Intyre-ly Drew

Congratulations to Drew MacIntyre for being voted into the AHL All-Star game's Canadian squad! The All Star game is on January 27th and should be broadcast on Sportsnet, for those interested.

In other news, Nathan McIver has been recalled to the Vancouver Canucks as defenseman Mattias Ohlund is suffering from post-concussion syndrome issues and isn't expected back in the near future. Congratulations to McIver for earning the call-up, bottom pairing defensemen Lukas Krajicek and Mike Weaver will have to be stepping up their game if they don't want to see Nathan McIver. Here's hoping Alain Vigenault gives McIver a chance!

The Moose are set to square off against a rare mid-morning match-up later today against the Houston Aeros. Thus far this season, the Moose have had little luck with Texas teams, with the Aeros having come out on top in their 2 previous meetings this season.

For those wondering why this game is so bloody early in the morning, it's because the Aeros are having a special schoolchildren game for kids. Apparently it's an annual event, having run for 5 years in a row now. Nice to see that hockey is making such huge inroads into the American public school system. Cough.

I'm Not Dead, Honest!

Just feeling like it!

Apologies for no write-up on Saturday's game. A personal emergency wound up with me missing the last period and overtime of the World Juniors final as well as the Moose game. However, Corey Schneider has continued to impress, as he has now drawn even with 7 wins and 7 losses on the season. His GAA and save percentage continues to improve as well, which is encouraging.

A quick news update for those of you looking for some goods on the Moose:

- Aaron Slattengren has been released by the Moose. Personally, I'm happy to see him go, as he wasn't fitting in with the Moose and didn't really look all that comfortable playing in the AHL. I wish him the best and hope he'll be able to turn things around down the road, but it just wasn't happening right now with the Moose. Of note is that Milan Gajic continues to stick with the club, as well as Matt Millanson and Chris Blight. Press Release detailing Slattengren's release, for those who want the goods.

- Unfortunately, my emergency also led to me missing the first broadcast of Moose Rinkside this past Saturday. Sounds like it's got a good mix of fluff and analysis: there was an interview with Scott Arniel, a feature on Simek and Grabner and a 'round table' discussion with Tim Campbell, Brian Munz and Gary Lawless. I'll try to catch this week's episode and get a recap this Saturday.

- Small piece talking about Naslund and Jaffray, who will be playing together tonight when the Canucks take on the New York Islanders. The captain of the Vancouver Canucks is happy for the opportunity.

- Ken Wiebe has a talk with Corey Schneider.

- Scott Arniel decides to reward the team for their effort last week. Also, a minor update on Hansen, who is still suffering from concussion problems.

Moran and Hansen expected back for Friday

The Winnipeg Free Press is reporting that Brad Moran and Jannick Hansen should be back in the Moose's lineup for Friday's game against the Rochester Americans. Hansen and Moran have both missed 5 of the last 6 games with concussions, but are presenting no more symptoms. Hooray for good news!

There is also a story on Milan Gajic and the Moose's pair of wins against the Lake Erie Monsters earlier this week.

As well, Joe Balej has been nominated the latest Moose to be a part of the Ask-A-Moose segment on the Manitoba Moose's website. Folks can submit their questions until January 16th and he'll answer them. If you're interested in participating, send your questions to askamoose@moosehockey.com or go here.

A Look At The Moose Thus Far (Repost)

(This is simply a repost, but is grouped together with the rest of the Moose Review to make it easier to navigate.)

As promised, I am going to do a quick rundown of the Manitoba Moose thus far this season. I figure now would be a good time to do it, as we're standing on the cusp of a new year and I probably won't have a chance to update things once the Moose have hit the 40 game mark in their season, so, make due with what we've got. First up are the goalies and defensemen. I will do a write-up on the forwards either later today or on New Year's Day.

Goaltenders

Drew MacIntyre - Head coach Scott Arniel stated at the start of the season that D-Mac was going to be his man, despite having 2 very good goaltenders on his team's roster and thus far the 24 year old has been playing quite well, posting a 12-7-1 record. D-Mac is an athletic goaltender who is able to move across the crease quite well and is great at making athletic, Dominik Hasek-esque saves, stacking the pads,sprawling across the net, etc. No complaints from him thus far, really, although he could stand to work on his rebound control a bit, as he's given up some juicy ones to the opposition. If he continues to play well, I would not mind him getting a chance to audition for the back-up job next season for the Vancouver Canucks, assuming current netminder Curtis Sanford hasn't moved on.

Corey Schneider - The Marblehead, Mass. native had a rocky start to his pro career, although he seems to have picked things up recently, leading the Moose to 2 consecutive victories where he allowed only 1 goal in each contest. One of those games, a shootout victory over the Lake Erie Monsters, showcased just how skilled this particular young netminder is, as he came up incredibly strong in the shootout, showing a confidence and poise that is not always seen in this latest rules addition to professional hockey. Schneider did miss 1 game earlier in the season due to a personal emergency and this, tempered with other folks' worry that his poor start might be affecting his confidence or mental game, has raised questions about his mental resilience, but Schneider has remained focused and hasn't let bad games affect him too much. Also of note is that Canucks goaltending coach Ian Clarke has gone down twice now to spend some time with both him and MacIntyre, with the visits seemingly having had some effect on both of them.

As Schneider's play has continued to impress, so has his skillset. Recently, he's been caught wandering out of his crease and playing the puck behind the net, making some smart passes to his players, something which wasn't seen in his earlier starts. All of this seems to be pointing to signs that his confidence is building and he's getting acclimatized to professional hockey. Encouraging signs, to say the least.

If he continues to perform as well as he has been recently, Scott Arniel might just have himself a goaltending 'controversy' on his hands...certainly not a problem when both of your goalies are playing extremely well.

Defensemen

Luc Bourdon - Bourdon, the Canucks first round selection in the 2005 entry draft, had a great start to his first year with the Manitoba Moose, notching 3 goals and 5 assists in 10 games played. That was good enough to earn a call-up to the Vancouver Canucks where he notched his first NHL goal while there, but has been lacking since coming back down, becoming a minus player and recording 0 points in 12 games.

A skilled player, Bourdon had established himself as a physical player with a hard shot, although that has been missing as of late for the New Brunswick native. My first theory regarding this was that Bourdon simply needed to get readjusted to having a bigger role, after playing a more cautious, conservative game with the Canucks, although I'm wondering now if there is something else afoot with him. That said, there are very few players who aren't immune to the odd slump, so I'm willing to give Bourdon a passing grade thus far, as his game last night against the Crunch showed that he might be returning back to his old ways. Whatever happens, he needs to pick it up and get things going soon.

Nathan McIver - McIver ended up being the pleasant surprise for the Canucks organization, as he had a particularly strong training camp and pre-season stint with Vancouver and has translated that into what has been, thus far, a successful season with the Moose down in the AHL. A defensive stalwart, McIver has shown great skill at using his stick to block shots and clog up shooting lanes, as well as being a tenacious checker, poking pucks away and keeping them clear. He's also a very passionate individual, not being shy to drop the mitts and gets his hands dirty if need be. No real complaints from #8. He's not a flashy player, but for the type of game that he plays, he doesn't have to be.

Zack FitzGerald - Seen as additional muscle for the Moose, FitzGerald was a former St. Louis Blues player who has signed on to play his first season with Manitoba. Although he had a slow start, taking some rather bad penalties and making poor decisions with the puck, FitzGerald has slowly found his stride and is relishing his role as team enforcer, with forward Mike Brown serving time in Vancouver. FitzGerald has been throwing some big hits and has been contributing to the scoresheet as well, something which isn't really expected with the defensive defenseman. Given some more time with the Moose organization, FitzGerald could earn himself a call-up role with the Canucks, although given the current embarrassment of riches with the Nucks blueline, that could be a bit of a ways down the road.

Shaun Heshka - A free agent signing by the Vancouver Canucks, Heshka went undrafted and is quietly having a decent season, having amassed 10 points in 30 games played thus far. A good thing, considering that Heshka made his debut with the Moose last season after having been involved in a rather serious car accident. Heshka has drifted in and out of the lineup as a result of injury, but the 22 year old has been doing the little things right, which have reflected with his point totals, as well as being a healthy +6 on a presently struggling Moose squad. He hasn't been playing lights out amazing, but Heshka has been playing improved hockey over last season. Heshka gets my early vote for 'Most Surprising Player Of The Year' as I think he will have a fantastic second half to his season.

Maxime Fortunus - The Quebec native has missed 21 games due to an 'abdominal injury' and as such, hasn't had a lot of time to make his presence known with the Moose, although he did make a good impression on Canucks defensive coach Rick Bowness. As a result of the Vancouver Canucks suffering a glut of injuries at the start of the season, including a number of injuries to their blueline, the Fortunus ended up playing in 2 pre-season games for the Canucks, supposedly leaving a good impression on the coaching staff. Back down in Winnipeg, Fortunus was paired up with Bourdon and they were an impressive tandem on the Moose's backend, with Fortunus allowing Bourdon to roam more out on the ice while he held the fort. Again, Fortunus is not much of a flashy player, but he does his job quietly and without fanfare. His absence in the Moose's lineup has, in part, contributed to their recent struggles, as it's hindered the blueline's ability to jump up into plays, much to the chagrin of Bourdon and Heshka.

Injuries have limited Fortunus' play, so it will be interesting to see what he will be able to do in the second half of the season. Moose coach Scott Arniel believes that Fortunus greatly aided in Alexander Edler's development last season, so here's hoping that the talented blueliner will be of help to his defensive partner, Luc Bourdon. Moreso, here's hoping that this relationship is reciprocal and that Fortunus will be able to make some impressive strides in his own professional development.

Jimmy Sharrow - Some people have called Luc Bourdon the next Ed Jovanovski of the Vancouver Canucks. Jimmy Sharrow would beg to differ. Being a quicker, bigger version of Groulx (see below), Sharrow is another offensive d-man who has good offensive instincts and has been able to contribute for the Moose, much like the JovoCop of old. That said, Sharrow also has a tendency to miss his defensive coverage and to make mistakes out on the ice, resulting in penalties. If he could temper his game a bit so that he can stay a bit focused and make sure the player he's supposed to be covering is covered, he should be doing alright. Less bad penalties would be great, but we can't have everything. Sharrow has also fought to stay in the lineup, being a healthy scratch some nights.

Danny Groulx - Fresh off of winning the Calder Cup with the Hamilton Bulldogs, Groulx signed with the Manitoba Moose for the 2007-08 season, Groulx has had a hard time earning a permanent slot in the lineup, having only played 25 games thus far. While Groulx does have 11 points in 25 games, he also is a minus player and hasn't been giving a consistent effort night in and night out. He's been great on the powerplay, which isn't unsurprising, as he's been touted as a powerplay specialist. That said, he hasn't impressed me a whole lot and needs to be making better use of his icetime out there.

Daniel Rahimi - Rahimi hasn't seen much time in a Moose sweater, spending the first few games of the season as a healthy scratch before being re-assigned to the Victoria Salmon Kings, but he has been able to notch 8 games wearing the Antlers. While he isn't the fastest skater out there on the ice, he does have the ability to compensate that by being able to read plays well and positioning himself correctly. Rahimi's greatest asset, his strength, has been put to good use, as was able to outmuscle opponents and snag the puck for himself repeatedly. Skating does remain an issue for him, and if he could improve on that front, he very well could be in a Moose jersey on a regular basis next season.

The Somewhat Delayed Mid-Season Moose Review

Alright, again, I have to apologize for the delay on posting this, but I've been somewhat busy lately with other projects.

Jozef Balej - If ever there were someone you could term to be a tough luck individual, Joe Balej would probably be your man. Balej suffered a serious setback in his professional career, rupturing his kidney after a freak accident the last time he had played for the Moose, back in 05/06. The next season, Balej had opted to sign with Fribourg-Gotteron of the Swiss-A League, citing personal reasons. Canucks management were happy to oblige Balej and he had come into 07/08 with the intention of making some big strides in his development. Unfortunately, Balej suffered yet another freak accident, tearing his ACL in a game against the Rockford Ice Hogs. Determined not to suffer another setback, Balej attempted to come back three weeks later, playing in 2 games. Frustratingly, Balej was not confident with his play and opted to go for surgery now, aiming for a return sometime around the playoffs.

For the Moose, the loss of Balej, who comprised the top scoring line alongside Jaffray and Moran, was, by itself, not a huge blow. However, with the subsequent injuries and callups that have plagued the Moose, his presence is sorely missed. A deceptively strong player, Balej was guy who was hard to knock off of the puck and had some good chemistry going with Jaffray and Moran, doing a great job of cycling and controlling the puck in the offensive zone. I enjoyed his play out there and is a hard working, determined individual, recording 13 points in 16 games with the Moose, 4 of which were goals. Not much more can be said about him, unfortunately, so here is hoping for a speedy recovery for the young Slovakian.

Rypien, moments before tearing his right ACL, breaking his arm and suffering a neck fracture (just kidding, we love ya, Rick!)

Rick Rypien - Rick the 'Rypper', as he's been affectionately called by Vancouver Canucks fans, has also had a rocky start to his pro career. Plagued with injuries, Rypien has struggled to stay healthy with a variety of different maladies and has allowed for other Canucks prospects to have a shot at making the roster. Rypien himself was penciled into Alain Vigenault's opening night roster for the Vancouver Canucks, but his time on the IR has limited that. While only playing 11 games thus far for the Moose, Rypien has been willing to drop the gloves and engage in fisticuffs as necessary and has done an admirable job on special teams for the Moose. His play on the PK, in particular, has been the more noticeable of the two. Rypien is a sparkplug player who needs to stay healthy, otherwise he might have a hard time getting re-signed when his contract is up.

