Manitoba Moose slim playoff hopes kept alive with 2-1 win over Rockford Icehogs

The Moose head into the weekend in absolutely must-win territory as they came into the game with the Icehogs trailing them by 13 points with just nine games to go so if they are to have any chance at the post-season, no matter how remote, they need clean wins in both games this weekend. That’s gonna be a tall task as this team hasn’t swept a two-game set since mid January.

Lineup news:

Colson Gengenbach returned to the lineup and the lines were jumbled a bit.

Lines & D pairs:

Wagner– Toninato –Shaw
JAD – Suess – Zhilkin
Gengenbach – King – Lambert
Vitelli – Conley–Empey

Sautner– Salomonsson
Phillips – Coghlan
Lundmark – Bauer

Driedger

Notable:

Moose needed a clean win tonight in Rockford and Dylan Coghlan’s 10th of the season (in just his 28th game) tied things up 1-1 in the 1st.

Jets prospects contributed on Moose power play for what turned out to be the game-winning goal. Danny Zhilkin (2022 3rd) with a rocket of a shot with assists to Elias Salomonsson (2022 2nd) and Brad Lambert (2022 1st). Honourable mention to CJ Suess (2014 5th) for the screen.

Winnipegger Chris Driedger made 18 saves on 19 shots to pick up his first Moose win.

With the win the Moose are now 11 points back of the Icehogs with nine games to go. Lots of pressure on Manitoba to win tomorrow.

Multi-point game:

None

Highlights:

Player media:

Up next:

The Moose have a re-match with the Icehogs in Rockford on Saturday night. Puck drop is at 7 PM CDT.