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JOHN WOODS \/ FREE PRESS<\/p>\n
Manitoba Moose Brad Lambert\u2019s shot goes off the mask of Grand Rapids Griffins goaltender Michal Postava during the first period of the Griffins\u2019 2-0 win in Game 2 of their Calder Cup playoff series in Winnipeg, Sunday.<\/p>\n
The Griffins may have finished 29 points ahead of the Moose in the standings and taken six of the eight meetings during the regular season, but that hasn\u2019t proven to be much of an advantage in a series that has been hotly contested and tight checking throughout the first six periods.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re worried about ourselves. We go into any barn in this league, we know we can play a hard hockey game and win,\u201d said Bauer. \u201cWhen we\u2019re playing at our best, we can play with any team in this league. We know that and we proved that here this weekend. I don\u2019t know if there\u2019s any reason to be intimidated when we\u2019re at our best.\u201d<\/p>\n
Game 3 is set for Wednesday night at Van Andel Arena, with puck drop scheduled for just after 6 p.m. CT.<\/p>\n
After playing in front of two enthusiastic crowds, the Moose go into enemy territory knowing they\u2019ll need to take two of the next three games to extend their season in a building where the Griffins were fifth in the AHL in attendance averaging 7,950 fans per game.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, you can look at it two ways. Obviously they have a good environment, but you can also feed off that. That\u2019s what I think we\u2019ll look to do,\u201d said Moose winger Phil Di Giuseppe, who helped the Abbotsford Canucks capture the Calder Cup last spring. \u201cBiggest takeaway? I mean that\u2019s a good team. I thought we played them hard (on Saturday). I thought we played them hard (on Sunday). We obviously want two (wins), but I like where we\u2019re at.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s what else transpired on Sunday:<\/p>\n
Costly minor<\/p>\n
It was another feisty and physical affair, which isn\u2019t surprising when you have two teams that have already played one another 10 times this season (and counting).<\/p>\n
There were a number of scrums and heated discussions after most whistles in the opening five minutes and it was clear neither team wanted to give an inch.<\/p>\n
Moose winger Walker Duehr, who has been heavily involved in this series, took a tripping minor in retaliation on Griffins captain Dominik Shine late in the first period. That penalty was costly and led to the eventual game-winning goal from Michael Brandsegg-Nygard \u2014 who scored with 10 seconds to go in the man-advantage.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t JOHN WOODS \/ FREE PRESS<\/p>\n Manitoba Moose Isaak Phillips and Grand Rapids Griffins Axel Sandin-Pellikka collide during the first period.<\/p>\n \u201cThose small little things mean a lot in the playoffs, and those are two penalties that we really can\u2019t take,\u201d said head coach Mark Morrison, who also didn\u2019t like a roughing minor that captain Mason Shaw took during a scrum at the end of the second period. \u201cIt\u2019s an emotional game, and sometimes you have to bite it a little bit and take a little, but we\u2019ll be better.\u201d<\/p>\n The power-play marker from the Griffins snapped a streak of 11 consecutive penalty kills in the first five games of the playoffs.<\/p>\n The Moose aren\u2019t about to back down when it comes to physical play and the chippiness that comes along with it, but they\u2019ve got to be careful that it doesn\u2019t lead to taking too many undisciplined penalties.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a hard series, a physical series. Two big teams, two good teams,\u201d said Bauer. \u201cEverybody is trying to give as good as you get out there. That\u2019s kind of the way the playoffs work. We\u2019re going to keep doing that.\u201d<\/p>\n The key play<\/p>\n Sheldon Dries made a beautiful backhand pass to Brandsegg-Nygard for a one-timer that resulted in the power play goal late in the first period that proved to be the game-winner at 17:04 of the first period.<\/p>\n The three stars:<\/p>\n Michal Postava, Griffins, 30-save shutout. The masked men<\/p>\n For the second time in as many games, the goalies stole the show.<\/p>\n Moose goalie Domenic DiVincentiis turned aside 32 of 34 shots, while Michal Postava made 30 saves to record the shutout.