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![\"BROOK](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/4193686_web1_BJ-20260502ManitobaMooseVsGrandRapidsGriffins03.jpg\")
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BROOK JONES\/FREE PRESS<\/p>\n
Manitoba Moose goaltender Domenic Divincentiis kicks out his left pad to stop a shot by Grand Rapids Griffins centre Wojciech Stachowiak (No. 49) during first period action Saturday in Winnipeg.<\/p>\n
Look no further than Manitoba\u2019s crease for the reason the season is still going strong.<\/p>\n
Domenic DiVincentiis took a back seat to teammate Thomas Milic as the Moose began the playoffs 10 days ago with a 4-1 loss to Milwaukee which immediately put their season in peril.<\/p>\n
The 22-year-old has basically put the team on his back in the three starts since. DiVincentiis stopped 50 of 52 shots against the Admirals in the two elimination contests \u2014 both 2-1 victories \u2014 then took his game to another level Saturday by pitching a 39-save shutout against one of the most potent lineups in the AHL.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is the best time of the year,\u201d said DiVincentiis.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you can\u2019t get up for these types of games, then I don\u2019t know what you\u2019re doing. So you\u2019ve got to enjoy it, you\u2019ve got to have fun from the morning of the games, through all the lead-up for this. All season long we\u2019ve worked for these moments. These are the ones that are fun and we\u2019re enjoying ourselves out there.\u201d<\/p>\n
There were plenty of notable big stops from DiVincentiis, including a great glove grab off Grand Rapids forward Dominik Shine around the midway mark of the third period. He was quick to credit the work of his teammates.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe worked damn hard today,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were just so resilient out there, blocking shots, we were competing for the full 60 minutes. Just like I said last series, that\u2019s a full, three-period, 60-minute hockey game right there. At the end of the day we\u2019ve got to get them again tomorrow and we\u2019ve got to be ready because they\u2019re going to make a push.\u201d<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t BROOK JONES\/FREE PRESS<\/p>\n Manitoba Moose right-winger Mason Shaw shoots the puck while Grand Rapids Griffins left-winger John Leonard tries to block it during second period action Saturday in Winnipeg.<\/p>\n Morrison has an interesting decision to make: Does he stick with DiVincentiis on a back-to-back situation, especially after a fairly heavy workload, or go back to Milic \u2014 who had essentially earned the No. 1 job during the regular-season?<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know about that one. We\u2019ll have to discuss that with (goalie coach) Drew MacIntyre and the rest of the staff and see how he feels,\u201d said Morrison.<\/p>\n From terrible to timely<\/p>\n On paper, you\u2019d think Manitoba would have a potent power play, with a solid mix of proven veterans and emerging prospects on the roster. But it\u2019s typically been a different story on the ice, with the Moose ranking 32nd \u2014 dead last in the league \u2014 with the man advantage.<\/p>\n Their first two chances on Saturday were, to put it bluntly, bowling shoe ugly. They generated next to nothing, and even the act of setting up in the offensive zone was a struggle.<\/p>\n Yet, with the game on the line and Griffins defenceman Anton Johansson in the box for a late high-sticking infraction, the Moose found a way \u2014 again.<\/p>\n It was eerily similar to Game 2 against Milwaukee, where a terrible power play earlier in the game led to a timely, game-deciding goal with 37 seconds left in regulation as David Gustafsson tipped a Yager shot.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, it\u2019s players making big plays at big times. With a little bit more garbage going into it,\u201d Morrison said. \u201c(Playing) a little harder. Those are big goals in a big moment.\u201d<\/p>\n Could this latest big power play tally build some momentum?<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t BROOK JONES\/FREE PRESS<\/p>\n Manitoba Moose left-winger Samuel Fagemo plays the puck while Grand Rapids Griffins right-winger Michael Brandsegg-Nyg\u00e5rd and Griffins teammate right-winger Carter Mazur (No. 43) cover him during second period action Saturday in Winnipeg.