WINNIPEG, Manitoba – Chicago threw 41 shots on goal, but couldn’t solve goaltender Connor Hellebuyck in falling 5-2 to Manitoba Sunday afternoon at the MTS Center. The loss was just the second for the Wolves in the season series, which Chicago captured with a 6-1-1-0 record.
Scooter Vaughan and Emerson Clark scored for Chicago (23-22-2-2), while defenseman Andre Benoit turned in a solid defensive effort, breaking up three odd-man rushes in the game.
Manitoba (13-27-4-5) was led by Hellebuyck’s 39 saves in his first start since returning from the Winnipeg Jets. Josh Morrissey earned No. 1 Star honors with a four-point (0-4) effort.
The Moose opened scoring 2:22 into the first period when Matt Fraser’s shot deflected off the pads of goaltender Jordan Binnington past the goal line. Morrissey setup the goal with a slap shot that caromed off the back boards to Fraser.
The Wolves answered a minute, 20 seconds later as Scooter Vaughan snapped a wrist shot past Hellebuyck (3-7-1) from the right faceoff circle. The goal was Vaughan’s first since Oct. 17. Matt Halischuk tallied a power play goal at 16:20 mark to give Manitoba a 2-1 lead after one period.
After a scoreless second period, Manitoba broke the game open with three goals in the third. Austen Brassard scored seven seconds into a power play, Nic Petan finished a give-and-go in the slot and Jiri Fronk buried a wrist shot from the left wing as the Moose overcame a 17-shot deficit (41-24) to pull out the win.
Clark knocked in a rebound to score his first AHL goal in just his second game with the Wolves to close the scoring with 47 seconds left in regulation.
Binnington (11-10-3) finished with 19 saves on the afternoon.
The Wolves return to Allstate Arena on Thursday (Feb. 18) for a 7 p.m. puck drop against the Iowa Wild. To find the best ticket specials, visit ChicagoWolves.com or call 1-800-THE-WOLVES.
MOOSE 5, WOLVES 2
Chicago 1 0 1 – 2
Manitoba 2 0 3 – 5
First Period—1, Manitoba, Fraser 5 (Morrissey), 2:22; 2, Chicago, Vaughan 2 (Kristo, Caron), 3:42; 3, Manitoba, Halischuk 5 (Cormier, Morrissey), 16:20, pp. Penalties—Nightingale, Chicago (roughing), 9:31; Olsen, Manitoba (roughing, roughing), 9:31; Nightingale, Chicago (interference), 15:12; Fraser, Manitoba (delay of game), 20:00.
Second Period—none. Penalties—Raffl, Manitoba (hooking), 7:42; Kostalek, Manitoba (tripping), 11:25; Caron, Chicago (fighting), 20:00; MacWilliam, Manitoba (fighting), 20:00.
Third Period—4, Manitoba, Brassard 10 (Morrissey, Halischuk), 6:47, pp; 5, Manitoba, Petan 8 (Kosmachuk, MacWilliam), 7:40; 6, Manitoba, Fronk 6 (Kramer, Morrissey), 16:59; 7, Chicago, Clark 1 (Schmaltz, Trupp), 19:13. Penalties—Hayes, Chicago (boarding), 6:40; De Leo, Manitoba (slashing), 10:02; Clark, Chicago (spearing, spearing), 20:00; Doty, Chicago (slashing, game misconduct), 20:00; Kramer, Manitoba (spearing, spearing), 20:00.
Shots on goal—Chicago 10-18-14—42; Manitoba 8-6-10 —24. Power plays—Chicago 0-5; Manitoba 2-2. Goalies—Chicago, Binnington (19-24); Manitoba, Hellebuyck (39). Referees—Kendrick Nicholson. Linesmen—Bevan Mills and Darrell Surminski.