Mike Keane - The Captain of the Moose, Mike Keane has been doing just about everything asked of him and has looked pretty damn good while doing it. The 40 year old veteran certainly looks 40 years young out on the ice and has done a great job of redefining the term 'leading by example.' Score some timely goals? Check. Drop the mitts and absolutely pummel someone half your age? Check. Kill penalties? Check. Powerplay? Check. Really, there is nothing bad to say about Mike Keane: he's playing with the Moose because he loves doing it and he brings his A game EVERY shift. Any team would love to have a guy like Keane on their roster and the Moose are incredibly lucky to have this man as their captain, mentoring some of their younger players. Honestly, there's not much I can say about him that's bad. One of the most dependable and consistent players for the Moose.

Jannik Hansen - Continuing with Dave Nonis' personal quest to draft a player from every single European country is Jannik Hansen, the only Danish born player that wears a Moose uniform. Hansen surprised a number of Canucks fans last season when serving as a call-up in round 2 of Stanley Cup playoffs against the eventual Cup champion Anaheim Ducks. Another player who was slotted into Alain Vigenault's opening night roster, Hansen suffered a broken thumb that kept him out of the lineup and saw him making his 07/08 season debut in a Moose uniform. Hansen did spend a 5 game stint with the Canucks, where he recorded no points and was then subsequently re-assigned to Manitoba. While there are some fans who have been disappointed with Hansen's lack of production on the score sheet and, as a result, starting to sour on him, I've been quite impressed with Hansen's defensive play and his passing abilities. Hansen makes smart decisions out there on the ice, both with and without the puck, and is a tenacious checker, making good use of his lumber out there on the ice. I feel that many folks might be overrating his prowess, at least offensively, and are ignoring the other traits that he possesses. He's missed a couple of games now with a concussion, but should be back soon. That said, he could stand to pick up his offensive game a tad, as he does have experience in the AHL and has shown the ability to bulge the twine at that level of play. I would say Hansen is arguably the most disappointing player thus far, although part of that is as a result of injuries he has sustained. Hopefully he'll be able to turn things around in the latter half of the season.

Alexandre Bolduc - Another former St. Louis player, Bolduc has struggled to make a name for himself at the AHL level, although this season has seen him putting up his best numbers yet after spending the past 2 seasons bouncing between the ECHL and the AHL. Bolduc hasn't really done much of anything to stand out for me and has really been fitting into the Greg Classen slot, as a player who doesn't really stand out and isn't really noticeable...which means you know that he's doing his job. I'd say the ship has sailed for Bolduc to make any kind of splash, but we'll see.

Greg Classen - The 30 year old Greg Classen has been doing a decent job on the Moose's grinding lines, playing alongside guys like Mike Keane and Mike Brown, chipping in offense where he can. Coming off of hernia surgery in the off-season, Classen was determined to make a good impression in training camp with the Canucks, although it seems now that Classen's window has closed for him and there really hasn't been anything of note that might warrant taking a closer look at him. Very bland player who does not stand out at all, really. Recently, he has been playing on a line with Milan Gajic and Michael Grabner, and have looked quite good out there as a line, although Classen really hasn't been contributing much himself on that line. Not much else to be said about him.

Brad Moran - Currently injured, Brad Moran started the season as part of the Moose's top line alongside Jaffray and Balej, although is currently spending time on the IR. As part of the top line, he clicked quite well with Jaffray and Balej, who worked well together in the offensive zone protecting and cycling the puck. Moran was the Moose's point leader up until last Saturday, when Colby Genoway overtook him. Brad did have a cup of coffee with the Canucks last season, in a three game stint alongside former Moose player Brandon Reid, although his performance was underwhelming.

Ryan Shannon - Accquired in a trade with the Anaheim Ducks, with forward Jason King going the other way, the speedy Ryan Shannon has been regarded by some as being the second coming of Brandon Reid. However, that would do a disservice to the dimunitive forward, as his point totals throughout his junior career were much higher and far more consistent than Reid, who has gone overseas to play in Germany. Shannon himself did distinguish himself at training camp, earning a
roster spot, but soon played himself off the roster, going a -7 in 3 games played. He did, however, score 2 goals for his efforts. A knee injury has kept him sidelined now and, after coming back and playing for 2 games, he had re-injured it. From what I was able to observe of him, though, Shannon did have problems holding onto the puck and was a liability at times in his own end. However, the sample size is too small to form any sort of definitive conclusions about him, so I will continue to remain optimistic about him until his play gives me reasons to believe otherwise.

Juraj Simek - The Swiss-Slovakian dual national, has been confounding for me. The former Brandon Wheat King has recorded only 9 points in 26 games and is presently a -2. Before the injury bug came along, Simek was alternating being a healthy scratch with Pierre Cedric Labrie but is now playing fulltime. His spotty defensive play has been cause for concern and I've seen him taking shifts off, particularly when action is in his own end. This is strange when you take into consideration that Simek has been described as someone who is hard working and isn't afraid of 'mucking it up.' However, within the last 3 or 4 games Simek has started to pick it up and I've been starting to notice him more and more. That said, I haven't been wildly taken by this youngster, as a
number of other fans who follow this Canucks prospect have. Here's hoping he can turn it around in 2008.

Colby Genoway - Colby Genoway has probably been the most pleasant surprise for the Moose thus far this season, Genoway was an undrafted player who was picked up by the Anaheim Ducks and then subsequently traded to the Canucks in return for defenseman Joe Rullier. Although doing quite well in his inaugral first season in the AHL, notching 61 points in 77 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack, Genoway slumped a bit in his sophmore season but looked to be picking things back up this season. Genoway has been a chameleon for the Moose, performing well on just about any line he's been placed with: before injuries took their toll on the Moose, he was regulated to second line duty where he played alongside players like Shannon, Classen, Labrie, Raymond, Grabner and Simek and then he was elevated to the top line where he was playing with Brad Moran and Jason Jaffray before Jaffray was called up to the Canucks. Currently sidelined with an unknown injury, Genoway hasn't played much as of late for the Moose (but really, what else is new?), but should be drawing back into the lineup shortly.

Here's hoping the second half of his season will be just as productive if not more than the first half of his season (9g, 15a in 29 games.)

Pierre Cedric-Labrie is asked to stop laying the smackdown to Dale Purinton

Pierre-Cedric Labrie - Labrie, or The Cheese, as I've been calling him, is an interesting player. He got off to a decent start in his rookie season, but has cooled off as of late with his offense, having 4g and 6a in 29 games. Labrie was alternating games with Juraj Simek earlier on in the season, so it may have been hard to get his head into the game and stay focused. His offense has trailed off, as mentioned, but he has started to make himself useful regardless by making use of his size and being unafraid to drop the gloves, something that is encouraging to see, as he was really reminding me of Taylor Pyatt in terms of his skating and lack of physicality. I'm liking what I'm seeing from him thus far, although I would like to see an improvement in offensive contribution from him to really send me around the bend in regards to him, considering he was close to a PPG in his one full season in the QMJHL. If he continues to improve, I could see him stepping in and replacing Brad Isbister next season, although with a higher ceiling perhaps. If he could find his scoring touch in the AHL, he could be a legitimate threat for the Moose. As it stands, I like the attitude and work ethic that's been exhibited by Labrie thus far.

