The Manitoba Moose were put shorthanded for the first time in the game when Tommy Maxwell was called for hooking at 13:30. The Barons first power play was ineffective, registering only one shot on net.
After Maxwell’s penalty was killed, the moose went on their first powerplay when Jordan Bendfield was sent to the box for interference at 8:54. This was extended to a five on three four seconds later, when Barons defenceman Taylor Chorney was caught for slashing. The Moose registered seven shots with the man advantage, but unfortunately, Barons goaltender Martin Gerber was able to stop each one.
Barons forward Ben Ondrus dropped the gloves with Moose defenceman Ryan Parent with five minutes left in the first period. The fight was short lived and there wasn’t a clear winner, both men still stood on their feet as the refs broke them up and sent them to the box.
The Moose dominated the Barons in shots on net and scoring chances, but had nothing to show for it, the score was tied 0-0 at the end of the first period.
Moose left winger Shawn Weller was sent to the penalty box for tripping 5:10 into the second period. The Moose continued to dominate on the penalty kill, on the Barons second powerplay they didn’t register a shot on net.
The first goal of the game was scored by Barons left winger Matt Marquardt 8:06 into the second period. He rifled the puck from the point and beat Moose goalie Eddie Lack who was screened by traffic, to put the Barons in the lead 1-0.
It was all downhill from there for the Moose. At 17:38 into the second period the Barons scored their second goal of the game when center Ryan O’Marra beat Eddie Lack’s outstretched legs, adding Oklahoma City’s lead to 2-0.
After a promising first frame and an unimpressive second, the Moose were unable to claw their way back in third, but were given enough opportunities to do so. They had a man advantage at 2:18 when Barons defenceman Shawn Belle was sent to the sin bin for holding. Barons center Milan Kytnar was sent to the box for interference at 5:52, shortly followed by teammate Linus Omark at 6:31 for unsportsmanlike conduct. The Moose were on a five on three powerplay for 1:24 and managed a flurry of shots at the net, but poor blue line puck handling saw them loose possession of the zone twice, forcing the Moose to regroup and sent the frustrated crowd of 8, 506 into a series of mild boo’s.
Moose fans began to book it out of the MTS Centre to beat the traffic after the third goal by Barons forward Omark, 13:58 into the third period. The game was essentially over at 16:51 into the third frame, when on the Barons man advantage Alexandre Giroux put the puck past Manitoba goaltender Lack.
Moose Head Coach Claude Noel took some punches for his team’s lack of production on the powerplay “Certainly, I have to take some responsibility for the execution. If it isn’t working, obviously, accountability starts with me.”
Normally 18 scoring chances and 37 shots on net are enough to score at least once, but Barons goaltender Martin Gerber stopped all of them and earned the first star of the game.
Moose leading goal scorer Cody Hodgson, had six shots on net tonight, “We had lots of shots and he (Gerber) was great, but we were getting quality opportunities that we really needed to burry.”
This is the fourth time this year the Moose have been unable to score a goal. They’re now fourth place in the North Division standings at 12-8-0-3, even with the Abbottsford Heat at 27 points, two back of the third place Lake Erie monsters.
Good post Brendyn but the colour makes if difficult to read.
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