The Manitoba Moose finished their preseason with a split in Minnesota, dropping Friday’s opener 3-0 before bouncing back for a 4-1 win over the Iowa Wild on Saturday afternoon at TRIA Rink in St. Paul, Minn.
For head coach Mark Morrison, the result mattered less than the work his group got in over the two games.
“The pace was good, and the competition was good,” said head coach Mark Morrison. “It’s good to evaluate your players against good competition.
I thought both games were hard-fought. We learned a lot about our players.”
Manitoba’s roster featured a heavy dose of youth, including five players making their first appearance in antlers while on NHL or AHL contracts. Mikey Milne, Deni Goure, Evan Nause, and Dysin Mayo were among the group on AHL deals, while Winnipeg Jets fourth-round pick Kevin He played in both games over the weekend.
He split the 2025-26 season between the OHL’s Niagara IceDogs and Flint Firebirds, and his junior résumé is already a big one: 239 points, with 127 goals and 112 assists, in 252 games. He didn’t score in Minnesota, but the winger said the weekend still gave him plenty to build on.
“I felt good,” He explained. “A lot of the veterans took me under their wing and showed me the ropes a little bit.
It was good soaking it all in. To finish off the road trip with a win is pretty surreal.”
Morrison liked what he saw from the young winger, especially the way he handled the details.
“He skates really well; he protects the puck pretty well. He plays with lots of energy and pace,” Morrison detailed.
“We liked him. He was on the power play, on the penalty kill, and he was good on both of them.”
The Moose offense came alive on Saturday, led by a pair of goals from Milne and another from Goure. Chase Yoder added a goal in the third period, while Winnipeg-born goaltender Isaac Poulter held the fort with 29 saves.
Three Moose skaters - Milne, Goure, and Jacob Julien - finished with multi-point games in the win.
Morrison pointed to the lineup changes as part of the reason Manitoba looked sharper in the rematch, and he also singled out the special teams. The power play cashed in once on four chances, and the penalty kill ran the table, going 6-for-6.
For He, the weekend was about more than the scoreboard. Between the prospect tournament and his NHL preseason appearances, he said the experience has already been a major step as he heads into his first pro season.
“It was nice to get on this road trip with the guys,” he reflected. “It’s been surreal between the prospect tournament and playing a few games there in pre-season.
I came here definitely ready, but I’ve still got a lot to learn. That’s something I’m looking forward to.”
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