By Tim Campbell

THERE was little doubt that any slump-stopping effort the Manitoba Moose might produce at MTS Centre would contain more grit than style.

The end of a six-game losing streak also figured to sport a change in luck because without the bad stuff, there hasn't been much since the team last won a game, Jan. 5 against lowly Rochester. And so it went, unevenly at times but right through to the finish Thursday night against the rising Syracuse Crunch as 6,370 fans witnessed the end of the slide in a 3-1 Moose win.

Now 22-18-2-1, Manitoba moved two points ahead of the Crunch in second place in the AHL's North Division.

Syracuse has played four more games.

"On our side, it was about winning battles and playing hard," Moose coach Scott Arniel said. "It was just about really mucking it out.

"That team, they've made some changes since we've last seen them and they've got some skill and some people, some forwards, and we knew if we got into a run-and-gun-game, we'd probably be on the short end.

"I thought we did a good job of protecting the middle of the ice."

Syracuse had only 19 shots on goal.

After a week of rigid and intense practice since Loss No. 6, the Moose did one thing better than they've been doing for weeks -- they made fewer critical mistakes and such a reduction did much to take the pressure off starting goalie Drew MacIntyre.

Even the game's first goal by the Crunch wasn't a major setback, because Jason Jaffray -- barely off the plane from Vancouver -- tipped in a Jimmy Sharrow shot to make things even 58 seconds later.

"I jumped at the chance to come back," Jaffray said.

"We're in a funk here and it was a chance to help my team out. I've been here for three years and my heart is with the Moose. We needed something to break and I'm glad I was able to score and help out."

The Moose also got some needed production from younger players.

Speedy rookie Michael Grabner, fighting off a hooking and holding Crunch forward Adam Pineault, scored the eventual winner early in the second and Alexandre Bolduc added some third-period insurance.

The mark of this Moose effort was coming away with more pucks from one-on-one battles than in recent weeks.

"It's something we've been emphasizing all week," Arniel said. "You've probably heard me barking about it. Winning those battles, that's exactly what happens when we're a good hockey club. We got our noses dirty, we got to pucks first and we came out with quite a few.

"You're going to have to battle against teams like this; sometimes you're going to get smacked in the nose but it's a case of paying the price to go to the tough areas."

The teams meet again tonight at MTS Centre, their fourth and final encounter of the regular season.

NOTES: Moose forwards Jannik Hansen (concussion) and Ryan Shannon (knee) skated a full workout Thursday morning. Shannon inches closer to a return to the lineup, likely in a week or two, while this was Hansen's first attempt on the ice since several setbacks... Injured Moose defenceman Danny Groulx (ribs) remains inactive... After tonight's game, the Moose -- with the exception of goalie Drew MacIntyre -- are off until next Wednesday due to the league's all-star game.

Highlight reel

Manitoba 3 Syracuse 1

Manitoba 3 / Syracuse 1

FIRST PERIOD

Joakim Lindstrom wires a power-play slapper by Moose goalie Drew MacIntyre but the lead doesn't last the frame. Jason Jaffray tips a Jimmy Sharrow blast on a Manitoba extra-man situation for the equalizer.

Manitoba 1 / Syracuse 1

SECOND PERIOD

Michael Grabner makes a tidy individual play fighting off a Crunch defender and then flipping the puck over goalie Adam Munro to give the home side their first lead of the night.

Manitoba 2 / Syracuse 1

THIRD PERIOD

Alex Bolduc caps a strong night with a wrist shot from the slot that beats Munro. The Crunch netminder has little chance on the play as Moose captain Mike Keane bowls him over just prior to the shot.

Manitoba 3 / Syracuse 1

Welcome back

Sniper Jason Jaffray and defenceman Nathan McIver were returned to the Moose early Thursday morning and both were in the lineup last night. The duo have been making the commute to the Coast and back a lot lately.

Fitting tribute

The Moose put together a video to honour the late broadcaster Don Wittman and played it prior to Thursday's opening faceoff. Wittman passed away last week after a battle with cancer. Visual media producer Steve Godkin did a nice job on the video. Godkin is a talent and responsible for most of the excellent video work seen on the scoreboard prior to and during games.

Take a back seat

ESPN analyst Barry Melrose is credited with keeping the mullet alive but Columbus Blue Jackets scout and infamous hockey man Bob Strumm wears the best hockey hair in the business. Strummer, as he's known anywhere there is frozen ice and rubber in the same building, was at MTS Centre on Thursday sporting a luxurious silver mane with lots of flow at the nape of his neck. Safe to say he's had the same style since the '70s and will for some time to come.

The dark ages, again

After being treated to the two-referee system in both of last weekend's games, it was back to one referee last night and all the difficulties that come with this antiquated style of officiating. Francis Charron did an OK job but still fell well short of what is acceptable in today's game.

Next

Syracuse Crunch at Manitoba, MTS Centre, tonight, 7:30 p.m. (CJOB).

-- Lawless