The Manitoba Moose impressed a full house on Saturday night as they swept their first home series against the Toronto Marlies with a 4-2 victory at the MTS Centre. After trailing the Marlies for the majority of the night, the Moose secured the game with a second period goal courtesy of Jason Jaffray, who recorded a hat trick in the match-up. Goaltender Cory Schneider earned his ninth consecutive win and second over the Marlies by blocking 33 of 35 attempts.

It only took 18 seconds into the first period for a brawl to erupt between Guillaume Desbiens and Todd Perry near centre ice, proving there's still plenty of aggression between both clubs after last night’s 2-1 Moose victory. Both players were penalized with five-minute fighting majors and the sides continued their quick tempo of play traveling back-and-fourth between zones.

At 4:35 wingers Jason Jaffray and Ben Ondrus were called-out for roughing and then seconds’ later tempers flared between Daniel Rahimi and Andre Deveaux. With no signs of instigation, the teams remained at even-strength throughout the first three sets of penalties.
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The Marlies would be the first to benefit with a power play when Nolan Baumgartner was reprimanded for slashing. The Moose managed to clear the puck on two occasions, killing the two-minutes and allowing only three shots on goaltender Cory Schneider.

Manitoba drew their second and third penalties of the game with under 10 minutes left in the first, as Mark Fistric was fined for roughing and Alexandre Bolduc for interference. The visiting squad was unable to make it happen on the two man-advantage and soon offered up a penalty shot to right-winger Michael Grabner. Visiting goaltender, Justin Pogge, blocked Grabner’s attempt and the game stay scoreless.

The Marlies led the Moose in shots 17-9 and that shot-lead translated into a goal-lead with just under four minutes left in the period. As Toronto carried play back into the Moose zone, Boyd Devereaux was fed the puck, at which point he chipped it just inside Schneider’s right goal-post to give his club a 1-0 lead.

The Moose positioned themselves in the Marlies territory at the start of the second period and stayed there until they scored. At 4:25 defenseman Jimmy Sharrow took a slapper that was completed by James Neal putting the game back on even ground, 1-1.

Manitoba’s power play unit made their debut at 5:51 when Mark Bell sat out for interference. Even though the Moose didn’t capitalize on the opportunity they were able to put more pressure on Pogge and tighten the shot gap at 14-18.

At 9:32 Marlies winger Jiri Tlusty took a long shot that was denied by Schneider, but the rebound hit Kyle Rogers stick and then the back of the Moose net putting the visitors up, 2-1.

Steffan Kronwall’s high-sticking penalty gave Manitoba the luxury of an extra attacker in the final minutes of the second period. With 13 seconds left in the penalty, Andy Schneider kept Kronwall company in the box with a tripping penalty of his own.

With two extra-men Jason Jaffray tied the game at two, tipping in Nolan Baumgartner’s initial shot on the power play. After the goal, Jaime Sifers put the Moose back on the five-on-three and they continued to dominate on offense.

The home team gained their first lead of the game when Jason Jaffray netted his second of the night, with help from Mark Cullen and Michel Ouellet, to end the second stanza on top of the Marlies 3-2.

The play saw equal time at both sides of the ice in the early minutes of the third, but the Marlies held a huge shot lead outshooting the Moose 32-23.

In the game's final 60 seconds, the Marlies broke through the 35-shot barrier and pulled Pogge from his crease. But Moose defenders would keep the six skaters from registering another goal and Jason Jaffray would make it a hat trick netting an empty netter at 19:55 for a final score of 4-2.

LOOKING AHEAD

The Moose will host the San Antonio Rampage for the first time this season on Thursday, November 20^th and Friday, November 21^st at the MTS Centre.

NEXT GAME

Thursday, November 20, 2008 – 7:30 p.m. @ MTS Centre

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