Moose slip past Griffins 1-0 in home opener

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This article was published 22/10/2021 (1805 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Just one puck found mesh Friday night, although the hard-charging Manitoba Moose produced more than enough Grade-A scoring opportunities to register a blowout.

Calvin Pickard, a Winnipeg product between the pipes for the Grand Rapids Griffins, constructed a wall to prevent that from happening.

Still, that lone tally, coming off the stick of Manitoba’s alternate captain, Cole Maier, meant everything to the American Hockey League squad and its legion of fans at Canada Life Centre.

Maier’s even-strength, unassisted marker at 14:31 of the second period — coming on a shot from well out that appeared to deceive the Griffins’ starter — propelled the Moose to a 1-0 shutout victory in their 2021-22 season home-opener.

“Sort of just a strange play. We were looking for a change and I was just trying to buy an extra second to give our forecheckers some time to get on the ice,” explained the 26-year-old forward from Pequannock, N.J. “I think a lot of guys thought it was going to be a dump-in, and it ended up sliding in there.”

Mikhail Berdin, who has started all four games in net for the Winnipeg Jets’ minor-league affiliate this season, turned aside 22 shots. His best stop came on a leg extension early in the third period, jabbing a toe at Riley Barber’s attempt for the equalizer.

Manitoba (2-2-0) and Grand Rapids (1-2-0) collide again Sunday at 2 p.m. at the downtown rink.

Pickard, five years removed from starting 48 games for then-dreadful Colorado, made one miscue but otherwise had a sensational night, stopping 37 shots.

“(Pickard) played pretty well. We really liked our start and tried to build on it, and he played great and kept it close,” Maier said.

David Gustafsson was a beast at the faceoff dot and played a pivotal role on a penalty-killing crew that erased each of the Griffins’ six, man-advantage chances.

He was in the box serving a questionable minor for administering what the official ruled a hit to the head, however, Manitoba weathered the final 34 seconds with Pickard on the bench and Grand Rapids on a 6-on-4.

Cole Perfetti suited up with the Moose for the first time since being reassigned Wednesday by the Jets. He skated between wingers Luke Johnson and Austin Poganski, and afforded himself well. The 19-year-old centre nearly broke a scoreless tie early in the second period with a quick juke to lose a defender and test Pickard from close range.

Perfetti was buzzing, finishing the night with six shots.

“First period with the new linemates, hadn’t played with them before, really only had the morning skate to get used to them. We created a little bit but I thought we were solid defensively, didn’t give up much,” he said. “In the second, I thought we started to create a lot more and found some chemistry.

“Pickard had my number… eventually those are going to go in. I’m not really worried.”

jason.bell@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPJasonBell