Calder Cup Playoffs

Moose win Game 5, force return to Winnipeg

By John White 1 minute read Tuesday, Sep. 8, 2009

HERSHEY - The Manitoba Moose won 3-2 over the Hershey Bears in Game 5 of the Calder Cup Final in a must-win contest to force a Game 6 back in Winnipeg Friday night.

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Highlight reel: Bears 4 Moose 1

3 minute read Saturday, Jun. 13, 2009

FIRST PERIOD

Disaster strikes for the Moose as they come out jittery and that's all the opportunistic Bears need to turn the opener into bad news for the home side. Hershey strikes three times with goals by Andrew Gordon, Chris Bourque and Alex­andre Giroux. Giveaways by rookie Cody Hodgson and Guillaume Desbiens turn out to be critical mistakes for the Moose.

Bears 3 Moose 0 SECOND PERIOD

Hodgson gets a little redemption as he does some fine work behind the net and is able to slip a tidy pass to Mario Bliznak in the slot.

MVP Neuvirth’s performance gave Bears reason to party

By Gary Lawless 3 minute read Saturday, Jun. 13, 2009

THE Hershey Bears may have wanted to celebrate their Calder Cup cham­pionship at home but they made do with a fine little party in downtown Winni­peg on the centre ice logo of their van­quished foes. The Bears, with a startling 4-1 win over the Manitoba Moose in Game 6 of the AHL title series, earned the oppor­tunity to pop champagne and whoop it up as only champions can.

"This never gets old," said Bears coach Bob Woods as he watched his charges receive the league trophy from AHL president Dave Andrews at the MTS Centre Friday night.

"This was a great series, we're a great hockey team and they're a great hockey team. It's just a shame some­body had to lose. Two great organiza­tion and the greatest fans of the league in both cities. I think everyone should be happy with what they got to witness this year."

The Bears exploded for three first­period goals and never let the Moose back in the game and finally iced the action with an empty-net goal.

Calder Cup – Game 6 slideshow

1 minute read Preview

Calder Cup – Game 6 slideshow

1 minute read Saturday, Jun. 13, 2009

Photographers Joe Bryksa and Trevor Hagan capture highlights from game 6. The Hershey Bears defeated the Moose to win the Calder Cup.

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Saturday, Jun. 13, 2009

Manitoba Moose player Nolan Baumgartner enters the ice for the pre-game warm up of game six of the AHL Calder Cup finals. TREVOR HAGAN/WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

Manitoba Moose player Nolan Baumgartner enters the ice for the pre-game warm up of game six of the AHL Calder Cup finals.  TREVOR HAGAN/WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

Bears bury Manitoba’s dream year

5 minute read Preview

Bears bury Manitoba’s dream year

5 minute read Saturday, Jun. 13, 2009

THEIR longest season ever finished with the same old kind of frustra­tion Friday at the MTS Centre -- the Manitoba Moose lost their last game.

At Game 102, this one was a little dif­ferent but hurt no less, losing 4-1 to the Hershey Bears in Game 6 of the Calder Cup championship series, ending the best-of-seven series with a 4-2 Hershey edge.

It was the Bears' 10th AHL champion­ship, which was not what the partying, soldout crowd of 15,003 came to see.

The Moose, in existence only 13 sea­sons and just eight in the AHL, fell two wins short of their first-ever champion­ship by self-destructing in Friday's first period.

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Saturday, Jun. 13, 2009

Hershey Bears Chris Bourque hoists the Calder Cup. TREVOR HAGAN/WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

Hershey Bears Chris Bourque hoists the Calder Cup. TREVOR HAGAN/WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

Sad end to Moose fairy tale

4 minute read Saturday, Jun. 13, 2009

It was a night for stories, the ones you hear on special nights when there's excitement running though the rink.

In particular, playoff stories.

This one, as told by longtime NHL agent Don Baizley, struck a chord. It was about a Montreal Canadiens rookie standing at the blue-line before a playoff game at the old, notoriously loud Chicago Stadium.

The kid turned to Canadiens legend Dick Duff and fretted.

Bears defeat Manitoba Moose 4-1 to capture the AHL’s Calder Cup championship

THE CANADIAN PRESS 4 minute read Saturday, Jun. 13, 2009

WINNIPEG - Rookie Hershey Bears goalie Michal Neuvirth kept looking down in disbelief at the trophy in his hand.

Moose carrying momentum into tonight’s game

By Tim Campbell 3 minute read Friday, Jun. 12, 2009

WINNIPEG — The timing of their Game 5 victory in Hershey has provided some momentum to the Manitoba Moose.