<\/p>\n \u201cWe certainly hope so,\u201d said Morrison.<\/p>\n \u201cI mean, it\u2019s all about confidence with that. I feel like there\u2019s some guys out there that are making plays. Yager is swinging up top and he\u2019s been involved in both of those goals. I feel like the team is playing as a group and everyone is contributing with something.\u201d<\/p>\n On the flip-side, the Moose penalty kill remains perfect for the playoffs. They went 3-for-3 against the Griffins after going 7-for-7 against the Admirals.<\/p>\n \u201cPlayoffs is about defence and special teams,\u201d said Shaw.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously our penalty kill was excellent and our power play, sure there\u2019s been times we haven\u2019t been happy with it, but we\u2019re finding ways to get timely goals, and I guess that\u2019s the most important part.\u201d<\/p>\n Rest vs. rust <\/p>\n Did the Moose take advantage of a rusty squad?<\/p>\n Grand Rapids hadn\u2019t played in two weeks, the result of a first-round bye that came with winning the division. Manitoba, meanwhile, was already battle-tested.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t BROOK JONES\/FREE PRESS<\/p>\n Manitoba Moose left-winger Phillip Di Giuseppe and Grand Rapids Griffins right-winger Austin Watson (51) battle for the puck during second period action Saturday in Winnipeg.<\/p>\n \u201cYou could see the way they were skating, the kind of confidence they have, and you could tell they\u2019ve gone through a series and we haven\u2019t,\u201d said Griffins head coach Dan Watson.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not going to say we were a step behind, but we were a little bit slow and they were on top of us. It made life a little bit hard for us. Overall, I think our guys were prepared, I thought they were ready. We generated a little bit of offence, need to generate more, but I thought the story of the game was both goaltenders. I thought they played extremely well.\u201d<\/p>\n Grand Rapids opted to give Postava the start over top netminding prospect Sebastian Cossa in a bit of of a curious decision.<\/p>\n \u201cI think Michal, he\u2019s earned it\u201d said Watson. \u201cSince the All Star break he\u2019s been excellent for us. He\u2019s given up opportunities to win every start he has. He\u2019s played some tough opponents with big wins. We just felt he would be the guy to go for us today.\u201d<\/p>\n Grand Rapids went 6-2 against Manitoba during the regular season, outscoring them 32-16. But the playoffs are a different animal.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought they defended the inside really well. They made life hard for us to get to net fronts,\u201d said Watson.<\/p>\n \u201cWe saw that through the Milwaukee series, and even throughout the year. They\u2019ve played us hard every game. I just think they skate well, they stay on top of you and they make you earn every inch of ice out there.\u201d<\/p>\n Key play<\/p>\n Shaw\u2019s rebound goal was all the offence Manitoba would need.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t BROOK JONES\/FREE PRESS<\/p>\n Manitoba Moose centre Danny Zhilkin is face-to-face with Grand Rapids Griffins goaltender Michal Postava who left his crease to play the puck during second period action Saturday in Winnipeg.<\/p>\n \n\t\tWinnipeg Free Press | Newsletter\n\t<\/p>\n \t\t\tThe Warm-Up<\/p>\n Winnipeg Jets Game Days<\/p>\n On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.<\/p>\n \t\t\tSign up for The Warm-Up<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t Three stars<\/p>\n 1. MB G Domenic DiVincentiis: 39 saves<\/p>\n 2. GR G Michal Postava: 22 saves<\/p>\n 3. MB C Mason Shaw: Game-winning goal<\/p>\n www.winnipegfreepress.com\/mikemcintyre<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Mike McIntyre Mike McIntyre is a sports reporter whose primary role is covering the Winnipeg Jets. After graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College in 1995, he spent two years gaining experience at the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in 1997, where he served on the crime and justice beat until 2016. Read more about Mike<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Mike produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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