WINNIPEG – The Manitoba Moose gained points in a third consecutive game on Wednesday as they exploded for a season high five goals in a 5-1 win over the San Antonio Rampage at MTS Centre. The four goal margin of victory is also a new season best.
After getting re-assigned by the Winnipeg Jets earlier in the day Adam Lowry had one assist with 4 shots in making his Moose debut.
“I handled the puck a lot more than I had been in the past.” Lowry said. “And got some shots on net and was able to start creating some offence and playing with Joel (Armia) and Scott (Kosmachuk) you know I thought we did a good job. We created some chances offensively.”
Nic Petan, Matt Halischuk, Patrice Cormier, Scott Kosmachuk and Matt Fraser scored the Moose markers while Mikka Rantanen had the only goal for the Colorado Avalanche affiliate.
Eric Comrie picked up his fifth victory of the season between the pipes for Manitoba as he made 22 saves. Winnipeg’s Calvin Pickard made 31 stops in a losing cause for the Rampage.
The powerplay was a big focus in practice this week after allowing a shorthanded goal in a loss to the Milwaukee Admirals on the weekend and it paid off with the Moose going 2/2 with the man advantage.
“I think we only got a minute and a half on the powerplay tonight so luckily we got to put the puck in the net twice there.” Petan said.
“The confidence you hope that builds and just overall as a group is again feeling good about themselves as a whole.” head coach Keith McCambridge said. “Anytime you’re able to score goals and get a win it really brings a group together.”
The Moose grabbed the early lead on the man advantage. Petan’s centring pass deflected off Rampage defenseman Nikita Zadarov and into the net. It was Petan’s second goal since getting sent down by the Jets. Chase De Leo and Brenden Kichton had the helpers and it was 1-0 for Manitoba.
With less than a minute left in the first period Rantanen skated into the Moose zone and zipped a backhand top corner on Comrie to tie the game at one apiece.
But the Moose regained the lead just over two minutes into the second period. Halischuk fired the loose puck over the shoulder of Pickard. John Albert and Cormier picked up the assists on Halischuk’s third goal of the season.
Midway through the final frame the Moose added another goal. Pickard made the original stop but Cormier batted it in out of mid-air for his third goal of the season. Fraser and Jay Harrison had the assists on the powerplay tally.
Then the Moose really came on strong as Scott Kosmachuk flipped in the loose puck for the Moose fourth goal. Lowry and Kichton recorded the assists.
With 4:47 to play Julian Melchiori’s shot from the blueline was tipped in by Fraser to make it a 5-1 final.
“Scoring five goals is pretty exciting.” Cormier said. “We were all making jokes on the bench. For the first time we scored more than three. I think everybody is aware of that. It’s positive. There’s no reason we can’t come back tomorrow and do the same thing.”
The Moose outshot the Rampage 36-23.
Kichton returned to the Manitoba lineup after missing the last four games with an injury.
It was the smallest crowd of the season at MTS Centre with a paid attendance of 4,890.
The rematch with the Rampage is on Thursday at MTS Centre.
WATCH: Adam Lowry and his new Moose teammates discuss a 5-1 victory over the San Antonio Rampage.
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