The Manitoba Moose welcomed the Iowa Wild to the Canada Life Centre for game one of a two-game weekend series. The Moose needed a big win to clinch a playoff spot following Chicago losing their game.
Did you miss the game? Don’t worry! We have you covered with this exclusive Inside The Rink game recap.
Moose Bite Away at Wild to Lead 2-0 After 20
The Manitoba Moose battled hard to open the game, but they weren’t making it easy on themselves. Jeffrey Viel scored 3:18 into the first period as linemate Parker Ford held off the Iowa defender. While it didn’t seem like Manitoba would have it easy, they dominated most of the opening frame. The Moose would go down 5-on-3 for over 90 seconds and as Dominic Toninato fled the penalty box, he found himself on a shorthanded breakaway and scored to put the Moose up a pair of goals. This would give Manitoba a two-goal lead heading into the second period.
Moose Walk All Over Wild in Dominant Second Frame
Right off the opening faceoff, the Moose found the back of Iowa’s net soon after. A dominant game up until this point for the Moose, and they really put a clinic on for the Manitoba crowd. Dauphin, Manitoba product Mark Liwiski didn’t waste any time as the Moose struck again at 2:44. Liwiski and linemate Carson Golder put together quite a fourth-line effort as Golder fought off a check from two Iowa defenders to feed Liwiski his first career AHL goal.
Just minutes later, Kristian Reichel wanted to join the scoring party as he would get his first goal of the game home after redirecting Capobianco’s blast from the blue line. Reichel decided he wasn’t done either, he would make it 5-0 as he scored at the halfway point in the second period. While Iowa would get a goal minutes later, Manitoba didn’t seem to want to take their foot off the gas as they carried a dominant second-period showing and a 5-1 lead into the third period.
Chaotic Third Period Advances the Moose to the AHL Playoffs
As the final period opened, the Manitoba Moose were very close to punching their ticket to the 2024 AHL Playoffs. Iowa would draw within three after Caeden Bankier scored a power-play goal at the halfway point in the third. Jeffrey Viel would claw as he scored his second of the game with a distance empty-net goal. Steven Fogarty would give Iowa their third goal of the game followed by David Spacek tallying Iowa’s fourth goal with 60 seconds left in the game. With the goalie pulled, Iowa was desperate to keep their playoff hopes afloat. Manitoba put away the game as Kristian Reichel completed his first career professional hat-trick as Manitoba claimed their 7-4 victory.
Later in the day, the Chicago Wolves fell to the Grand Rapids Griffins which clinched Manitoba’s berth in the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs. Manitoba is currently ranked fifth in the Central with four games remaining. They are five points behind the Texas Stars who have two games remaining. Manitoba plays Iowa in their final home game of the 2023-24 AHL season and make a stop in Milwaukee before heading to Texas for their final two home games of the 2023-24 AHL season.
