WINNIPEG, MANIOTOBA – Well if the AHL playoffs started today it would appear that the Manitoba Moose would take on the Toronto Marlies in the first round of the playoffs. These two teams have met seven times this season with one more competition set to go in Toronto on April 3rd at Ricoh Coliseum.
The series would be a great one that would more than likely go the distance and here are a few reasons why.
The Manitoba Moose so far, are leading the season series four games to three and have outscored the Marlies 18-14, a margin of only four goals in this league means nothing.
The Moose have a few things that work in their favour like the fact that when they beat the Marlies it is by a large margin 4-1, 5-2, 3-1 and 1-0. The losses at the hands of the Marlies are all close ones 1-2, 3-5, and 1-3. If it was based on this stat alone the series would swing in the Moose favour, however when you are doing a story such as this, a big stat that comes into play is of course a club’s special teams play.
Here are some interesting facts. When examining the overall stats for the Moose and Toronto for their power play this season, the Moose are ranked 27th in the AHL on the power play out of a 30-team league. They have been on the power play a total of 337 times and only have 46 goals for, but have 3 shorthanded goals against for a scoring percentage of 13.6% on the power play, a bleak statistic heading to the post season.
The Marlies have not fared well either when they have been on the power play being ranked 26th in the AHL and have been on the power play 324 times with only 47 goals to their credit but have 14 shorthanded goals against for a percentage of 14.5% on the power play.
The penalty kill on the other hand is where both the Marlies and Moose have excelled, ranked 1, 2 respectively they both have great numbers. Toronto has been short handed 306 times and has a respectable 86.9% percent on the PK while the Moose have been shorthanded 299 times and have an 85.6% penalty kill stat.
When it comes to the Moose and Marlies playing against each other the power play will mean little but the penalty kill will be number one for both teams, special-teams are going to be the ticket.
With the top four teams in the North Division within 4 points of each other, anything can happen between now and the final playoff positioning, but any Manitoba fan would hope for Moose – Marlies battle in round one.
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