WINNIPEG – The Manitoba Moose closed out a disappointing homestand with a 2-1 shootout loss to the Cleveland Monsters on Saturday afternoon at MTS Centre.
The Moose took a slim one goal lead to the final frame but the Monsters tied the game early in third period and then won it in the shootout.
“First period was as good as I’ve seen us play all year.” said Moose head coach Pascal Vincent. “We were doing the right things. We were probably our most physical game in the first period. We were finishing our checks. We were creating, forcing turnovers. That’s a pretty good team, those guys have won in the past. They know how to win.”
Markus Hannikainen scored the lone goal for Cleveland while Joonas Korpisalo made 31 saves as the Monsters beat Manitoba for the second day in a row.
Kyle Connor scored the only goal for the Moose. It was his first career AHL goal after getting re-assigned by the Winnipeg Jets on Friday.
“Started off real strong.” said Connor “Then the second period, kinda took off the gas, but we were in the game the whole way.”
Connor was the only player to beat Korpisalo in the shootout while Chase De Leo and Dan DeSalvo were both stopped. Sonny Milano and Aaron Palushaj both scored in the shootout for the Monsters.
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The Moose appeared to take a two goal lead in the second period when Quinton Howden fired the puck in on an odd man rush. While the closest referee signaled goal, the other referee called De Leo for a highly questionable slashing penalty to nullify the goal.
“That’s his call.” said Vincent. “There’s a stick there. It happens quite often in a game. He called it that time. That’s why he gets the big bucks to make those calls. Can’t say I liked it, but it’s part of the game.”
WATCH: Highlights of the Moose 2-1 shootout loss to Cleveland
Ondrej Pavelec stopped 29 of the 30 shots he faced. Pavelec is now 4-0-1 on home ice this season.
“I thought he was our best player.” Vincent said. “He was really good. He’s the Ondrej I know.”
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The Moose also held their annual teddy bear toss and close to three thousand stuffed animals were tossed onto the ice to be donated to the Christmas Cheer Board.
That was the Moose final home game until after the Christmas break. The Moose finished the four game homestand with just three of a possible eight points. They now hit the road for the next five games beginning Tuesday against the Charlotte Checkers.
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