They trail the best-of-seven Calder Cup championship series 3-2 but tonight's Game 6 (7:30 p.m., www.winnipegfreepress.com) is at the MTS Centre — sold out at 15,003 — and if Game 7 is required Sunday, it's here and sold out, too.

The momentum might be three days' worth, depending on who you talk to.

"With a win under our belts and coming home with our crowd, that's going to give us a boost for sure," Moose defenceman Nolan Baumgartner said after this morning's game-day skate. "Obviously they didn't want to come back. They wanted to get it done and home and they didn't.

Watch the Moose game on the big screen

1 minute read Friday, Jun. 12, 2009

WINNIPEG — Don't have a ticket for tonight's sold-out Moose game? You can head downtown with a lawn chair and watch it on the 500- square-foot TV screen in the courtyard of Canwest Place.

The Moose are back at the MTS Centre in white tonight at 7:30 p.m. facing off against the Hershey Bears in Game 6 of the Calder Cup Final.

You can also listen to and/or watch the game in the comfort of your own home on CJOB radio, Shaw TV and MTS TV.

city.desk@freepress.mb.ca

Holubtsi Kid recalls comeback

Randy Turner 7 minute read Preview

Holubtsi Kid recalls comeback

Randy Turner 7 minute read Friday, Jun. 12, 2009

The Hershey Bears had them on the ropes, up 3-1 in the series. It looked pretty bleak for the local six.

One more victory and the Bears had the Cup. But the youngsters from Manitoba hadn't given up hope.

After all, they knew what a Calder Cup championship could mean.

"This is what you play for," one of them said, the other day. "Everybody wants to get up. You're playing to be in the NHL."

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Friday, Jun. 12, 2009

MIKE.DEAL@FREEPRESS.MB.CA
Pete Kapusta, 85, played for Rhode Island's Providence Reds in 1949. That was the last AHL team to come back and win the championship after trailing three games to one in the final series.

MIKE.DEAL@FREEPRESS.MB.CA 
Pete Kapusta, 85, played for Rhode Island's Providence Reds in 1949. That was the last AHL team to come back and win the championship after trailing three games to one in the final series.

Moose want cup to Calder own

By Gary Lawless 4 minute read Preview

Moose want cup to Calder own

By Gary Lawless 4 minute read Friday, Jun. 12, 2009

There are hockey games and then there are hockey games. This one, folks, promises to be a doozy.

Everything is in place for a night to remember at the MTS Centre as the Manitoba Moose and Hershey Bears lock up in Game 6 of the Calder Cup Final (7:30 p.m., CJOB, MTS TV, Shaw TV) with elimination a possibility on one side and a chance to celebrate a championship on the other.

Throw in a sellout crowd of Winnipeg hockey fans and a city that, to borrow a phrase from Free Press columnist Randy Turner, is caring about instead of just cheering for these Moose, and the tension is thick.

Let's set the stage. The Moose trail the Bears three games to two in this best-of-seven series and with a win will force a Game 7 here in Winnipeg on Sunday night. For Hershey, a victory would allow them to celebrate their 10th Calder Cup in franchise history. They've chartered a jet to bring along their front office staff as well as the players and their families to make sure their party, should they earn one, is almost as fun on the road as it would be at home.

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Friday, Jun. 12, 2009

MIKE APORIUS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS archives
Tommy Maxwell hams it up after scoring during Thursday's Moose workout at the MTS Centre. Manitoba takes on the Hershey Bears tonight in Game 6 of the Calder Cup final. Game 7, if necessary, is scheduled for Sunday night in Winnipeg.

MIKE APORIUS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS archives
Tommy Maxwell hams it up after scoring during Thursday's Moose workout at the MTS Centre. Manitoba takes on the Hershey Bears tonight in Game 6 of the Calder Cup final. Game 7, if necessary, is scheduled for Sunday night in Winnipeg.

Nice little wager? Don’t bet on it

By Bartley Kives 3 minute read Preview

Nice little wager? Don’t bet on it

By Bartley Kives 3 minute read Friday, Jun. 12, 2009

Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz seems to have received a Hershey's kiss-off from his counterpart in Pennsylvania after attempting to set a wager over the Calder Cup.

While the American Hockey League battle between the Manitoba Moose and Hershey Bears has been intense on the ice, the customary off-ice competition between the political leaders representing the teams has proven to be no contest at all.

The Hershey Bears, one of the oldest teams in professional hockey, play in a political jurisdiction called Derry Township, whose 21,000 citizens are governed by a part-time board of supervisors. Most of the club's fans actually come from neighbouring Harrisburg, a Pennsylvania city of about 50,000 that serves as the seat of broader Dauphin County and is the only actual city within a metropolitan area of about 530,000.

On May 28, before Game One of the Calder Cup series between the Moose and Bears, Katz's director of communications called up his counterpart in Harrisburg -- and never heard back.

