Manitoba Moose

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Amerks, 'Dogs leaving Moose in their dust

Top two teams in North Division opening huge gap on Manitoba

By: Paul Wiecek

17/11/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

Moose goalie Cory Schneider, shown working out Monday, will show off his considerable skills tonight at the MTS Centre. (KEN GIGLIOTTI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS )

It's not so much that they're mired in third place in their division and everyone else has a mittful of games in hand on them that should be the cause for the biggest concern about the Manitoba Moose right now.

No, the biggest worry right now should be this -- the two teams ahead of them in the North Division standings have proven to be almost unbeatable so far this season.

And so while all the recent attention lately has been on all the injuries and recalls that have decimated the Moose lineup, what's gotten lost in the shuffle is that the second-place Hamilton Bulldogs and first-place Rochester Americans have -- get this -- less than half the number of Moose losses, combined.

Consider:

With records of 13-2-1-0 and 9-2-1-3 respectively, the Americans and Bulldogs have combined for just four losses on the season -- five less than the Moose have by themselves with a 10-9-2-0 record.

And what's more, the Americans have five games in hand on the Moose while the Bulldogs have six games in hand. Which is fine if the two squads lose those games, but like I say, neither of them has been doing much of that lately.

And so put it all together and it should be cause for serious concern right now for a Moose club that is riding a two-game winning streak after a pair of gutsy weekend wins over the Toronto Marlies, but still faced with formidable challenges, not all of which are in their control.

Which is why, perhaps, Moose GM Craig Heisinger says he is unconcerned that the second- and third-best teams in the AHL right now -- the Texas Stars at 12-2-2-2 are atop the league -- are in the Moose division. Simply put, with as many as 10 Moose players injured or on recall in the past month, Heisinger says he's had enough to do just worrying about his own squad.

"Those teams are pretty good but lots can change in the AHL," said Heisinger. "And at this point, I still don't think we know 100 per cent who our team is."

What Heisinger does know about his team is that his goal-starved club is still in need of another talented playmaker, preferably a centreman. The problem is the Moose have needed that since the summer and despite their best efforts -- and the help of the parent Vancouver Canucks -- they're still nowhere in their quest.

"It's a high priority with what's gone on with the recalls and injuries," said Heisinger, "and it's gone on since August.

"But there is more pressure on it now, yes."

And all the more so because the Moose play the Bulldogs in back-to-back games at the MTS Centre this Friday and Saturday.

"ö The Moose are holding their first-ever skills competition at the MTS Centre tonight.

The team is being divided into two squads and then players will compete against each other in team and individual competitions in such areas as hardest and most accurate shot, fastest skater and a breakaway competition.

The competition begins at 7 p.m., but fans are invited to come at 6 p.m. to test their own skills on interactive games that will be set up throughout the arena concourse.

Fans will also be able to come down to ice level and get autographs from the players after the competition, with the side glass being removed especially for tonight.

Tickets for the event are $5 -- fans 12-and-under get in free, but still require a ticket -- and the event is a fundraiser for the Manitoba Moose charity, the Yearling Foundation.

"ö The skills competition is actually just one of two big promotions the Moose are doing this week.

On Saturday, the Moose are bringing in Jason Earles, one of the star's of Disney's insanely popular TV series, Hannah Montana. (Earles plays the character Jackson Stewart -- ask any girl aged 12 or under if you require further information.)

Earles will be on the concourse signing autographs and getting his picture taken with fans during the Moose game that night against the Bulldogs.

paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 17, 2009 C4

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