With three wins over Chicago and two against Texas already under their belts, the Moose were looking to earn a split of their season series (to date) with Grand Rapids. The Griffins remain the only team to defeat Manitoba this season, having handed them their lone loss when the two clubs met in Grand Rapids two weeks ago in the fourth game of the season. The AHL club of Manitoba were 5-1-0 heading into this game and sitting at or near the top of the AHL in a number of categories including goals scored, power play and penalty kill.
Just before they left on Monday we learned that they had lost Jets prospect Brayden Yager to the Jets although the next day Winnipeg placed Walker Duehr on waivers for purposes of assignment to Manitoba. He cleared on Tuesday and was assigned to the Moose.
Lineup news:
While Duehr cleared waivers he was not back in the lineup. Instead Jets prospect Fabian Wagner took Yager’s spot between Lucas Wahlin and Nikita Chibrikov. The D pairs were adjusted from last game with Dysin Mayo sitting and Lucas Gustafsson returning to the lineup. Also Ashton Sautner was paired with Isaak Phillips which meant the two Swedes in Elias Salomonsson and Alfons Friej were a duo.
Moose lineup:
Wahlin – Wagner – Chibrikov
Gregor – Zhilkin – Ford
He – Julien – Barlow
Empey – Yoder – Burnside
Sautner – Phillips
Freij – Salomonsson
Gustafsson – Thrun
DiVincentiis
Notable:
Before we get to the game, it was notable as to who was backing up in Grand Rapids tonight for the Griffins. It was former Jets prospect (2012 7th) & Moose goalie Jamie Phillips who played 27 games for Manitoba over two seasons. He last played pro during 2019-20 season. Signed a PTO today. His most memorable antlered moment came during this goalie fight in which you can hear me doing colour.
With his team trailing by a goal, Jets prospect Elias Salomonsson showing off that bite with a solid hit along the boards.
Not sure this is how the Moose drew it up, but Jets prospect Danny Zhilkin will take it. A perfect redirection by a Griffins player into his own net ties the game in the 1st and gives Zhilkin his third goal of the season.
The Moose took a 2- 1 lead as Chase Yoder deposited the rebound created by the Isaak Phillips shot. Davis Burnside also gets an apple. The Manitoba fourth line showing off some secondary scoring.
Before the 1st period would end however the Griffins evened the game on the power play.
While there was no scoring in the middle frame, Isaak Phillips activated when he saw an opening and he made a nice move for this Moose chance as he tried to break the 2-2 tie in the 2nd.
But down at the other end of the ice Jets goalie prospect Domenic DiVincentiis was making some incredible saves including this ridiculous one to keep it knotted at two.
In the third period DiVincentiis made another stop before getting some help from his teammate to keep the puck out of the net.
After the Griffins scored back-to-back goals, a shorthanded tally brought the Moose within one in the 3rd after they give up back-to-back goals to start the period. Henry Thrun ripped this shot home.
It was a battle of the AHL’s best power play (Moose) vs the best penalty kill (Griffins) and Grand Rapids was able to stymie Manitoba when it came to special teams including scoring on one of their power plays although they also gave up a shorthanded goal.
In a battle for top spot in Central (and really the AHL) the Griffins come out on top of the Moose by a final score of 4-3. Manitoba drops to 5-2-0 on the season with their only two losses being to Grand Rapids.
Multi-point game:
Danny Zhilkin 1G 1A
Highlights:
Player post-game media:
Up next:
The team will head to Iowa where they will take on the Wild in a pair of games.
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