Rocket down Moose, 6-5, in shootout

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The Manitoba Moose (15-18-2-1) dropped a 6-5 shootout decision to the Laval Rocket (16-17-3-3) on Military Appreciation Night at Bell MTS Place Saturday evening.  Manitoba got the scoring started 1:42 into the contest as Logan Shaw moved the puck to Brent Pedersen who out-waited Charlie Lindgren before snapping the puck up high.  The Moose held the lead until 16:14 when an unlucky bounce off a defender’s helmet ended up in the net to tie the game.  Less than two minutes later, Jansen Harkins picked the top corner on the power play to restore the Moose lead.  The Rocket struck with just 14 seconds remaining in the period on a Daniel Audette power play tally to send the game to the intermission tied 2-2.

Laval took the lead on a shorthanded goal 3:19 into the middle period.  Eric Comrie made a diving stick save on a Lukas Vejdemo breakaway, but Antoine Waked was there to put away the rebound.  The Moose pulled even 9:29 into the frame courtesy of Seth Griffith setting up Michael Spacek for a power play goal.  Manitoba grabbed the lead back when Logan Stanley ripped a shot through a crowd and to the back of the net for a 4-3 advantage after 40 minutes.

The Rocket got on the attack early in the third with Audette striking for his second of the game, 1:37 into the period, on the power play.  Just three minutes later, Nikita Jevpalovs found some room off a Laval faceoff win and whipped the puck by Comrie to put his side up 5-4.  The Moose battled back with 4:10 to go in the third as Marko Dano finished off a give-and-go with JC Lipon to tie the game and force the game past 60 minutes.  Overtime solved nothing, despite the teams combining for nine shots on goal.  Daniel Audette scored the only goal of the shootout as Laval came away with the 6-5 win.

Quick Hits

  • With two points (1G, 1A) on the night, Michael Spacek took over the Moose scoring lead at 24 points (4G, 20A) in 34 games.
  • Tucker Poolman registered an assist in his first game back in the lineup since Nov. 23.
  • Jansen Harkins had four points (2G, 2A) in two games against Laval.