The Manitoba Moose (18-14-3-0) improved to 3-0 in the shootout on Friday night, taking down the Laval Rocket (22-12-1-2) in the skills competition by a 2-1 scoreline at Place Bell. The Moose were coming off a 6-2 defeat to the Rockford IceHogs on Tuesday at BMO Center.
Both goaltenders were solid in the first period, allowing one goal apiece, with Thomas Milic stopping 14 shots in the opening 20 minutes. The game’s first goal went Laval’s way 8:51 into the contest. Luke Tuch powered to the side of the Manitoba net. Milic made the original save, but Tuch stuck with the rebound, and banged it into the goal. Manitoba responded just 1:54 later. Dylan Anhorn ripped his first of the season past former Moose netminder Kaapo Kähkönen to tie the game 1-1. Kähkönen made six stops in the frame.
The only entries on the scoresheet were a pair of penalties for each team in the second stanza. Laval took the first two infractions, killing them both off, with the next two minors levied against the Moose, which were also shut down successfully. Milic continued his strong performance with 12 more stops in the period. Kähkönen made six saves of his own, as Laval owned a 27-13 edge on the shot clock.
Defence continued to rule the day in the third. Though both Manitoba and Laval each had their fourth chances on the power play, neither side could find twine. Milic made seven stops, and Kähkönen kicked aside 11 Moose offerings. For the third time in four games, the Moose needed overtime to decide the outcome. A tight-checking three-on-three period solved nothing, and a shootout was required. Nikita Chibrikov opened the scoring, but Sean Farrell tied it in the second round. Thomas Milic stopped Joshua Roy to start the third round, and Brad Lambert iced the game with a goal, giving the Moose a 2-1 shootout victory.
Quotable
Moose forward Jacob Julien (click for full interview)
“It was really fun. I had a great support group throughout with the guys, they helped along throughout the game, and we got through it and got the win.”
Statbook
- Jacob Julien recorded two shots on goal in his AHL debut
- Walker Duehr extended his point streak to four games (2G, 2A)
- Dylan Anhorn scored his first goal of the season
- With an assist, Kale Clague has five points (5A) in six games in January
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