Cue the comeback as Moose defeat the Stars 2-1 in 12 round shootout

With the Jets on their All-Star break the Moose finally got back a number of players (seven to be precise) from the big club. Of course they were expecting to play this game both Friday night and then Saturday night but travel problems for Texas meant that today’s afternoon contest became the first game of three straight against the Stars.

Lineup news:

The Moose didn’t have Jeff Malott for the game as he deals with an injury.

Moose lineup:

I. Johnson – Meireles – Egle
Eyssimont – Maier – Reichel
Polei – Jones – Boland
Pelton-Byce – Alfaro – Caron

Chisholm – Gawanke
Heinola – Kovacevic
Oligny – Lundmark

Berdin
Holm

Noteworthy:

Tough luck for the Moose who gave up the opening goal of the game on the power play which appeared to be offside although the team doesn’t have the ability to challenge the play.

Goaltender Mikhail Berdin showed how to protect the puck (see here) from an opposition forward.

Manitoba came out flying in the 3rd holding an early 7-1 shot edge over Texas. However it would take till the midpoint of the period before defenceman Leon Gawanke would take a pass from Declan Chisholm which he fired on net and which was tipped home by Mikey Eyssimont to tie the game.

The game would go to overtime which was wild and saw both clubs have grade A chances to win. There wasn’t a single whistle in five minutes of the OT period.

The shootout was a marathon 12 rounds which from what I can tell is the longest one ever done by the Moose 2.0. It included this ballsy poke-check by Mikhail Berdin to keep the Moose alive. Here was the shootout winner by Leon Gawanke and the stop by Mikhail Berdin.

The Moose are now 14-3-0-1 this season at Canada Life.

The win improves them to 24-11-2-1 on the season.

Shootout results:

1) Haralds Egle: no goal
2) Mikey Eyssimont: goal
3) Kristian Reichel: goal
4) Ty Pelton-Byce: no goal
5) Johnny Kovacevic: no goal
6) Cole Maier: goal
7) Greg Meireles: goal
8) Ville Heinola: no goal
9) Nicholas Jones: no goal
10) Tyler Boland: no goal
11) Declan Chosholm: no goal
12) Leon Gawanke: goal

Health news:

Head coach Mark Morrison said after the game that Jeff Malott was out day-to-day with a lower-body injury and that he wouldn’t start the road trip with the team. Sounds like he could join them next weekend in Abbotsford.

Issac Johnson left the game in the 3rd period but there wasn’t an update on his status.

Players media interview:

Coach media availability:

Full 12 round shootout:

Game Highlights:

Up Next:

The Moose are traveling tomorrow to Texas to continue this three-game series with the Stars. Next game will be Tuesday night.