnipeg this winter will be on the ice. And he will be doing that often, too, judging by his AHL debut Friday night in a 4-1 Manitoba win over a very talented Chicago Wolves team.

Demoted by Vancouver on Thursday, Shirokov was easily the best player on the ice last night, settling for a goal and an assist on a night where he should have had at least one more assist, and maybe more, if only his minor league teammates could have converted his major league passes.

By night's end, what was clear is that while Shirokov may have looked out of place the past 10 days in a Canucks uniform, he looks even more out of place in a Moose uniform.

"He's got a good shot, good vision, a good passer," said linemate Marco Rosa. "I can't say enough about him.

"It's just a matter of time until he gets called back up playing like that."

Aw shucks, said Shirokov. "It turned out very well," he said, speaking through an interpreter.

Earlier in the day, Shirokov said he was happy to be in Winnipeg, even if it meant a pay cut of more than three-quarters of a million dollars. "It's a good hockey town," he said. "No problem. It's fine."

Shirokov's small but deceptively quick and has that combination of a quick release and a hard shot upon which hockey players build multi-million dollar personal empires.

All of it was on display on his first goal as a Moose late in the second period as Shirokov took the puck on a nifty kick pass from Rosa in the Chicago end and waited patiently before, in an instant, letting go with a low wrist shot to the glove side on which Wolves goalie Drew MacIntyre barely flinched.

The power-play goal made the score 3-1 Moose and was the second of what proved to be three goals on the night generated by the line of Shirokov, Rosa and Michael Grabner.

Shirokov also got credit for assisting on the first goal of the game by Grabner. And he was on the ice for the fourth and final goal of the game, another Grabner effort that saw him perfectly convert a goal-mouth pass from Rosa into a gaping net.

They were the second and third points of the season for the Austrian native Grabner, from whom much is expected this winter.

If the major question mark coming into this season was who was going to provide the goal-scoring for the Moose, one obvious answer clearly came Friday night.

But the next question is how long will Shirokov -- or Grabner, for that matter -- stick in Winnipeg?

It's impossible, of course, to judge after just one game. A better indication will come tonight in the rematch with the Wolves and then next week, with home games against Abbotsford on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

But you just couldn't help but get the feeling last night that you were watching something special in Shirokov, one of those moments where a player rolls through town with the Moose and years later, you're watching him play on TV and thinking, "I remember the night..."

Highlight REEL Moose 4 Wolves 1

FIRST PERIOD

Moose sniper Michael Grabner nets his first of the season, skating swiftly around Chicago defenceman Paul Postma and ripping a high shot past Wolves goalie Drew MacIntyre.

Moose 1 / Chicago 0

SECOND PERIOD

Wolves draw even when veteran John Pohl gets into the clear after a sweet pass from Jamie Hunt. Less than two minutes later, the Moose surge ahead for good with Mike Funk's hard shot that goes through MacIntyre. Late in the period when the home team is enjoying a power play, Russian rookie Sergei Shirokov takes advantage of Marco Rosa's crafty puck control and sends a high shot past MacIntyre. Manitoba has 28 shots through two periods.

Moose 3 / Chicago 1 

THIRD PERIOD

Grabner, not to be outdone on this night, buries a Rosa set-up for a Manitoba three-goal lead. Moose move to 2-1 while Chicago is off to an 0-2 start.

Moose 4 / Chicago 1

ICE CHIPS

Game-breaker

The timing of Funk's second-period goal was important but Cory Schneider will take the nod for this game, keying an A-plus penalty-killing night. Chicago was denied on all seven advantages.

Chelly to howl

D Chris Chelios, 47, is without an NHL contract after Detroit declined to re-sign him. Monday, he'll be on the ice with the Wolves. "There are still some (NHL) things in the fire for him," Wolves GM Wendell Young said Friday. "If we had him for even a game, I think he could teach guys how to be a pro. I think he's still got something in him in terms of NHL minutes and we'll give him a platform to see if he can do it." There are also reasons Chelios may consider a longer stay with the Wolves if no NHL deal materializes. It's his hometown and he has a son playing for Chicago's USHL team.

Ingrates?

Some of the 7,335 in attendance Friday night seemed to have short memories, booing Wolves centre Jason Krog when he touched the puck. Harsh, indeed, given Krog's contributions here last season. Krog finished the night with no points.

Next

Chicago at Moose, tonight, 7:30 p.m. at MTS Centre (CJOB).