Back-to-back Wins: After obtaining four of a possible eight points on this past four-game road trip, the Moose now find themselves without back-to-back regulation wins in their last 27 games. The last time the Moose strung together two regulation wins dates all the way back to a two-game series sweep at home over Iowa on Feb 3rd and 4th. Since then, Manitoba is 12-8-4-2, with four of the 12 wins coming in overtime or a shootout.
DeMone Gets His First: With a second period goal in Manitoba’s 3-1 win over Toronto on Saturday night, Moose rookie defenceman James DeMone scored his first goal of the season and in turn, the first goal of his pro career. DeMone has played in 55 games with the Moose this season recording a goal and eight assists for nine points and 121 penalty minutes. With DeMone’s goal, Moose defenceman Nathan McIver is now the only Moose player to play 20 games or more this season without a goal.
Copps Coliseum Curse: After Sunday afternoon's 4-3 loss to the Bulldogs, the Moose now have only one win in their last 13 trips to the Copps Coliseum in Hamilton. Their last win in Hamilton came on Oct 31st/04, when they edged the Bulldogs 2-1. After a 2-1 overtime loss in the last meeting between the clubs, Manitoba now shouders a 4-14-3 all-time record at Copps Coliseum with a 0-2-1-1 record this season.
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The Manitoba Moose wrapped up their final four road games of the regular season this past week as they took on four different North Division teams in six nights. The Moose began the week with a Tuesday night game in Syracuse in a preview of what will be a first-round Calder Cup Playoff matchup. After the Crunch opened the scoring with two first-period goals, the Moose responded with four unanswered goals, only to have Syracuse rebound with four themselves, and outlast the Moose 6-4. After two day's rest, Manitoba made the short drive into Rochester to take on the Amerks in a Friday night contest. Maxime Ouellet stopped 31 of 32 shots and Prestin Ryan scored what turned out to be the game-winner as the Moose rolled over Rochester 3-1. Saturday night in Toronto was destined to come down to the wire, with six of seven games between the Moose and Marlies this season being decided by one goal. History was correct as Wade Flaherty stopped all three Marlies' shooters in a 3-2 shootout win. Manitoba then played their final road game of the regular season at the Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, a place where the Moose had only one win in their last 13 games. After the Moose tied the game at three with under a minute remaining, the couldn't hold off the charging Bulldogs as Andrei Kostitsyn scored with just 18 seconds, handing Manitoba a 4-3 loss.
The Moose will now finish up their regular season this week with back-to-back home games against the Cleveland Barons on Thursday and Saturday.
Cleveland Barons
Thursday, April 13th - 7:30 PM
Saturday, April 15th - 7:30 PM
MTS Centre
CJOB Radio - B2 Networks
The Moose will finish up the regular season with Thursday and Saturday night home games against the Cleveland Barons. The Barons, who will move to Worchester at the end of this season, currently sit at the bottom of the North Division with a 26-46-2-3 record for 57 points in 77 games this season. The Barons' powerplay sits 23rd in the AHL with a 15.1% scoring rate. Their penalty kill has been worse sporting a 78.4% efficiency rate, good enough for last in the league. A bright spot for the Barons has been forward Josh Hennessy, who has 23 goals and 28 assists for 61 points in 77 games with Cleveland on the season.
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 Ryan Bayda appeared in all four games for the Moose this week, finishing with a goal and three assists for four points. He also ended up firing 11 shots on net and was -1 in the plus/minus category in the week. He also scored a goal in the shootout against the Marlies on April 8. Bayda now has 10 points in his last nine games. He currently ranks fourth in team-scoring despite only appearing in 57 games since signing a PTO back on November 16/05. In total, Bayda has 13 goals and 25 assists for 38 points. He has six game-winning goals which is tied for first on the Moose and is also +6. |
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