Moose salvage a point against the Icehogs as they tie it late but lose 4-3 in shootout

The Moose kicked off the final homestand of the regular season tonight against the Icehogs which is the first of eight straight games in Winnipeg.

Lineup news:

Oskari Salminen got the net for the Moose. As I reported earlier Manitoba lost Declan Chisholm to a high-ankle sprain in the final game of the road trip in Chicago last Sunday. Wyatt Bongiovanni also out day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Jets prospect Daniel Torgersson drew back in. On the backendTyrel Bauer and Ashton Sautner were in and captain Jimmy Oligny came out.

Moose lineup:

Malott – Toninato – Limoges
Torgersson – Maier – Harkins
Jones – Nikkanen – Reichel
Polei – Meireles – Boland

Gawanke – Lundmark
Heinola – Stewart
Sautner – Bauer

Salminen
Holm

Notable:

Nice work by alternate captain Cole Maier to force a turnover and Jansen Harkins is not missing that opportunity. He heads right up Main Street and scored his 18th of the season to open the scoring for the Moose.

Manitoba netminder Oskari Salminen was ready to start the 2nd period even if his team wasn’t as the Icehogs took it to the Moose but the goalie kept his team afloat with saves like this. He made 15 straight saves before Rockford beat him to take a 2-1 lead in the middle frame.

The Moose seem automatic on the 5 on 3 which they used to tie the game late in the 2nd period courtesy of this Ville Heinola ripper.

The home team ended the middle frame on a 9-2 shot advantage and it was 2-2 after 40 minutes of play. They began the final frame on a similar run outshooting the visitors 5-1 and Cole Maier had a chance to give them a lead.

Oskari Salminen continued to make stops when the Icehogs got chances but eventually a breakdown by the Moose allowed the Icehogs to take a 3-2 lead with 5:26 left in the 3rd.

These Moose sometimes make it harder on themselves than necessary but they are almost never out of a hockey game. Second of the game and 40th point of the season for Jansen Harkins tied the game with 10.2 seconds left in the 3rd.

The OT was fantastic and illustrates why shootouts are garbage. It included numerous breakaway chances and even saw a huge save by Salminen followed by a Dominic Toninato brekaway which resulted in a penalty shot.

The special teams returned to being special going 2/4 on the power play and killing all three penalties.

Manitoba now 33-19-5-4. They have a solid hold on 3rd and are two back of 2nd and four back of 1st (with a game in hand).

Re-match is on Friday.

Player media availability:

Coach media availability:

Highlights:

Up Next:

The Moose are now scheduled to practice tomorrow before they return to the ice here on Friday as they prepare for the re-match with Rockford.