Milan Gajic - Although he's a relative newcomer to the Manitoba Moose, Milan Gajic isn't unfamiliar with donning the Antlers and playing under Scott Arniel: the Victoria Salmon Kings player did get to see some pre-season action with the Moose, scoring a couple of goals for his efforts. Unfortunately, due to the number of forwards that were a part of the Moose this season, there really wasn't much of a slot for him. Injuries have now provided another opportunity for him and he's been enjoying success with Michael Grabner and Greg Classen, recording 8 points in 12 games. His skating is somewhat suspect and it's questionable if he'll be able to make the transition to the NHL, but as of right now, Gajic is doing a great job at making himself useful and compensating for his somewhat lackluster skating ability.

Michael Grabner - Although his training camp started off on a bad note, with some reports filtering out that he was giving forth a 'lazy' effort, Michael Grabner has done quite a bit to silence his critics since then. Presently the Moose's leading scorer, having overtaken Jason Jaffray for the lead with 11 goals, Grabner has really started to come on as of late for the Moose, playing well and improving all over the rink. Head coach Scott Arniel has praised Grabner's development, particularly his defensive play, which he believes has taken great strides since the start of the season. I would tend to agree with that sentiment, as Grabner looked a little out of place early on in the season, floating near the blueline and missing passes that were meant for him. As well, he had a good start offensively but started to taper off before flaring back up again. Grabner is currently enjoying a 4 game goal scoring streak and is starting to display previously unheralded play making abilities, as he has as many goals as he does assists. This might be the result of playing on a poor
Spokane team last season or the next step in his development, either way, it's enjoyable to see. He also has been playing rather well with Milan Gajic, a somewhat new arrival to the Moose and his shot, when he gets it off, is bloody fast. Great to see from him.

Jason Jaffray - Jaffray, who signed with the Vancouver Canucks over the summer, despite receiving several offers from other NHL teams, was going into the Canucks training camp competing with other forwards for a shot at the one of a couple of roster slots that were available. Although he didn't have a bad training camp, per se, he didn't have a camp where he really distinguished himself. After a meeting with Alain Vigenault and a talk with Scott Arniel, Jaffray was told to focus on being a 'grittier' player. Jaffray took those words to heart, as he stepped up his game, showed a willingness to drop the gloves and, in one memorable tilt, broke Kendall McArdle's jaw. Playing on the top line alongside Moran and Joe Balej, Jaffray was also showing a tendency to put the puck in the net. All of this attracted the attention of Canucks management, as his solid play earned him his first chance at playing in the NHL. With the Canucks, Jaffray has shown that he's able to hang in the big league, notching a 2 point night in his NHL debut and has experienced some bad luck with scoring, such as a waved off goal against the Dallas Stars. That said, Jaffray has been doing an admirable job of stepping up, showing himself to be a competent faceoff man. For an undrafted player who has managed to make his way onto an NHL team's roster, it's hard to say that Jaffray can't be labelled a success. I wouldn't mind seeing Jaffray get a shot playing with the Sedin twins, as his cycling with Moran and Balej was a thing of beauty at times and I think that his weaker skating ability would be offset playing with the twins. If he's still struggling to find ways of putting the puck into the net, I also wouldn't mind seeing him making use of some of that 'grit' that worked well for him earlier in the season with the Moose.

Moose call-ups Jason Jaffray and Mason Raymond enjoyed immediate success with the Vancouver Canucks.

Mason Raymond - I doubt there's very few people who are NOT familiar with the speedy winger, as he's been turning heads at both the AHL and the NHL level. Having impressed the Canucks with his performance during training camp and the pre-season, Raymond made the starting roster for the Canucks back in October, although he was eventually re-assigned to the Moose. Although some players would look upon such a move as a demotion or take it the wrong way, Raymond took it all in stride, going on a tear with the Moose that culminated in a 5 point night for him, of which included a hat trick. Unsurprisingly, his play attracted the attention of Vancouver again and they came calling and Mason is now presently back with the Canucks and doing well for them, having notched 8 points in 9 games since being called up. Raymond could stand to get bulk up a bit as it is easy to knock him off of the puck due to his present size. As well, I would like to see Raymond be a little more creative with the puck, as 9 times out of 10 he will try to play the puck off the boards and force his way past a defender. Sometimes it works, other times it doesn't and the more teams play against him, the more familiar they will become with his ability.

Mike Brown - Going into this season covering the Moose for the first time and not being 100% familiar with Vancouver's drafting, I was unfamiliar with Mike Brown, but he quickly gained my attention with his play as an 'energy' player. Although his pugilist skills are a little suspect, Brown shows no fear and is willing to throw down with just about anyone. He also hits anything that moves, which is great to see, and has some decent hands, where he has tallied 1 goal with the Canucks and 3 with the Moose thus far this season. If Brown could manage to stay on his feet while he fights (far too many of his tilts ended with him literally going down swinging...) he would be a formidable fighter and a valuable asset to both the Moose and Canucks. On top of all of that, he stays HEALTHY, unlike other tough guys who have had a hard time staying 100%. I'd also like him to be a little smarter with his decision making out on the ice, as he likes to try and go for the big hit, which takes him out of the play. Still, he's a great role player and I'm happy that he got a shot at playing with the Canucks.

Quick update on mid-season review on the Moose

Apologies but this write-up is taking me longer than anticipated. I'm almost finished my write-up on the Moose forwards, with 4 more left to go. It should be posted later today.

In other news, congratulations to the Moose for winning back to back games against the Lake Erie Monsters. Grabner extends his goal streak to 4. I only caught the first two periods, as I had Internet problems and B2 was giving me grief with the feed. Schneider now has won 3 in a row and I would anticipate that he'll get one of the starts this weekend, as he's looking a lot better now, thankfully. The Moose are off until Saturday, where they will square off against the Rochester Americans for a pair of games.

Hope everyone is enjoying 2008 so far.

Recap and Preview: Lake Erie Monsters @ Manitoba Moose

The Moose wrapped up their last game of 2007 on a high note, defeating the Lake Erie Monsters 3-1. After a hellacious road trip and being savaged further by injuries, all sorts of excuses could have been made, but they weren't needed. Milan Gajic, who has been impressing me with his poise and his abilities on the ice, scored his second and third goals of his season while rookie Michael Grabner rose to 11th in the AHL rookie scoring race with his third goal in as many games. The 3G line (Grabner - Gajic - *G*reg Classen...yeah, I suck at coming up with names!) looked very strong out there, notching three goals on the man advatange, a notable feat considering that Lake Erie had been very impressive on their penalty kill until last night.

Drew MacIntyre wasn't tested much, but was strong when he needed to be. A late third period goal denied him the shutout, but looked great.

Juraj Simek continued to impress and had a great game, showing some smooth puckhandling and passing. I'd like to see him shoot the puck a little more and hopefully he'll start reaping some rewards soon. The other notable thing about Simek, last night, is that he was being very vocal towards opposing players, not really backing down when they got into his face. Always nice to see.

Luc Bourdon had 6 min of penalties last night, 2 interference calls and an unsportsmanlike penalty, but I would say that the calls made against him were bunk. I try not to criticise officiating (unless it's a Mick McGeough game...) but the two obstruction calls were rather weak ones. The first, at the end of the first period, happened to be incidental contact between Bourdon and another player, while the second was a phantom call. Frustrating for him, as Bourdon's been struggling as of late.

Tonight's game, the 1st game of 2008 for the Manitoba Moose, should be a lively one, considering that there were three fighting majors assessed last night. Wingnut Dale Purinton and Pierre Cedric Labrie seemed to have a bit of a rivalry going, although Labrie didn't seem to be too particular with who he wanted to drop the gloves with, as he squared off with Purinton twice and then capped off his night by having a dance with Chris Stewart.

Recap: Moose Lick Their Wounds And Head For Home

Well, at the beginning of this road trip, I had optimistically predicted that the Moose were going to aim high and end up snagging 5 out of a possible 6 points when they played three games in three nights against the Hamilton Bulldogs, Lake Erie Monsters and Syracuse Crunch.

They managed to emerge from their most recent road trip battered, beaten and clutching to a meager 2 points. Nostradamus, I ain't.

Unfortunately, the losses weren't the only bad news for the Moose. Forwards Jannick Hansen and Ryan Shannon wound up back on the IR after the game against Hamilton, Hansen suffering from a concussion and Shannon re-injuring his knee. Hansen is going to be out a minimum of 7-10 days, per precautionary measures for players with concussions and Shannon is out for an indeterminable amount of time.

So, time to do a quick rundown of the Crunch game. Following that, I'm going to part one of my thoughts on the Moose this season (part of the reason why this post took so long to get up) and a quick preview of tonight's game against the Lake Erie Monsters. I'll also do a Press Clippings post later today, so look for that in a subsequent post.

In a nutshell? The Moose did not have a good game against the Crunch. Special teams killed the Moose, as they were not able to get anything going on the man advantage and were smashed on the penalty kill, with Syracuse scoring early in the first period to get a 1 goal lead and then scoring a short handed goal not too long after that. The early lead led to the Moose falling down into a hole that they couldn't get out of for most of the game. While I don't like to make the excuse that it was fatigue that killed the Moose, it had to have been a factor for them, as they were doing a lot of chasing and watching out there, with the Crunch more or less toying with them all game.

Michael Grabner extended his goal scoring streak to a mighty 2 games (*cough*) and looks to finally getting some bounces going his way. The goal he scored was a beautiful one, as he turned on the jets and came from out of NOWHERE to backhand a drifting puck past goaltender Kowalski. He's been putting forth a great effort in the last month or so, but just hasn't been lucky with the puck. Goals usually come in bunches, so here's hoping he'll continue to have a strong effort with the back to back games the Moose have with Lake Erie. Also of note is that Salmon King call-up, Milan Gajic, has been performing quite well with him. As mentioned in my previous post, they seem to be developing some chemistry there and Gajic has been able to pot a couple of goals himself. Hopefully this trend will continue, as Gajic is about the only player who has been serving in relief duty for the Moose who hasn't been a complete disaster.

Which unfortunately brings me to two recent call-ups for the Moose, forwards Aaron Slattengren and Chris Blight. Neither had particularly strong games, as they were constantly giving up the puck or getting bowled over by Crunch players and didn't really look like they belong out there. I'm hoping that either Moran and Hansen will get healthy soon or these two will start getting their acts together. The other relief player for the Moose, Mathieu Melansson, had a game where he didn't stick out, for good or for ill. Here's hoping the 22 year old, who has posted 34 points in 25 games with the ECHL Florida Everblades, will do well. Hockey's Future writer, Leslie Traff, had some rather glowing praise for him, saying he should be picked up by a professional club for this season.

Here's hoping he makes the most of it with the Manitoba Moose!

Defenseman Luc Bourdon, who has been off and on with his play since coming back from a call-up with the Vancouver Canucks, had a so-so night, throwing a couple of hard hits and getting back to the physical play that forced me to pay attention to him and did a decent job of QBing the power play. Consistency is a problem here, though, with him.

On the other hand, defenseman Zack FitzGerald had a great night, playing a gritty, physical game and absolutely destroying Derek Dorsett after the Crunch player took offense to a hit from Fitzy. I'd say that this fight was probably the most entertaining fight of the year thus far, ranking right up there with Bourdon's tilt against Ference at the start of the season or Jaffray's tilt against Kendall McArdle, where Jaffray broke his jaw feeding him knuckle sandwiches.

Unfortunately, the good moments were few and far between, and despite a late third period resurgence, the Moose were unable to solve the Crunch. With the loss, the Crunch have moved to within 1 point behind the second place Moose, but it should be important to note that the Moose have 5 games in hand. Here's hoping they will be able to improve their fortunes against the Monsters and can gain some ground on the Toronto Marlies, who are ahead of the Moose by 11 points and have had a stranglehold on first place in the North Division all season thus far.

Preview & Recap: Moose vs. Bulldogs, Monsters and Crunch

Well, I am now back and settled in at my abode so updates will now be a little more frequent and informative. I wasn't able to catch Thursday's game, but I did manage to check out yesterday's win against the Lake Erie Monsters. A solid effort from the team, and they were rewarded with the duke.

That said, there is some bad news to have come out of yesterday's game. For those who haven't heard, the injured reserve for the Moose has grown by a few more, as Ryan Shannon and Jannick Hansen are both out. Shannon re-injured his knee and Hansen suffered a concussion as a result of actions in Thursday's game. Here's hoping to a speedy recovery for both of them.

Outside of that, though, the Moose looked quite good in last night's win over the Monsters. Victoria Salmon Kings player, Milan Gajic, has been playing quite well with winger Michael Grabner and look to be developing some chemistry with each other. Grabner scored a goal that I wouldn't exactly classify as a highlight reel candidate, but it was the eventual game winner and his performance out there was enough to get him the first star consideration.

Speaking of good performances, the veteran captain Mike Keane has been able to lead by example, lengthening his goal scoring streak to 2 games and has been stepping it up with his play as of late. As well, a player that I've singled out now for some time, Swiss player Juraj Simek, had a very strong game, generating some chances and having a consistent effort all the way through that night. I would say this has probably been the best game I've seen from him. Here's hoping he's going to be turning the corner here.

Nathan McIver was another stand-out in last night's game, including a nice moment where he was able to foil a short handed chance by the Monsters with a nice poke check. Out of all the blueliners, I would say McIver has been the most consistent player thus far. Great to see.

The most impressive player for me last night, though, was Corey Schneider, who was absolute nails against the Monsters. He was able to weather an early storm against the Monsters, who had a fairly strong first period and then faltered as the game went on. He wasn't really tested as the night went on, but he was very strong when he needed to be. Of note was that I saw Schneider getting out of his net and playing the puck more, which seems to indicate to me that he's gaining confidence. Really great to see and I really hope that Arniel will feel confident about giving him some more games. The lone goal that Schneider did let in was one where he had zero chance at stopping...lack of defensive zone coverage allowed a Monster defender to come in and bury his chance.

The Crunch are coming up! More to follow, post-game!

Preview: Manitoba Moose @ Hamilton Bulldogs

The Moose begin their 3 game road trip later tonight. Unfortunately, the Moose are going to be going into these match-ups light Brad Moran and Colby Genoway. Good old Gary Lawless, from the Winnipeg Free Press, has more information on this matter. Of note is that the Moose have signed centerman Aaron Slattengren to a pro tryout contract. With Gajic now pivoting the top line for the Moose, it'll be interesting set of games for this club. Shannon hasn't hit 100% out there, so I see him and Gajic competing with one another for prime ice time.

As I've stated previously, now is a prime time for the rookies on the team to start asserting themselves. Grabner, I believe, has been stepping it up and trying to find ways to put the puck in the net, but is having a hell of a time of it. The rest of the forwards really do need to do something to distinguish themselves. I also wouldn't mind having more of a focus put on the blueline and hopefully Scott Arniel will try to get the defense to contribute more offensively. With snipers like FitzGerald (*cough*) as well as gentlemen like Heshka, Bourdon, Fortunus and McIver on the backend either having the proper skillset or playing lively (as in McIver's case) it wouldn't seem to be too much to ask. The Moose are now pretty well acquainted with the Bulldogs and are going to have a hell of a time with Halak. Hopefully Drew MacIntyre won't be suffering the effects of the holiday turkey dinner and 'flavored' eggnog.

I'm sorry for the sparseness of the past couple of entries, although that's been a result of not having much actual footage to be relying upon. That trend will continue until Friday, as I'll be flying home tomorrow during the Moose game, sadly, not on Virgin Air. What I am hoping for is that Ryan Shannon and Michael Grabner will be able to distinguish themselves, while Gajic continues to do a diligent job, keeping him up from the Salmon Kings. I also believe that the Moose are going to come up smelling like roses on this road trip, with them getting at least 5 out of a possible 6 points. Lofty, I know, but I have high hopes.

In related news, former Moose forward Ryan Kesler is questionable for the Vancouver Canucks game against the Calgary Flames later tonight, so that most likely means that Mike Brown will be drawing into the lineup. This also means that Brown might be given a chance to have an increased role on the team, as Kesler has been on the penalty killing unit and has been quite an effective one. Hopefully the youngster will be able to make the most of it and run with it. As well, Jason Jaffray or Mason Raymond might be seeing more time on the powerplay, as Kesler was spending some time with the Sedins on the man advantage, in an effort by head coach Alain Vigneault to try and spark some offense. Both callups have been performing quite well, with Raymond notching 6 points in 7 games since recalled by the Canucks. Jaffray has notched only 2 points in 7 games, although he did have a beauty of a goal disallowed against Dallas and has been showing the right instincts out there. I would love to see Jaffray with the Sedins and I'm hoping he'll have a big game against Calgary tonight.

News & Notes

- Part of Lawless' article, talking about Aaron Slattengren, has been split up and can be read here.

- Tim Campbell has an interesting piece on the relationship between the Canucks and the Moose. What caught my eye on this was Nonis stating that he believes that the MTS Center is an 'NHL building.'

- Campbell also has a story on the call-up process. He also writes on the state of AHL and NHL teams and the relationships they have with one another. Interesting read, for those wanting to learn more about the A.

- The Winnipeg Sun has a nice fluff piece on Luc Bourdon. Gotta respect his work ethic and what he's done to become a professional hockey player.

Recap: Hamilton Bulldogs @ Manitoba Moose

Okay, so for the second week in a row I predicted that the Moose should have an easy time with a bottom feeder team and the Moose end up splitting the back to back games with them.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to watch most of either of the two games that were broadcast this weekend so I'll leave any sort of analyzing or discussing to those who are in the know. What I will do is recap what I did see of Saturday's game, which, admittedly, wasn't much. So,

• Against Hamilton the Moose were having problems setting up on the powerplay and gaining the zone. There were a flurry of penalties in the second period which were basically alternating between the Moose and the Bulldogs. While the PK looked decent, the PP didn't look all that great.
  
• Drew MacIntyre played both games and I'll assume he'll be starting again after the Christmas break when the Moose play the Bulldogs yet again. This shouldn't be surprising to anyone, as Arniel has repeatedly stated that D-Mac is his boy, first and foremost. I figure he'll get 2/3 starts next weekend.
• Juraj Simek continues to confound. He had a brutal giveaway that directly led to a goal for the Bulldogs and tended to disappear at times. I'm really starting to wonder what's going on with him. Granted, he is a rookie in the AHL so I'm willing to cut him some slack, but with the loss of Raymond and Jaffray, the opportunity was ripe for a player like him to step up and contribute. Strange. Then again, he might have just looked bad out there when I was watching (second half of the first and the second period) and was great the night before, but I somehow doubt it.
• Paging Pierre-Cedric Labrie, Michael Grabner, Brad Moran (didn't play on Saturday) and Luc Bourdon: Let's see some more contributions from you guys out there. It's kind of bad when you have a defensive defensemen scoring more GOALS than all of you combined. That said, Grabner has been looking very dangerous out there on the ice in the offensive zone and has been a plus player, so here's hoping that the bounces will start going his way soon. The other players mentioned? Step it up!
  
• Ryan Shannon returned to the lineup, although I wasn't too impressed with what I had seen from him. I know that he's just coming back from a bad injury and hasn't played since October 26th, but he was looking much the same out there. Hopefully he'll be able to hit his stride soon. I wouldn't mind seeing him with Gajic or Hansen and Labrie.
• Colby Genoway left during the Saturday game and didn't return.
  
• Milan Gajic is one of the few players for the Moose who has been looking consistent and is one of the few forwards who has been giving an honest effort out there when he's playing. Not 100% sure if he's going to be able to stick with the Moose, but I'd like to see him continue to stick with the club, something which I am sure fans of the Victoria Salmon Kings won't like hearing.

As for the games themselves, here are the press clippings:

- Gary Lawless had a rather scathing rundown of Friday's game. Of note is the 'highlight reel' at the bottom of the article, for those looking for a period-by-period summary.

- A recap of Saturday's game. There appears to be another article on the Winnipeg Free Press' website, but it currently leads to a story about the Blackhawks/Senators game on Saturday. Strange.

- Lawless also has a look ahead at the next few games coming up in the Moose's sked. While I think that he might be overstating just how important the next three games are, I would like to state that it's possible that the Moose's current woes have been a result of the strange scheduling they've had to deal with, particularly having incredibly long stretches in between games. It's hard to stay focused when you keep getting weeks off at a time. Perhaps the Moose just need to get back into a grueling schedule to get focused. Here's hoping.

- The Province has some Q&A with Dave Tomlinson, with a brief mention of Corey Schneider. I would really suggest folks checking it out (it's buried midways down), especially if they're concerned about Schneider and his level of play thus far. I stated I was worried about how his play at the AHL level might be affecting his confidence, but all signs seem to be pointing that he is taking everything in stride and handling it well. That is great to be hearing, if true.

- Finally, the Winnipeg Sun also has a story on Luc Bourdon and his experiences with the World Junior Championships, which start on Boxing Day.

And that about does it for this update. I apologize for the lateness on this, as it is the holiday season. Just a reminder to folks who do read this blog, I'll be flying home on the 27th so I will be missing most, if not all of the Moose-Bulldogs rematch.

Happy Holidays and remember to check out the World Juniors!

Game Preview: Hamilton Bulldogs @ Manitoba Moose

The Manitoba Moose have 2 games to go before they can settle back and relax for their holiday break as they square off against last season's Calder Cup champions, the Hamilton Bulldogs. The 'Dogs are another struggling team, currently tied for dead last in the North Division and riding a 5 game winless streak.

Meanwhile, the Moose are looking to continue their pursuit of the Toronto Marlies for the lead in the North Division and hope to have a better outing against another team that is currently struggling than they did last weekend against the Lake Erie Monsters, where they split the back to back games. Fortunately, the Moose will have help, as defenseman Maxime Fortunus and forward Ryan Shannon are both expected to be back in the lineup for tomorrow night's game.

The Moose themselves have been looking like a rather inconsistent bunch thus far this season. A number of injuries have sidelined players such as Fortunus (who has missed 14 games in the Moose's campaign thus far) and Ryan Shannon (who hasn't played a game since October 26th), but other key players to the roster have been missing. Josef Balej is done until at leas the playoffs, Jannick Hansen and Jason Jaffray have both missed time with injuries or serving as a call-up for the Vancouver Canucks along with blueliner Luc Bourdon. Nathan McIver and Shaun Heshka have also missed games, which have necessitated in bringing up players from the Victoria Salmon Kings. While the Moose's recent struggles (3 wins in the last 9 games) could be seen as understandable given the circumstances, but this is a Moose team that has been able to find ways to win when other folks thought that they were beat. This year's incarnation of the Moose is a very hard working team and is one that has seen a lot of adversity early on in their season. Put into that context, this recent stint of games is disappointing and they simply need to be better.

Tonight's starting goaltender is? I would expect that Corey Schneider will get the start tomorrow night, based on his performance last weekend in the second game, although head coach Scott Arniel might want to give Drew MacIntyre some action, as he's played 2 periods worth of hockey in 2 weeks time.

That said, if D-Mac does start tomorrow, I'd expect him to start both games to try and whip him into shape for the three game road trip that starts on the 27th and has games in three different cities (and you thought that the New Jersey Devils travel schedule was bad) before having a day off and then playing a home game on New Year's Eve. I would expect Arniel to go alternating nights for that road trip as it is a brutal schedule.

Who to keep an eye out on? As I said last week, forwards Michael Grabner and Juraj Simek are going to have to step it up while Mason Raymond and Jason Jaffray are away on assignment with the Canucks. Scoring 2 goals in 2 games is somewhat underwhelming for two forwards who are known for their ability to put the puck into the net, especially since neither of them had scored either one of those goals. The Moose need to get the offense going and they need to be getting that help from Grabner and Simek. Pierre Cedric Labrie could stand to step up his game a bit, too. I wouldn't be surprised to see Labrie have a big game tomorrow night.

Big shoes, small feet. While Ryan Shannon should be making his return to the lineup tomorrow night, I wouldn't be expecting great things from him right off the bat. He has just come back from a lengthy knee injury and may need to spend some time getting into his comfort zone where he's confident and happy with his play. While the opportunity is there for Shannon to step up and contribute is there, I would consider it as a pleasant surprise if he has a strong game and think he will have a good game if he can be a plus or even player out there.

More of the same. Luc Bourdon and Jannick Hansen looked quite impressive last weekend, with Bourdon getting back to the basics and doing things The Bourdon Way (hard-edged, physical game) while Hansen was looking great out there as a checker. They should continue with their impressive performances.

Again, I am not going to be around tomorrow night, so you'll have to make due with just a simple recap. I should be able to make Saturday's game, however!

News Round-Up

- First off, the prospects site hockeysfuture has updated the organizational rankings for NHL. The Manitoba Moose's parent club, the Vancouver Canucks, have jumped up significantly to become the #15 ranked team with their drafting and prospects. You can read the analysis here. I'm somewhat dismayed with the spurning of Jannick Hansen and Juraj Simek, as well as Genoway and Labrie, but that's the way it goes sometimes, I guess. You can read the rankings for #11-20 here

- In light of Chris Simon's recent suspension for his stomping incident with Jarkko Ruutu, Gary Lawless decided to speak with some members of the Moose and ask their opinions on the subject. Amusing picture of Zack FitzGerald in the article, though.

- Moose blueliner, Maxime Fortunus (pictured), is looking to shake off some rink rust thanks to a mysterious 'upper body injury' that has kept him sidelined for a while now. Maxime does look to be in the lineup for Friday's game against Hamilton, though.

- Also, on a personal note, I may not be able to give a full report on tomorrow's game due to family obligations. Tis the season and all that. I will have a preview up for tomorrow's tilt, though.

More News

- Winnipeg Free Press has a story on MacIntyre's time up with the Canucks. Good to see the positive attitude exhibited by this kid!

- The Free Press also has a story on Moose forward Ryan Shannon and how he is progressing with his knee injury. Shannon participated in a skate yesterday and hopes to be into the lineup Friday. Link.

News Round-Up

- More on Corey Schneider. Corey talks about the goaltending situation in Manitoba.

- Two former Moose are going to be representing Canada for the Spengler Cup.

- Jannick Hansen got a write-up in yesterday's Winnipeg Sun. Head coach Scott Arniel talks about the extra responsibility he's tasked the Danish One with and Hansen gives his thoughts on how he feels about that.

- Finally, a story that I had forgotten to post earlier, talking about a Moose visit to the Winnipeg Children's Hospital.

News Roundup

- Ben Kuzma has a short story talking about Moose forward and current Canucks call-up Mason Raymond, talking about how he seems to have gotten over the nervousness of playing in the NHL.

