Moose conclude six-game homestand with thrilling 4-3 OT win over the Eagles

The Moose came into this game having won three of five games during this six-game homestand but having lost last night 1-0 to this same red-hot Eagles team.

Moose lineup:

Chibisov-Suess-Griffith
Vesalainen-Maier-Lipon
McKenzie-Spacek-Poirier
Pedersen-Reichel-Luoto

Schilling-Gawanke
Stanley-Kovacevic
Oligny-Nogier

Berdin
Comrie

Gameplay:

An opening period similar to the one we saw last night with both teams sizing each other up, almost a bit of a chess match but with neither side getting anything too dangerous. Eagles goalie Adam Werner was playing in his third pro game in Winnipeg. After the first 20 minutes he had shutout the Moose and when you factor in his shutout the previous night of Manitoba and his shutout (in his NHL debut) of the Jets back in November he had played seven perfect period of hockey here.

The Moose finally cracked him on the power play in the 2nd period when Andrei Chibisov put home a Kristian Vesalainen shot. Brent Pedersen scored on a breakaway but nobody in the building appeared to realize that it was in the top of the net….but eventually the horn went to make it 2-0 for the Moose. Colorado would get one back when coverage broke down in front of Mikhail Berdin to make it a 2-1 game after 40 minutes.

Kristian Vesalainen would give Manitoba a 3-1 lead when he came from behind the net and wired it past Werner. That gives the Jets 2017 1st rounder two goals and five assists for seven points in his last six games. Almost immediately the Eagles countered but it was reviewed and called no goal. Still not a great thing for a team to give up a goal so quickly after they had taken a two goal lead. Colorado would continue to push and would get back within one on a power play. And when a team is red-hot like the Eagles you cannot afford to give them any life as they would eventually tie the game with just over five minutes to go in the contest.

OT would be required and as you could anticipate when Mikhail Berdin is playing in net something unique happened. He had possession of the puck behind the Moose goal and essentially hit the Eagles player on the forechek, taking him out and then getting the puck up the boards where eventually Seth Griffith would find it and score on the breakaway to give the Moose a 4-3 lead.

Manitoba is now 18-19-0-0.

Notable:

Mikhail Berdin has two assists on the season including the one he picked up on tonight’s game winner.

Post-game Interviews:

Next Up:

The Moose are off on Sunday.  They will practice on Monday and then head out on the road for three games starting in Rockford on Wednesday night.