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Friday, Jun. 12, 2009

FREE PRESS PHOTO ILLUSTRATION
Sam Katz

FREE PRESS PHOTO ILLUSTRATION
Sam Katz

Much more to Moose than Schneider

By Tim Campbell 5 minute read Preview

Much more to Moose than Schneider

By Tim Campbell 5 minute read Friday, Jun. 12, 2009

Away from the frothing Giant Center in Hershey and inside his own quiet, sane office, Manitoba Moose coach Scott Arniel gained a better grasp of Game 5 of this Calder Cup final.

His conclusion: Unbeknownst to some who would just settle for a superficial assessment, goalie Cory Schneider was not the only Moose player on the ice in Tuesday's 3-2 Moose win that extended this best-of-seven title series to tonight's sold-out Game 6 at the MTS Centre. Hershey still leads, 3-2.

"I said down in Hershey after the game that we stood around a little and that Cory saved our butt a little but I went back and watched the game today and actually the first five or six minutes we were real good and parts of that second period we were real good," Arniel told reporters on Thursday while his team was having optional ice time.

"That game and this series has gone in those swings where one team goes hard for three or four minutes and gets all the chances, then it goes the opposite way.

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Friday, Jun. 12, 2009

MIKE.APORIUS@FREEPRESS.MB.CA
Assistant coach Jay Wells watches as Pierre-Sedric Labrie (centre) and Taylor Ellington tag-team Tommy Maxwell on Thursday.

MIKE.APORIUS@FREEPRESS.MB.CA 
Assistant coach Jay Wells watches as Pierre-Sedric Labrie (centre) and Taylor Ellington tag-team Tommy Maxwell on Thursday.

White noise a colourful subject

1 minute read Preview

White noise a colourful subject

1 minute read Friday, Jun. 12, 2009

IT'S become a bit of a hot-button subject around these parts, whether to wear white to a Manitoba Moose game. The bottom line, quite simply, is do what you want to do.

You're the fans. Wear prison stripes if you like, so long as you come and cheer like crazy, say the Moose.

"We're not discouraging anyone from wearing white or wearing black or wearing green. We just want our fans to wear Moose colours," said Moose director of communications Scott Brown. "We want people to come out and be as loud as they can because the noise is what makes the difference."

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Friday, Jun. 12, 2009

KEN GIGLIOTTI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS ARCHIVES
Young Moose fan at a white-out night way back when.

KEN GIGLIOTTI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS ARCHIVES
Young Moose fan at a white-out night way back when.

Moose ready for sold-out Game 6

By Tim Campbell 1 minute read Preview

Moose ready for sold-out Game 6

By Tim Campbell 1 minute read Thursday, Jun. 11, 2009

WINNIPEG — An optional practice was the main activity at the MTS Centre this morning as the Manitoba Moose continued preparations for Friday’s Game 6 of the Calder Cup final series against Hershey.

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Thursday, Jun. 11, 2009

MIKE.APORIUS@FREEPRESS.MB.CA
Eric Walsky drops back with the puck during an optional skate Thursday for the Manitoba Moose.

MIKE.APORIUS@FREEPRESS.MB.CA
Eric Walsky drops back with the puck during an optional skate Thursday for the Manitoba Moose.

Keeping the faith for Sunday

By Gary Lawless 6 minute read Preview

Keeping the faith for Sunday

By Gary Lawless 6 minute read Thursday, Jun. 11, 2009

Banged up, bushed, and yes, beaming, the Manitoba Moose returned home Wednesday with the common refrain of "just get us to Sunday."

The Moose were spouting a similar mantra, "just get us to Winnipeg," prior to Game 5 and with that 3-2 win over the Hershey Bears in the best-of-seven Calder Cup final, have decided to stay simple in their approach and worry only about Game 6.

If Manitoba, which trails the series 3-2 and will face elimination again on Friday night, can manage to push back the powerful Bears one more time they say they'll let Game 7 and all its wondrous possibilities take care of itself.

The Moose bused to Newark, N.J., late Tuesday night and after two or three hours of sleep, flew back to Winnipeg before landing in the city just before 11 a.m. Despite the lack of rest, the mood was light and players were talking about the possibilities of a playing in front of a sold-out arena Friday night.

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Thursday, Jun. 11, 2009

JOE.BRYKSA@FREEPRESS.MB.CA
Yesterday Moose blue-liner Max Fortunus (left) got a good laugh out of a gag gift courtesy of teammate Jason Jaffray.

JOE.BRYKSA@FREEPRESS.MB.CA
Yesterday Moose blue-liner Max Fortunus (left) got a good laugh out of a gag gift courtesy of teammate Jason Jaffray.

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