Manitoba Moose drop first home game against Tucson in nine years as Roadrunners take it 4-3

The Moose welcomed the Roadrunners to town for the first time since the 2016-17 season. After playing earlier this season in Tucson the two teams would clash for the next couple of games in Winnipeg.

Lineup news:

Still no David Gustafsson who remains out with an injury.

Moose lineup:

JAD-Zhilkin-Fagemo
Di Giuseppe-Yager-Chibrikov
Shaw-Ford-Duehr
Yoder-Julien-Barlow

Sautner-Bauer
Freij-Phillips
Clague-Anhorn

Milic

Notable:

Tyrel Bauer fights just hit differently as he and Montana Onyebuchi (who is a Manitoban) engage in a huge tilt to start this game.

Jets prospect Alfons Freij (2024 2nd) was looking to find the far side of the net in his first game in antlers.

First goal against a Tucson team in Winnipeg in nine years as Jaret Anderson-Dolan opens the scoring this afternoon for the Moose. That’s his 10th goal of the season. Nice pass by Dylan Anhorn.

The Roadrunners owned the 2nd period outshooting the Moose 15-5 and outscoring them 2-0 which meant they took a 2-1 lead into the 2nd intermission.

But just like that Walker Duehr tied the game 2-2 early in the 3rd and perhaps as importantly for the Manitobans in the crowd won everyone free pancakes. That was his 14th of the season.

After falling behind again the home side had a good chance to tie the game as Jets prospect Brayden Yager won a board battle, fired the puck to the front of the net for fellow prospect Nikita Chibrikov but he heeled it. This would prove costly as 30 seconds later the visitors added to their lead when former Jets/Moose forward Austin Poganski found the back of the net.

The Moose almost gave up another goal just after the Roadrunners had scored. At one point they were being outshot 31-7 in periods 2 and 3. This one wasn’t called a goal on the ice and upon review that was confirmed.

While it looked like this one was over, Jaret Anderson-Dolan got his second of the game with 19.8 seconds left to make this a one goal hockey game.

Moose drop this one 4-3 to the Roadrunners in the first meeting in Winnipeg in almost nine years.

Some were curious as to why Jets prospect Alfons Freij chose to wear number 23 for the Moose. So I asked him post-game and he told me he chose it to honour his Timra teammate (and fellow Swede) Jeremy Boyce-Rotevall. He also shared a funny story about his dad watching his son’s first AHL game but having to run home from a beer league game to do so.

Multi-point game:

Jaret Anderson-Dolan 2G
Walker Duehr 1G 1A

Highlights:

Players & Coach post-game media:

Up next:

The team was scheduled to practice tomorrow but have cancelled. They will be back on the ice on Monday.