Moose end road trip with 5-2 loss to the Icehogs in Rockford all but ending their playoff aspirations

The Moose needed a clean win on Friday night over the Icehogs and that’s just what they got courtesy of Jets prospect Danny Zhilkin‘s second period power play game-winning goal and Winnipegger Chris Driedger picking up his first win in antlers.

Lineup news:

Missing tonight were Jets prospect Fabian Wagner and Ashton Sautner. In came Liam Malmquist who was making his pro debut and Dylan Anhorn.

Lines & D pairs:

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

Lundmark– Salomonsson
Phillips – Coghlan
Anhorn – Barteaux

DiVincentiis

Notable:

The Moose found themselves down 2-0 after 20 and then 3-0 early in the middle frame. But just 26 seconds later captain Dominic Toninato got his team leading 16th goal of the season to bring the visitors within two.

The home team would add two more goals including one in the 3rd at the 10:13 mark which made it a 5-1 game. Once again Manitoba had a quick answer as Jets prospect Brad Lambert got his fifth goal of the season which came just 21 seconds later to make it a 5-2 deficit for the Moose.

The Moose would lose 5-2 to Icehogs which means they split their two-game set. Manitoba needed to win both cleanly in order to get within nine points of Rockford with eight games left. Instead they trail by 13 and the playoffs are all but done.

Multi-point game:

None.

Highlights:

Player media:

Up next:

The Moose are back home to Manitoba where they will start four games in Winnipeg beginning with Laval on Tuesday.