Moose weekly recap: Moose shared the weekend with Rockford

Saturday, December 20 – Rockford 7, Manitoba 3

The Moose entered Saturday’s game looking to rebound after a 6-0 shutout loss to the Iowa Wild last Sunday. They also faced a familiar opponent in net, as former Winnipeg Jets goalie Laurent Brossoit made his return to Winnipeg after missing all of last season with a knee injury. Manitoba was without Elias Salomonsson due to illness, while Colby Barlow remained sidelined with an injury.

Rockford opened the scoring just 28 seconds into the game when Brett Seney scored his seventh of the season to make it 1-0.

Samuel Fagemo tied the game at 2:54 on the power play with his eighth of the season. The Swedish forward fired a quick shot past Brossoit from the slot to level the score.

Joey Anderson restored Rockford’s lead with a shorthanded goal at 6:50, his fifth, but Danny Zhilkin answered at 12:24 to make it 2-2. Zhilkin curled toward the net and fired a shot from the right faceoff spot that beat Brossoit. The goal marked his eleventh point of the season, a new career high for the 22-year-old.

Samuel Savoie added his eighth of the season on the power play at 19:13 to cap a five-goal opening frame, giving Rockford a 3–2 lead after 20 minutes. Shots were even at 11 apiece.

Thomas Milic was pulled after the first period for the second straight game, allowing three goals on 11 shots, and Domenic DiVincentiis took over in relief.

David Gustafsson tied the game again on the power play (2:31) in the second period. Gustafsson won the tie back from Phil Di Giuseppe, whose one-timer was stopped by Brossoit, but the rebound was put out to Gustafsson for an easy tap-in, his fifth of the season.

Seney scored his second of the night just 45 seconds later after DiVincentiis’ first shot, making it 4-3. Ryan Gagnier then extended Rockford’s lead to two midway through the period with his second of the year.

Despite being outscored 18-8 by Manitoba in the second, the IceHogs had a two-goal lead in the third.

Rockford continued its scoring drive at 12:52 of the third when Rem Pitlick scored his seventh, before Joey Anderson capped the seven-goal effort with his second of the game at 14:22 on the third power play goal of the game for the IceHogs.

DiVincentiis finished with 17 saves, while Manitoba committed eight penalties and conceded three power-play goals. Brossoit was busy in goal and stopped 40 shots.

Sunday, December 21 – Manitoba 4, Rockford 1

The teams met again on Sunday, with Manitoba looking to snap a losing skid in two games that saw them outscored 13-3.

Barlow returned to the line-up, while Salomonsson remained sidelined due to illness. Dawson Barteaux was recalled from the Norfolk Admirals (ECHL) and inserted into the lineup after Ethan Frisch was injured during Saturday’s game.

Just like in Saturday’s game, Rockford struck early. Seney scored just 23 seconds into the game for his ninth goal of the season and third goal against Manitoba in the two-game series.

Fagemo responded at 14:49 with his ninth goal of the season and second in as many games. Di Giuseppe carried the puck over the Rockford blue line on the left side and dropped it to Fagemo, who had time to intervene and fire a quick shot past Drew Commesso’s low side to tie the game at 1-1.

After giving up an early goal for the second straight game, Manitoba controlled most of the remainder of the first period, outscoring Rockford 14-9 with the game tied heading into intermission.

Gustafsson gave the Moose their first lead of the weekend at 3:44 of the second period, scoring his sixth of the season and second in back-to-back games. Ville Heinola’s point shot was deflected off Mason Shaw’s stick and hit the post, and Gustafsson was there to tap in the rebound.

Tyrel Bauer made it 3-1 midway through the period and scored his first goal since April 6, 2024. Walker Duehr advanced the puck to Isaak Phillips on the left side, who faked a shot before delivering a backdoor pass to Bauer for the tap.

Manitoba held a 3-1 lead going into the second intermission, outscoring Rockford 18-5 in the period.

The IceHogs pushed back in the third, but DiVincentiis knocked aside all thirteen shots he faced. Jaret Anderson-Dolan sealed the victory with an empty-net goal at 17:14, his sixth of the season, making it 4-1.

The Moose collected two points heading into the Christmas break. DiVincentiis made 26 saves in a much-needed rebound win for a Manitoba team that had faced some adversity of late.

Manitoba improved to 15-11-2-0 and tied for second in the Central Division with the Chicago Wolves.

Manitoba will not play again for the next nine days and will return to action on New Year’s Eve against the defending 2025 Calder Cup champion Abbotsford Canucks at the Canada Life Centre. The Puck Drop is scheduled for 4:00 PM CST.