PREVIEW: The Shift to Grand Rapids
By: Manitoba Moose Staff | Published: April 25th 2018
The Manitoba Moose (1-1) and Grand Rapids Griffins (1-1) have moved on to Michigan for the remainder of the Central Division Semi-Finals. Game 3 is tonight at 6 p.m. (CT) and will put one of the two teams on the brink of elimination. You can listen to the game on TSN 1290 or moosehockey.com/listenlive/ starting fifteen minutes before puck drop with play-by-play announcer Mitch Peacock and the pre-game show.
NOT BEGINNERS LUCK
Rookie Michael Spacek scored the game winning goal in Game 1 of the Central Division Semi-Finals on Saturday. The goal was the first professional playoff marker of Spacek’s career and he followed it up with his first professional playoff assist in Game 2. Sunday’s lone Moose goal was also the first AHL playoff point for goal-scorer Francis Beauvillier and Cam Maclise who, along with Spacek, recorded an assist.
STAY AWAY FROM THE BOX
If the early stages of the Calder Cup Playoffs have shown anything, it's that teams need to stay out of the penalty box. Both of the game-winning goals in this series were scored with the man-advantage. Looking elsewhere, seven of the 18 games played in the Calder Cup Playoffs so far have had the decisive goal scored on the power play. The league is currently averaging 1.72 power play goals per game, operating at a 20.4% success rate (31/152).
RECORD ROAD RECORD
With 25 wins on the road this season, the Moose tied a franchise record for efficiency away from Bell MTS Place. The team’s away record was 25-9-2-2 and included the stretch of 12-0-1-1 from Nov. 24/18 to Feb 6/18 which is one shy of the franchise record for consecutive games with at least a point on the road. The club previously reached the 25 road win mark in 2008-09.
STINGY IN UNFRIENDLY TERRITORY
The Moose set a new franchise record for goals against on the road this season. The team allowed only 88 goals in away games, six better than the previous low of 94 in 2011-12. With 133 road goals this season, the Moose held a +45 scoring ratio in 38 games. Looking back to previous seasons, in 2016-17 the Moose allowed 120 away goals, and 136 in 2015-16.
MOOSE SIGN BERDIN
The Moose announced Monday the team has signed goaltender Mikhail Berdin to an amateur tryout agreement. Berdin, 20, was a sixth round selection, 157th overall, of the Winnipeg Jets in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. The Ufa, Russia native posted a record of 24-13-5, with a 2.65 goals-against average, a 0.921 save percentage, one shutout, and scored a goal this season with the Sioux Falls Stampede of the USHL.
WHAT'S NEXT?
There won’t be much time to rest before Game 4. The Moose and Griffins will be back on the ice Thursday night (Apr. 26) for the 6 p.m. (CT) puck drop. Tune in to moosehockey.com/listenlive/ and on TSN 1290 for all the action.
