Anatomy of those mighty Moose

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 20/03/2007 (6943 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

IT’S been almost a dizzying ride upwards for the Manitoba Moose, who were a very ordinary third-place team in their division in early December.

Their latest run, which has yielded 17 wins in the last 18 games, has vaulted them all the way to the top of the standings in both the North Division and Western Conference in the AHL.

The team, however, has little time to rest on its laurels. It’s in the middle of a busy stretch of seven games in nine days that began with weekend victories in Grand Rapids twice and in Peoria, Ill., and continues tonight at MTS Centre against Houston.

Monday, after an eighth straight victory on Sunday night, seemed like a good time to review and preview and address some commonly held opinions and questions about the Moose.

THEORY: The Moose have been taking advantage of hurting teams.

There is some fact here, but as usual, if you take too small a snapshot, you miss all that’s really going on.

Manitoba has played some depleted teams recently. Rochester is the best example, as the Americans have supplied players to both Buffalo and Florida in the NHL. Earlier in the season, the Moose were going through similar call-up and injury woes and struggled, too, though they never fell too far below .500. A forgotten fact is that Manitoba has lost more than 240 man-games due to injury this season.

THEORY: The hardest part of Manitoba’s season is finished.

Fiction.

Yes, the Moose have survived their struggles and a wicked month of December (17 games on the schedule). Lately, 17 wins in 18 games sounds nice, but the real games begin in April.

THEORY: The Moose have never finished first in their division, so something awfully good must be happening.

Fact.

It’s hard to pinpoint a day or a game or a team meeting from earlier in the season, but the Moose have changed dramatically from their November version. Whether it was a systems change, coach Scott Arniel’s December tantrum that allegedly included some choice words and an upset Gatorade cooler or simple team bonding, the reversal is dramatic.

On Dec. 6, the Moose were a 10-12-3-2 team whose inconsistencies were killing them. A 100-point season seemed like a Technicolor dream. But in the 40 games since, there have been 29 wins and only five regulation losses, sparked by numerous factors including goaltending, a big line, balanced scoring, a gradual overall return to health, and a No. 1-ranked penalty-killing unit that has given up just 36 power-play goals this season and is sure to set a franchise record.

A little luck hasn’t hurt, either. The Moose have one of the AHL’s worst records in overtimes and shootouts (5-11), but in their last 18 games they have largely avoided extra time, and on the occasions it’s been required they actually managed two shootout wins.

Theory: Goalie Wade Flaherty’s injury is a season-killer.

Fiction.

There is some basis in fact for thinking so, namely last spring’s playoffs, when Flaherty was pulled from Game 6 vs. Grand Rapids because of a groin injury and couldn’t play anymore. But this season, the team has a more legitimate and winning second goaltender in Drew MacIntyre, a key off-season acquisition for just this contingency. MacIntyre already has 20 wins.

Theory: The Moose have been blowing teams away during their nine-game and eight-game winning streaks that are separated by a Feb. 24 loss.

Fiction.

While the Moose have scored some decisive victories — examples in Rochester and against Toronto — most games have been anything but romps because the team simply does not play a blow-them-out-of-the-water style. A good example is Sunday’s recent win in Peoria, where Moose patience (not to mention a good piece of goaltending in the first period by call-up Dov Grumet-Morris) simply carried the day in a game that was close most of the way.

Theory: Some people are now calling the Moose a powerhouse.

Some people are, so that’s fact, but the basis for doing so is simply standings envy, or shallow folly, which of course makes it fiction. Manitoba’s march up the standings is impressive only because it has been methodical, and not done with extreme skill, a big power-play, complete physical domination or any one other element.

Besides, being a March powerhouse is not something to aspire to. May and June would be lot more exciting.

Theory: The Moose should be doing well. Scott Arniel inherited good teams from Randy Carlyle and Alain Vigneault.

Fiction.

The Moose have 13 new players on their roster this year, plus two new coaches that had never previously run an AHL club. But these Moose are 22 games above .500 after 67 games, best ever at this juncture. The 1998-99 Moose needed 76 games to reach 22 games above .500, and eventually finished a franchise-best 26 games above in an 82-game season.

Moose Minute

Moose recall goalie,

Idonije in the house

THE Manitoba Moose have recalled goalie Julien Ellis from the Victoria Salmon Kings of the ECHL.

In six games with the Moose this season Ellis has a record of 0-6-0 with a goals against average of 3.71 and a save percentage of .885. In 34 games with the Salmon Kings the 21-year-old has an 18-14-2 mark with a 3.31 GAA and a .910 save percentage.

The Moose also announced on Monday they’ve signed Mason Raymond to an amateur tryout contract. The 21-year-old was a second-round choice of the Vancouver Canucks at the 2005 NHL entry draft.

Raymond had 14 goals and 32 assists with the University of Minnesota-Duluth.

The Moose will host Chicago Bears tackle Israel Idonije tonight. He will be available for autographs during the game.