Condors take off in 3rd period to beat the Moose 4-3

The Moose came into this game knowing they were in the playoffs for the first time since moving to Winnipeg as they clinched a spot last night when Milwaukee lost to Chicago.

Both the Moose and Condors came together before the game began for a moment of silence and anthems to honour the victims of the Humboldt Broncos bus crash.

The Moose had a new face in the lineup as Jets 2016 4th rounder Jacob Cederholm, who signed an ATO, was inserted into the game.

Based on the first 40 minutes it looked like the Moose were gonna add another W to the win column but the Condors took flight in the final frame scoring four to win it 4-3 in regulation.  Drops the Moose to 40-25-4-4 on the season and puts them in a dead tie with Grand Rapids for 2nd/3rd (.603 winning %).

Lineup                                                

1-Lemieux-Spacek-Appleton
2-De Leo-Sgarbossa-Robinson
3-MacLise-Sutter-Lipon
4-Kramer-Harkins

Schilling-Niku
Stoykewych-Cederholm
Kulevich-Nogier
Gotovets

Comrie
Hutchinson

Game notes:

The Moose had a 2-0 lead after 40 minutes and while not playing a perfect game looked to be cruising to the victory over a Condors team that had been eliminated from playoffs contention last night.  In the 3rd period a relatively harmless looking Bakersfield rush ended up with Tyler Vesel scoring his first AHL goal far side on Eric Comrie to bring the visitors within one.  About five minutes later the Moose would get the opportunity to add to their lead when Bakersfield took a penalty but instead the Condors Patrick Russell got a shorthanded goal to tie the game.  With Peter Stoykewych sitting in the penalty box the the Condors scored their third straight goal to take a 3-2 lead.  It was short lived however as rookie Sami Niku blasted home a shot to tie the game.  Initially it appeared the game would go to overtime but then the Moose were awarded a power play when Cameron Schilling was tripped with 1:08 left in the 3rd.   However it would be Patrick Russell who scored, getting his second short handed goal of the contest, a goal that Eric Comrie would like back, which gave the visitors a 4-3 lead with 59 seconds left in the 3rd.  The Moose pressed in the final minute but could not get an equalizer.

Following the game the team handed out their 2017-18 Team Awards:

Community Service: Kramer
Rookie of the Year: Appleton/Niku
Best Dman: Niku
3 Stars Award: Appleton
MVP: Cormier

And then they tossed schwag to the fans as part of the fan appreciation day.

Post-game interviews:

Jacob Cederholm

Mason Appleton

Sami Niku

Coach Vincent.

Up next:

Thursday, April 12th, 2018 at 6 pm in Cleveland against the Monsters.