Fast Facts: Moose at Abbotsford – Dec. 15

The Manitoba Moose (6-15-0-1) conclude their four-game Western Canada road swing tonight (6 p.m. CT) with a rematch against the Abbotsford Canucks (13-10-0-1). Manitoba dropped a 3-0 decision to the Canucks last night. Nikita Tolopilo stopped 15 shots on the way to his second shutout of the season. Linus Karlsson scored twice for Abbotsford to put the score out of reach. Coverage of tonight's clash begins at 5:45 p.m. CT on cjob.com/sports, the Winnipeg Jets App and AHLTV on FloHockey. Puck drop is just after 6 p.m. CT on 680 CJOB.

Versatile

With C.J. Suess lining up at right wing and Ben King slotting in on left wing last night, both players have now started at least one game at all three forward positions. The pair join Jaret Anderson-Dolan and Kevin Conley as the only forwards to skate at all three positions. While just four Moose forwards have played at all three spots, nine forward have played in two positions so far this season. Meanwhile, defencemen Dawson Barteaux, Simon Lundmark and Dmitry Kuzmin have played both sides. Simon Lundmark has the most even split, playing nine games on the left side and has 10 outings on the right.

Limited Assistance

Of Manitoba’s 52 goals scored this season, 17 of those tallies have come with one or no assists logged on the scoresheet. Those goals account for 32.7 percent of the antlered ones’ offensive output this season. Previously, the Moose tallied 53 goals with less than two assists in 2023-24, 64 in 2022-23 and 50 in 2021-22. Breaking it down by percentage shows the current season’s 32.7 percent pace significantly higher than the previous seasons of 23.6 (23-24), 28.2 (22-23) and 22.2 (21-22) percent. Dominic Toninato leads the 2024-25 Moose with three of his six goals scored with just one assist, and both of Kevin Conley’s goals this season have come with one or no assist. Meanwhile, Axel Jonsson-Fjällby has provided the lone assist on four Moose goals this season.

Keeping Them In It

Kaapo Kähkönen made 34 saves in Saturday night’s action against the Canucks, picking up a new season-high in saves. This marks the Finnish netminder’s third 30+ save performance this season, and second as a member of the Moose, having most recently registering 30 saves against the Chicago Wolves on Nov. 21. He previously recorded a career-high of 49 saves as a member of the Iowa Wild in a matchup against the Ontario Reign on March 2/19. Kähkönen becomes the third Moose goaltender to have recorded multiple 30+ save outings this season, joining Thomas Milic and Domenic DiVincentiis.

Sunday Drive

The Moose come into today’s action with a 2-2-0-0 record on Sundays this season. Manitoba is 1-1-0-0 on Sunday when on the road. Brad Lambert leads the Moose with four points (1G, 3A) on Sunday, while C.J. Suess paces the team with two goals on the day. Lambert also led the team on Sunday during the 2023-24 campaign with 17 points (6G, 11A) in 15 games.

Who's Trending?

Kevin Conley recorded a season-high three shots on goal in Saturday night’s loss against Abbotsford. Conley’s career high is four shots, recorded twice in 2023-24. The Wausau, Wisc. export has two goals through 12 appearances with the club so far this season, and previously recorded six goals and sixteen points with the Iowa Wild during the 2023-24 campaign.