Game Story

The Manitoba Moose punched their ticket to the Central Division Semifinals with a 2-1 victory over the Milwaukee Admirals at Canada Life Centre on Sunday afternoon. The Moose are on to the Central Division Semifinals, where a clash with the Grand Rapids Griffins looms. See the schedule here.

Though the Admirals were the side with the two power plays, it was the Moose who boasted a 15-7 edge the shot clock through 20 minutes. Manitoba upped the pressure midway through the period, hemming Milwaukee in their own zone for an extended frame of time. Walker Duehr ripped home the game’s first goal from the slot, beating Matthew Murray over the glove to give the home side a 1-0 lead at 11:43. Murray made a handful of massive stops to stop any further damage, including a toe save to rob Colby Barlow of an otherwise sure goal. Domenic DiVincentiis made all seven stops required of him in the Moose goal.

Milwaukee spent some more time in the offensive zone in the second period, but DiVincentiis held them off the scoresheet. He robbed Isaac Ratcliffe with a huge glove save, keeping the Moose in front with a 1-0 lead. David Gustafsson made a hard-working forecheck on an innocent-looking dump-in and forced a turnover. Gustafsson found Samuel Fagemo at the top of the circles, and the Swede fired a laser past Murray, doubling Manitoba’s lead to 2-0 at 15:38.

The Admirals moved in front on the shot clock with a 15-8 edge in the third, narrowly owning a 32-30 edge in the game. Jake Lucchini gave Milwaukee life with a goal at 16:16, cutting the Manitoba lead to 2-1. DiVincentiis slammed the door the rest of the way, recording 31 saves on the night to send the Moose into the Central Division Semifinals, where they meet the Grand Rapids Griffins.

Quotable

Moose Head Coach Mark Morrison (click for full interview)
“There are veteran guys in there who have all experienced this before. I thought they were a calming influence on the younger guys, and I thought they did a great job of managing us in between periods.”

Statbook

• David Gustafsson posted three points (1G, 2A) in three games in the First Round
• 10 Moose recorded at least one point in the series
• Domenic DiVincentiis made 50 saves on 52 shots in two starts
• The Moose are 4-1 in elimination games on home ice since 2022
• This is the first time since 2009 the Moose clinched a series in Winnipeg