PREVIEW: Breaking the Ice in Laval

The Manitoba Moose (27-10-3-2) continue their three-game swing before the All-Star break with two games against the Laval Rocket (17-20-5-2). Tonight’s contest will be the first-time Manitoba plays at Place Bell. The Moose have already battled the Rocket in their inaugural season, when they swept Laval at Bell MTS Place (Nov. 19/21). The first game ended 5-2 and the second finished 3-2 in a shootout. Mike Sgarbossa collected four points (2G, 2A) in those matchups. The Moose aim for a point in their 10th straight road game tonight. You can listen in on either TSN 1290 or moosehockey.com/listenlive/. Mitch Peacock starts the coverage off with the pregame show at 6:15 p.m. (CT).

HELPFUL CAPTAIN
Moose captain Patrice Cormier led the way for Manitoba on Wednesday, posting a career-high three assists in the win.  The three-point output was Cormier's second of the season and fourth of his career.  The Moncton, NB product has one four-point game (3G, 1A) in his career, back on Mar. 9, 2012 against Hershey.  Cormier is fifth on the Moose with 27 points (15G, 12A) in 41 games this season, six points off his career high set in 2011-12.

ALL-STAR NOD
Mason Appleton will represent the Moose at the 2018 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Turning Stone Resort Casino in Utica, N.Y.  Appleton replaces forward Jack Roslovic who will be unavailable for the event.  Leading the Moose with 37 points (13G, 24A), Appleton joins Cameron Schilling, Michael Hutchinson and coach Pascal Vincent on the Central Division roster.

POOLMAN GOES UP
The Winnipeg Jets recalled defenceman Tucker Poolman from the Moose on Wednesday.  The rookie defender scored his first AHL goal on Saturday and has six points (1G, 5A) in 13 games with Manitoba.  Poolman also has one goal in 13 games playing for the Jets.

DOUBLE DIGITS
Nic Petan became the latest Moose scorer to reach double digits in the goal column on Wednesday night.  Manitoba has six players with 10 or more goals this season.  The Charlotte Checkers are the only other team in the AHL with as many double-digit goal scorers this season.  The Moose lead the AHL with 152 goals scored on the campaign.

YOUTHFUL POWER PLAY CONTRIBUTORS
The Moose have had no shortage of production from their more
inexperienced players while on the power play.  Defenceman Sami Niku leads the squad with six power play goals and 16 power play points.  Fellow rookies Mason Appleton and Michael Spacek are right behind him with five power play goals each.  The group accounts for 38 per cent of Manitoba's 42 power play tallies on the season.

WHAT'S NEXT?
Manitoba closes things out before the AHL All-Star Classic with the second half of the back-to-back with Laval. You can tune in to that game on TSN 1290 and moosehockey.com/listenlive/ for the 6 p.m. (CT) puck drop.