Manitoba Moose mathematically eliminated from playoff contention as they lose 3-1 to Laval Rocket

The Moose came into tonight’s game with the smallest of margins as they had seven games left down 13 points meaning their tragic number was down to one.

Lineup news:

Only change was Thomas Milic, who was ECHL goalie of the month in March, got the net for the first time since February 26th.

Lines & D pairs:

AJF– Toninato –Shaw
Wagner – Suess – Lambert
Vitelli – Zhilkin– King
Liwiski – Conley – Empey

Lundmark– Salomonsson
Phillips – Coghlan
Anhorn – Bauer

Milic

Notable:

Laval came out like a rocket (ha) holding a 7-1 shot edge (they did have a power play during this sequence) but Milic was up to the task.

Penalties continued to be a theme of the opening period but on the second one of the game for the Rocket the best chance went to the Moose shorthanded but they couldn’t get it to go.

This was almost an Oscar worthy dive.

In the end Manitoba killed four penalties and Thomas Milic made 13 saves on 13 shots in the 1st period.

Moose defenceman Dylan Anhorn with a big hit at the Rocket blueline.

Manitoba kept rolling in the middle frame and eventually Dylan Coghlan scored his 11th goal of the season to open the scoring in this game with a blast giving the Moose a 1-0 lead.

That’s not something you see everyday as D pairing Isaak Phillips and Dylan Coghlan led the attack for the Moose at 4 on 4. Coghlan almost had his second of the game but Cayden Primeau made a big stop.

In just five minutes in the 3rd period the Rocket scored three times (here, here, here) to take control of the game. To that point Milic had made 25 straight saves. And then these goals came on shots 26, 27 and 28.

That’s it for the Moose as the Rocket sweep the two-game set scoring three goals in the 3rd to win it 3-1. That kills the Manitoba playoff dream as they are now 13 back of the final spot and just have six games left.

Multi-point game:

None.

Highlights:

Player media:

Coach media:

Up next:

The Moose are off today. They are back in action on Friday for a practice as they prepare for a pair of games this weekend against the Wolves.