The Manitoba Moose (23-39-3-3) fell 3-2 to the Chicago Wolves (35-28-4-0) on Sunday at Canada Life Centre. The Moose were coming off a 4-3 overtime loss to the Wolves yesterday.
The Moose thought they had opened the scoring a minute into the contest, but the tally was waved off following a conference. The Wolves then broke the ice four minutes into the game when Domenick Fensore located a loose puck to the side of the net and popped it to the back of the goal. That was the only tally of a low-event period, with Chicago outshooting the Moose 7-5 and taking a 1-0 lead to the intermission.
The visitors extended the lead 1:46 into the second period. Ryan Suzuki was open in front of the net and wired a shot past Domenic DiVincentiis for the 2-0 Chicago advantage. The netminders were busier in the middle period, with both DiVincentiis and Wolves goalie Spencer Martin making 12 saves. With another single-goal period, Chicago carried the 2-0 lead to the third.
Manitoba started the final stanza on a mission and tied the game in short order. Mason Shaw knocked home a rebound in the opening 42 seconds to get the Moose on the board. The home side pulled even 1:14 later when Liam Malmquist got the puck at the back door and was able to push it across the line for his first professional goal. The game stayed locked at 2-2 until the late stages of regulation. With Chicago on its second power play of the final four minutes, Nick Swaney deflected a Ty Smith shot into the goal for a late 3-2 Wolves lead. The Moose called DiVincentiis to the bench, but narrowly missed on a pair of chances to tie the game as time ran out. DiVincentiis finished the contest with 27 saves, while Martin claimed 22 stops for the 3-2 Wolves win.
Quotable
Moose forward Liam Malmquist (click for full interview)
“You go through the first couple of games, and you’re really grateful to be out there. It’s so fast and you’re trying to get your feet under you. Seeing that goal go in the back of the net… it was like a breath of fresh air. It’s awesome.”
Statbook
- Liam Malmquist (1G) scored his first professional goal.
- Dominic Toninato (1A) set a new career high with 36 points (18G, 18A) on the season.
- Toninato has assists in two straight games (3A).
- Dylan Anhorn (1A) has assists in back-to-back games (2A).
