Pre-season game preview: Moose vs. Wild – Oct. 8
By: Daniel Fink | Published: October 8th 2016
Fargo, ND - The Manitoba Moose see their first game action tonight when they open the pre-season against the Iowa Wild. This evening’s matchup in Fargo is the first of a pair of games the teams play in North Dakota.
It’s the second straight year the teams play a back-to-back set in North Dakota. Last season the squads split the exhibition games with the Moose taking the contest in Grand Forks by a 3-0 score. The Wild responded with a 2-1 victory in Fargo.
Moose head coach Pascal Vincent looks forward to the opportunity to assess his current lineup in game situations after nearly a week of practice.
“You don’t replace a game, the pressure of a game, the pressure of winning the battles and the intensity is never the same. We want to re-create that kind of intensity (in practice), but playing a game is different,” said Vincent. “I think we have a good foundation of our analysis and we’re going to evaluate those players, but to play one or two games will complete that evaluation.”
The Moose cross the border with 25 players on the roster including 14 forwards, 9 defencemen and two goaltenders. The Winnipeg Jets assigned 19 players to the Moose this week. That group includes Jets first rounder Jack Roslovic. The 25th overall selection in 2015 picked up one assist in three games with the Jets in the Young Stars tournament in Penticton. He also drew into two pre-season games with the big club before his assignment to the Moose. Another notable addition playing his first games for the Moose weekend is Winnipegger Quinton Howden. The former Florida Panthers first round pick signed with the organization over the summer. Howden played 58 NHL games for the Panthers last season, totaling 11 points (6G, 5A).
On the back-end, off-season acquisition Kevin Czuczman makes his first appearance with the Moose. The former Bridgeport Tiger worked his way into a pair of pre-season games with the Jets while on a tryout with the NHL team. Meanwhile, Nelson Nogier looks to make an impression on the Moose coaching staff in his first year as a pro defenceman. Nogier posted 21 points (4G, 17A) in 69 games for the Memorial Cup host Red Deer Rebels in 2015-16. The 2014 fourth round pick sees the weekend as another chance to display his talents.
“I’m just looking at it as a great opportunity to display what I can show here,” commented Nogier. “It’s obviously going to be a new step and a new chapter and I’m looking forward to it.”
The roster features a handful of players who spent time on call-ups with the Moose throughout last season. Jake Baker played nine games with the Moose last season. He was on the other side of this pre-season matchup last year as a member of the Wild. Additional members of that group include former Robert Morris University Colonials Tyson Wilson and Brandon Denham. Both joined the Moose on amateur tryout agreements late in the season and will be intent on making their mark in the pre-season.
Keep tabs on the Moose tonight by listening in online at moosehockey.com/listenlive. Mitch Peacock has the call at 6:45 p.m. CT starting with the pre-game show.
For more, check out MooseTV's preview of the weekend as Mitch Peacock tees up the games.