- More on the status of Joe Balej's knee. Balej is expected to be out a minimum of 4-6 weeks and could potentially see playoff action in April. Here's hoping!

- A quick recap of Saturday's game has an interesting quote from Schneider. As mentioned in my recap, Arniel canceled the morning skate and opted to individually meet with all of the players. Apparently a man of few words, Arniel's advice for Schneider was to the point: "stop that black thing." Schneider gave his own thoughts on his play, saying: "I think part of my problem has been that I've been overthinking things. Today, I just tried to push it all out of my mind."

Canucks Re-Assign Goaltender Drew MacIntyre

Goaltender Drew MacIntyre has been re-assigned to the Manitoba Moose. Per the Canucks press release:

"MacIntyre, 24, appeared in one game for the Canucks on December 13 at San Jose, playing for 27 minutes. He made nine saves and recorded a save percentage of .818. MacIntyre has also played in 16 games for the Moose this season, posting a record of 11-4-1 and one shutout. The Charlottetown, PEI native has a GAA of 2.28 and save percentage of .926."

Blog Comments

Blogger had a weird default setting for commenting, so folks were unable to comment.

This should be remedied now. Depending on how people are, anyone and everyone can comment. I may restrict it in the future, though.

Recap: Moose Split Weekend Series With Monsters

You could say that the Manitoba Moose were somewhat like a hockey version of Jekyll and Hyde this weekend. After an embarrassing performance Friday night against the AHL's last place ranked Lake Erie Monsters, the Moose came out with an impressive performance on all fronts. After a meeting with his players, head coach Scott Arniel elected to not have a skate and instead instructed his players to go home and mentally prepare for tonight's game.

Looks like it paid off, as instead of the monstrous Mr. Hyde of Friday night, the Moose came off instead looking more like the intelligent Dr. Jekyll Saturday night at the MTS Center, not making the mental errors and mistakes that they were committing the previous night.

After an excellent first period which saw a fight between the #8s on the ice, as Nathan McIver and Cody McLeod dropped the gloves right off the bat. Although a few punches were landed by both combatants, the fight was more of a wrestling match. From that point on, the Moose set the tone, establishing an early physical presence against the Monsters, with defenseman Luc Bourdon looking like a bull in a china shop, hitting anything with a maroon sweater. In a memorable moment, Bourdon plastered David Jones into the boards, and then followed the puck back behind the net and forced a turnover by knocking the second Monsters player over. In an interview during the first intermission, Bourdon said that he wasn't happy with the way he was playing, but was very pleased with himself in his play for the first period.

Colby Genoway scored a goal off the power play, snagging a pass that was meant for Michael Grabner and blasting it past goaltender Mike Wall. All in all, it was as close to a perfect period as you could get for the Moose.

The second frame didn't have much action, although goaltender Corey Schneider, who was limited to just 4 shots in the first period, of which only 1 was a quality scoring chance, was tested several times by Lake Erie and came up strong each time. The Moose failed to capitalize on a 43 second long 5 on 3. During this powerplay opportunity, David Jones again made his presence known, generating a short handed opportunity. Defenseman Jimmy Sharrow interfered with him enough to get a penalty shot against Schneider. Schneider was unable to make the save, however, but one of his best friends, the left post, did, allowing the Moose to retain their lead.

The second period also had a fight between two unlikely combatants. 23 year old Belarus native Vladimir Denisov squared off against 40 year old Moose captain Mike Keane in a tilt where the elder statesman absolutely destroyed his younger opponent. Said CJOB commentator Brian Muntz of the whole affair: "I wonder if Denisov knows that he just fought a three time Stanley Cup champion?" No, Muntzy, the correct question is "I wonder if Denisov knows that he just had his ass handed to him by a three time Stanley Cup champion." Great tilt from the captain!

The final stanza was a rather forgettable affair, aside from a late goal scored by Lake Erie. Johnny Boychuk was able to solve Corey Schneider with about four minutes remaining with a shot that whistled past the rookie's glove. Neither team was able to get anything done with the time remaining, so it went to overtime where the stalemate continued on, resulting in things going to a shootout.

Corey Schneider, the much beleaguered rookie netminder for the Manitoba Moose came up solid for his mates, stopping three of five shots against him, while Colby Genoway, Rick Rypien and Milan Gajic scored for Manitoba, earning the Moose their first win in three games.

Mike Wall earned the first star nomination, while Genoway and Schneider earned second and third stars respectively.

A much better game from Corey Schneider, who looked a little timid to begin the game, but settled in and was looking solid as the night went on. He was absolutely great in the shootout and didn't give the Jones much to shoot at for the penalty shot. Juraj Simek also had a fairly strong game and gave a more or less consistent effort for the time he was out there.

As well, Michael Grabner, a player who has been criticized in the past for supposedly being adverse to physical play, was mucking it up in all the dirty spots tonight and had another strong game, earning a point. No goals, unfortunately, but things have got to turn around soon for the Austrian native.

Milan Gajic didn't look out of place playing with the Moose and again looked decent on his skates.

Luc Bourdon was a pleasant surprise for myself tonight, as he had a really strong game. His hits in the first period were great, and he wasn't shying away from anyone on the Monsters, laying out hits and getting in the faces of opposing players. Did a great job of keeping the crease clear, too. Bourdon seems to play best when he's got a chip on his shoulder, so it was great to see.

The Moose will wrap things up with 2 more games before the holiday break, as they get to do the same thing all over again next weekend with the Hamilton Bulldogs, who were victim to a shellacking against the Syracruse Crunch, losing 9-2. Gotta wonder if they're missing Carey Price right about now.

Moose Rinkside

Great news for Winnipeg fans, and cable TV owners who have access to CityTV Winnipeg on their cable packages. The Manitoba Moose, in partnership with CityTV have announced the start of a new program, starting in January. Here it is, fresh from the press release:

"The Manitoba Moose, in partnership with Citytv, are pleased to announce the launch of a new television series called Moose Rinkside. The show will run each Saturday at 5:00 PM on Citytv beginning Saturday, January 5th for 18 episodes or the balance of the Moose season.


Moose Rinkside will focus not only on the Manitoba Moose and its players each week, but also on the American Hockey League and the game in general. The program will take the viewer inside the Moose locker room to give fans a rare look into the lives of its players not only before puck drops but after the final whistle blows. It will go between the boards by “mic’ing up” numerous individuals involved in the game, including players, coaches, and even American Hockey League referees. Each week, Head Coach Scott Arniel will talk about his team in an exclusive conversation with host Scott Brown. Arniel and assistants Brad Berry and Rick St. Croix will also hand out a tips each week in a segment called “Skills n’ Drills”. Members of Manitoba’s hockey media will also discuss the hottest topics of the day from the Moose, to the AHL, the NHL, and the game of hockey."

For those who are looking for more coverage and information on the Mantioba Moose, this sounds like an excellent thing to be keeping an eye out for!