<\/p>\n \u201cLights out. Rock solid. He\u2019s been our rock back there and we\u2019ve needed him to be a few times,\u201d said Bauer. \u201cWe\u2019re playing hard in front of him and he\u2019s there when we need him. All the credit to Dom. Unreal.\u201d<\/p>\n DiVincentiis has done an exceptional job since taking over from Thomas Milic in Game 2 of the opening round series with the Milwaukee Admirals, turning aside 121 of the 125 shots.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t JOHN WOODS \/ FREE PRESS<\/p>\n Manitoba Moose goaltender Domenic DiVincentiis makes one of his 32 saves on a shot from Grand Rapids Griffins Wojciech Stachowiak as Phillip Di Giuseppe defends during the first period in Winnipeg on Sunday.<\/p>\n Following Game 1, after DiVincentiis made 39 saves to record the shutout, Morrison said a discussion with his coaching staff would be required before finalizing his Game 2 starter.<\/p>\n But in the end, there wasn\u2019t much of a debate.<\/p>\n \u201cThere wasn\u2019t much of a wrestle,\u201d said Morrison. \u201cWe went and talked with the coaches, and everybody was unanimous that he\u2019s got to go back and he looked real good in there again. Gave us a chance, for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n Although Morrison didn\u2019t really want to publicly announce his goaltending plans for Game 3 with two days before the series resumes, he left a few bread crumbs for the assembled media.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll have to see,\u201d he said. \u201cI mean, we have a couple days off. I don\u2019t want to say who our goalie is playing the next game, but I guess you could probably figure that out if you were smart.\u201d<\/p>\n As for the Griffins, the decision to go with Postava over Sebastian Cossa has proven to be a wise one for head coach Dan Watson, as his goalie has given up a single goal through two outings so far.<\/p>\n Goal-scoring concerns?<\/p>\n Although there has been plenty to like for the Moose so far, one thing that can\u2019t be ignored is that they\u2019ve been limited to six goals scored through five games \u2013 with two of those coming on the power play.<\/p>\n They\u2019ve yet to score an even-strength marker against the Griffins through 120 minutes of action, though they\u2019ve only allowed one \u2014 a wrister off the rush to defenceman William Wallinder with 5:12 to go in regulation on Sunday that proved to be a valuable insurance marker.<\/p>\n What can the Moose do to generate a bit more offence against this stingy Griffins team?<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t JOHN WOODS \/ FREE PRESS<\/p>\n Manitoba Moose Danny Zhilkin and Grand Rapids Griffins John Leonard collide during the first period.<\/p>\n Having more of a net-front presence is something the Moose will be looking to do as the series progresses.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been a struggle all year to maintain, getting in his eyes, getting into those dirty areas,\u201d said Morrison. \u201cWe\u2019ll do it, and then we lay off. We want to try to make plays to score goals. It\u2019s been a struggle for us all year to make plays to score goals, so we like to push them to get dirty ones.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a time where we have to get dirty ones. We\u2019ll talk about it for the next couple days, and I\u2019m pretty sure we\u2019ll be spending some time in their crease.\u201d<\/p>\n winnipegfreepress.com\/kenwiebe<\/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 \t\t\t\t Ken Wiebe Ken Wiebe is a sports reporter for the Free Press, with an emphasis on the Winnipeg Jets. He has covered hockey and provided analysis in this market since 2000 for the Winnipeg Sun, The Athletic, Sportsnet.ca and TSN. Ken was a summer intern at the Free Press in 1999 and returned to the Free Press in a full-time capacity in September of 2023. Read more about Ken<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Ken 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 Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber<\/a>.<\/p>\n Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.<\/p>\n \t\t
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\nMichael Brandsegg-Nygard, One goal, one assist.
\nDom DiVincentiis, Moose, Made 32 saves.<\/p>\n
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