Manitoba Moose

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Two good men in net backstopping Moose

By: Staff Writer

30/11/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

ROSEMONT, Ill. -- Good goaltending is a blessing in hockey and the Manitoba Moose are counting both of theirs right now.

With their lineup decimated by injuries and the club getting outshot in each of their last five games, it has fallen to starting netminder Cory Schneider and backup Darren Machesney to carry the club for the past while.

Though Schneider has carried most of the load, both men have been equal to the task in a run that has seen the Moose go undefeated in regulation time for the past seven games.

"We've gone through so much here with growing pains and having to give guys bigger roles because of all the injuries," Moose head coach Scott Arniel said Saturday night after a 4-2 victory over the Chicago Wolves.

"And a big part of the reason we've been able to get through this is the goaltending. They've given us a chance to win every night."

Moose assistant captain Marty Murray agreed. "Those guys have been exceptional through this whole stretch. It starts with them."

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THE month of November was a tumultuous one for the Moose, including everything from a five-game losing streak to the current seven-game run that's seen them collect 12 of a possible 14 points.

On balance? They finish the month balanced, with a 5-5-2 record in November.

That's not bad, but it's a far cry from the 9-2-0 record the Moose posted in November last year, a team record for that month.

Interestingly, they have never finished below .500 in November in the AHL history of the club.

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IF there is one area where the Moose need to get better, it's in overtime -- the club is 1-4 in the five-minute OT session.

The good news is when they survive the overtime period, they've been a perfect 4-0 in shootouts. Schneider leads the league in shootout wins with three, with Machesney picking up the other one.

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THE Moose will get their toughest test of the season to start the month of December, with the juggernaut that is the Rochester Americans playing Manitoba in a pair of tilts at the MTS Centre on Tuesday and Wednesday night.

Rochester is in first place in the North Division with a 16-3-1 record and the Moose are tied for second at 13-9-4, but have played more games than everyone in the division but Abbotsford.

Rochester is mortal, however, getting pounded 5-0 by Binghamton on Saturday night.

"That's a veteran team," Arniel said of Rochester. "They've got a good mix of guys, a young goaltender who's playing very well, and that will be a good challenge for us.

"They're at the top of the heap and we're going to have to be our best against them."

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 30, 2009 C7

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