Moose Update For The Week Of 04/11/10 – 04/17/10

After a grinding 80-game schedule that saw them finish fourth in the North Division, the Manitoba Moose started off their playoff run against the Hamilton Bulldogs. Find out how they did in this Moose update for the week of April 4, 2010 to April 10, 2010. For those looking for a more statistical look at how the Moose did during the past week, please visit that version of this report at Hockey’s Future Vancouver Canucks message board.
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The Week That Was

After failing to overtake the Abbotsford Heat for third place in the North Division, the Manitoba Moose travelled to Hamilton, Ontario to take on the Montréal Canadiens AHL affiliate, the Hamilton Bulldogs. The Bulldogs finished the 2009-10 season with the best record in the Western Conference, and second-best record in the entire AHL (52-17-3-8, 115 points). The Moose, meanwhile, finished 20 points and three places below where they did last season in the North Division, picking up a 40-33-5-2 record for 87 points. On paper, the series looked like a huge mismatch, though the Moose and Bulldogs did finish with similar 4-3-1-0 records against each other during the regular season.

Moose Update For The Week Of 04/04/10 – 04/10/10

The Manitoba Moose finished off their regular season schedule this past week. Find out how they did in this Moose update for the week of April 4, 2010 to April 10, 2010. For those looking for a more statistical look at how the Moose did during the past week, please visit that version of this report at Hockey’s Future Vancouver Canucks message board.
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The Week That Was

The Moose finished up their final road trip of the regular season with a pair of games against the Hamilton Bulldogs. Sunday’s game, which was the third game in as many days for the Moose, didn’t start off on the right note, with Andrew Conboy and Brock Trotter scoring to make it 2-0 Bulldogs partway through the second. Tommy Maxwell made it 2-1 almost a minute after Trotter’s goal, but the Bulldogs capped off the middle frame with a trio of goals to put Hamilton ahead 5-1. Guillaume Desbiens made it 5-2 midway through the third, but Yannick Weber sealed the deal for Hamilton with a goal just 22 seconds later, giving the Bulldogs a 6-2 win.

Oberg Recalled; Ducks Prospect Joins Moose

The Vancouver Canucks announced today that they have recalled defenceman Evan Oberg from the Manitoba Moose of the AHL. In an unrelated move, the Moose have signed Anaheim Ducks defensive prospect Matt Clark to an amateur tryout (ATO) contract.

Oberg, 22, has played in 70 games for the Manitoba Moose this season, picking up 26 points (3-23-26) and 64 penalty minutes. The Forestburg, Alberta native leads all Moose defencemen in assists (23) and points (26). Oberg has also suited up for the Canucks on January 9, 2010 against the Calgary Flames. He went pointless in 5:24 of ice time in Calgary’s 3-2 shootout win over Vancouver.

Moose Update For The Week Of 03/28/10 – 04/03/10

The Manitoba Moose started off the past week fighting for the final playoff spot in the North Division. Find out if they were able to clinch it in this Moose update for the week of March 28, 2010 to April 3, 2010. For those looking for a more statistical look at how the Moose did during the past week, please visit that version of this report at Hockey’s Future Vancouver Canucks message board.
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The Week That Was

The Moose opened up their week on Sunday with the first of two games against the Abbotsford Heat. Heat defenceman Stefan Kronwall opened up the scoring 4:35 into the initial frame, scoring on a five-on-three power play to give Abbotsford a 1-0 lead. Manitoba answered back just over a minute into the second period, as Taylor Ellington scored his first goal of the season to knot the game up at one. That goal sparked a run of five unanswered goal by Manitoba, with Mario Bliznak, Jordan Schroeder, Guillaume Desbiens, and Aaron Volpatti (scoring his first AHL goal) adding their names to the goals column. Andy Delmore added a goal late for the Heat, but Manitoba was able to hang on for a 5-2 win.

Moose Update For The Week Of 03/21/10 – 03/27/10

As the 2009-10 regular season heads into the homestretch, the rush is on to nab one of the four North Division playoff spots available. Find out how close the Manitoba Moose are to clinching a playoff spot in this Moose update for the week of March 21, 2010 to March 27, 2010. For those looking for a more statistical look at how the Moose did during the past week, please visit that version of this report at Hockey’s Future Vancouver Canucks message board.
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The Week That Was

Manitoba started the week with a rematch against the Grand Rapids Griffins on Sunday afternoon. The Moose started off their only afternoon regular season home game with a goal scored by a player making his debut. Forward Jordan Schroeder, the 1st round draft pick of the Canucks in 2009, deflected a Lawrence Nycholat shot past Daniel Larsson to give Manitoba a 1-0 lead just 1:52 into the first. Almost five minutes later, forward Kevin Clark–also making his debut with the Moose–put home a rebound to put the Moose ahead 2-0. The score stayed that way until just past the midway mark of the third period, when Nycholat fired home a slapshot to make the score 3-0 Manitoba. Schroeder added his second of the afternoon in the final minute of regulation, one-timing a Matt Pettinger pass to give Manitoba the win. Cory Schneider stopped all 38 shots he faced to pick up his four shutout of the season. The win, Schneider’s 29th, also set the record for most wins by a Moose goaltender, beating his own record of 28 set last season.

Canucks Sign Prab Rai

The Vancouver Canucks announced today that they have signed forward Prab Rai to an entry-level contract.

Rai, 20, has played the entire 2009-10 season with the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds. In 67 games with the ‘Birds, Rai had 69 points (41-28-69). During his five seasons in the Western Hockey League, split between the Thunderbirds and the Prince George Cougars, the Surrey, British Columbia native had 228 points (98-130-228) in 300 career games.

Rai was a 5th round (131st overall) draft pick of the Canucks at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

Canucks Sign Aaron Volpatti

The Vancouver Canucks announced today that they have signed free agent forward Aaron Volpatti to an entry-level contract.

Volpatti, 24, has played the past four seasons with the Brown University Bears of the ECAC. In 123 games with the Bears, Volpatti had 62 points (32-30-62) and 236 penalty minutes. The Revelstoke, British Columbia native set a school record for most penalty minutes in one season, picking up 115 in 2009-10. The 6’2″, 212 pound forward served as one of Brown’s alternate captains in 2008-09, and became team captain in 2009-10.

Prior to heading to college, Volpatti played three seasons with the Vernon Vipers of the BCHL. In 137 games with the Vipers, Volpatti had 37 points (13-24-37) and 279 penalty minutes.

As with recently-signed Canucks draft pick Jordan Schroeder, Volpatti will likely join the Manitoba Moose for the rest of the 2009-10 season, though it’s unknown when that will happen. Manitoba’s next game happens tomorrow night, when they will take on the Hamilton Bulldogs at the MTS Centre.