Recap: Moose 2 vs. Abbotsford 4

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Quick Hits

• The teams combined for four goals in a 2:26 span during the first period.
• Tristen Nielsen scored twice in the game for Abbotsford.
• Axel Jonsson-Fjällby scored a pair of goals for the Moose.

Game Story

The Manitoba Moose (22-34-1-3) fell 4-2 at the hands of the Abbotsford Canucks (34-23-2-1) Friday night at Canada Life Centre. The Moose were coming off a 3-2 overtime win against Rockford on Wednesday.

It was a tight-checking contest early in the first before the floodgates opened 12 minutes into the game. The deluge began with Tristan Nielsen capitalizing on a two-on-one opportunity to open the scoring for Abbotsford. The Canucks made it 2-0 just 26 seconds later when Danila Klimovich struck on a breakaway chance. The Moose responded 1:26 after the quick strike off a long-range blast from Axel Jonsson-Fjällby, cutting the Abbotsford lead to 2-1. Manitoba nearly tied the contest seconds later, stealing the puck from netminder Nikita Tolopilo, but couldn't find the back of the net. That proved costly as the Canucks went right back the other way on another two-on-one for Nielsen to bury his second of the period for a 3-1 Abbotsford lead after 20 minutes.

The second period saw the teams settle in for a goalless frame. The Moose penalty kill was called upon to successfully turn away an Abbotsford power play opportunity. Chris Driedger held the line for Manitoba, making 13 saves in the frame. Tolopilo stopped seven Moose shots in the Abbotsford crease.

The burst of scoring back in the first was the only offence on the board until the late stages of the third period. The Moose trimmed the deficit to 3-2 courtesy of Jonsson-Fjällby's second of the game, tipping a Dylan Coghlan point shot past Tolopilo. A late penalty hampered Manitoba's ability to make a comeback, and then sealed the contest when Ty Mueller scored with a second remaining in the man-advantage for a 4-2 final score. Driedger finished the game with 22 saves while Tolopilo stopped 24 for the Canucks' sixth consecutive win.

Quotable

Moose head coach Mark Morrison (click for full interview)

"I thought we were good. We made a couple mistakes in the first period that cost us. I think we outshot and out-chanced them in the first. We were solid for the whole hockey game. We couldn't find the back of the as much as we wanted to. I thought we needed a little bit more traffic, but I thought we played a solid hockey game. "

Statbook

• Axel Jonsson-Fjällby (2G) tallied his third multi-goal game of the season.
• Jonsson-Fjallby has points in two straight games (2G, 1A).
• Dylan Coghlan (2A) recorded his fifth multi-point game of the season.
• Kevin Conley returned to the lineup for his first game since Jan. 11.

What's Next?

The Moose and Canucks clash tomorrow night for Night at the Mooseum, featuring 16 Manitoba museums on the concourse at Canada Life Centre. Puck drop is slated for 6 p.m. CT. Tickets for upcoming Moose games are available at moosehockey.com/tickets.

You can catch the game on CJOB.com, the Winnipeg Jets App or AHLTV on FloHockey.