Moose Split Weekend Set with Wranglers as Fagemo, DiVincentiis Shine
The Manitoba Moose returned from the AHL All-Star break looking to reset and refocus, and they did just that-at least to start the weekend. With forward Walker Duehr back in the lineup after a lower-body injury, Manitoba hosted the Calgary Wranglers for a two-game set at Canada Life Centre, marking the first meetings of the season between the clubs. The Moose came out swinging in Game 1, but Calgary clawed back in Game 2 to earn a split.
Game 1: Moose 5, Wranglers 1 - Offensive Fireworks and a Statement Win
Valentine’s Day brought more than roses and chocolates-it brought a dominant performance from the Moose.
With Brad Lambert a late scratch, Jacob Julien stepped into the lineup, and the Moose wasted no time setting the tone. Just over four minutes in, Samuel Fagemo opened the scoring with a laser wrist shot off a slick passing sequence from David Gustafsson and Isaak Phillips. It was Fagemo’s 12th of the season, and it set the tone for what would become a long night for Calgary goaltender Ivan Prosvetov.
Danny Zhilkin doubled the lead midway through the first, capitalizing on a loose puck in front after Ashton Sautner’s point shot created chaos in the crease. Zhilkin didn’t hesitate, burying his ninth of the season past a sprawling Prosvetov.
And the Moose weren’t done yet. With less than a minute left in the opening frame, Zhilkin found Brayden Yager with a cross-ice feed, and the Saskatoon native ripped a short-side snipe that mirrored Fagemo’s opener. Just like that, Manitoba was up 3-0 after 20 minutes and held a slight edge in shots, 10-8.
Fagemo wasn’t finished. Near the midway point of the second, Kale Clague threaded a slap-pass down low, and Fagemo made it look easy-forehand to backhand, top shelf. That made it 4-0 Moose, and the Wranglers had no answers through two periods.
Calgary finally broke through early in the third, as veteran Martin Frk spoiled Thomas Milic’s shutout bid with a well-placed shot for his 17th of the season. But the Moose responded quickly-and emphatically.
Back in the lineup and on the penalty kill, Duehr showed exactly what Manitoba had been missing. Mason Shaw hit him with a stretch pass, and Duehr did the rest-shielding the puck, cutting hard to the net, and roofing a shorthanded beauty to restore the four-goal cushion. It was a welcome return for the gritty forward and his 12th tally of the year.
Milic stopped 23 shots to backstop Manitoba to a 5-1 win, snapping a two-game skid and improving the team’s record to 23-17-3.
Game 2: Wranglers 3, Moose 2 (SO) - A Missed Opportunity on Louis Riel Day
Two days later, the Moose looked to complete the sweep on Louis Riel Day, but Calgary had other plans.
Manitoba once again struck first, as Ville Heinola’s point shot found its way through traffic for his third of the year. The Moose controlled much of the opening frame and led 1-0 after 20 minutes.
Midway through the second, Gustafsson-aka the “Gus Bus”-added to the lead with a deft redirect off another Heinola point shot. It was Gustafsson’s ninth of the season and a textbook example of net-front presence paying off.
But Calgary pushed back late in the period. On the power play, Rory Kerins blasted a one-timer past Domenic DiVincentiis to cut the lead in half.
That goal shifted the momentum, and the Wranglers began to tilt the ice. They outshot Manitoba 16-8 in the second and kept that pressure going into the third.
Kerins struck again late in regulation, tying the game with his second of the night at 15:41. The Wranglers once again outshot the Moose 16-8 in the final frame, but DiVincentiis stood tall to keep the game level through 60 minutes and overtime.
In the shootout, both netminders were perfect through the first two rounds. Then, Calgary’s Matvei Gridin beat DiVincentiis blocker side in the third round. Heinola had a chance to extend it, but Sergeev shut the door with a sharp left pad save on the backhand attempt.
Despite the shootout loss, DiVincentiis was outstanding, stopping 38 shots and earning Second Star honors. The Moose picked up a point to move to 23-17-4, but there was a sense they left something on the table.
Captain Mason Shaw summed it up: “I thought our first period was good. There were some good things that we did in that period, but obviously, the second period got away from us. We weren’t able to respond.”
Takeaways
- Fagemo’s Finishing Touch: With two goals in Game 1, Fagemo continues to show why he’s one of the Moose’s most dangerous weapons. His ability to find soft spots in coverage and finish with precision is elite at the AHL level.
- Heinola’s Two-Way Impact: The Finnish blueliner was a force in Game 2, notching a goal and an assist while quarterbacking the power play and logging big minutes.
- DiVincentiis Deserves the Spotlight: His 38-save effort in Game 2 kept Manitoba in it when Calgary was surging. The young netminder is proving he can handle the workload and pressure of tight games.
- Duehr’s Return is a Boost: The shorthanded goal was the highlight, but Duehr’s physical presence and puck protection were noticeable all game. His return adds a valuable dimension to the Moose forward group.
Manitoba now shifts its focus to the rest of the homestand, looking to build off a strong showing against a tough Calgary squad. If they can tighten up their second-period play and continue to get standout performances from their key contributors, they’ll be in good shape heading into the stretch run.