The Manitoba Moose continue to claw their way back to a potential playoff spot, with time dwindling down on the 2019-20 American Hockey League season. On Saturday, the team picked up a 4-3 shootout victory over the visiting Iowa Wild in front of 4,430 fans gathered at Bell MTS Place in an evening affair.
Saturday’s win was the team’s 27th of the season, and ninth coming in extra time or shootout (of a possible 10 overtime games played). The win improves Manitoba’s record to 27-32-1, however, the team still sits dead last in a very tight Central Division. But in winning four of its last six, and five of eight overall, the Moose continue to fight for a playoff berth this spring.
Chasing the Grand Rapids Griffins (63), Rockford IceHogs (61), San Antonio Rampage (60), Chicago Wolves (60) and Texas Stars (59), who are all sitting above Manitoba (55 points), the Moose can still qualify for the postseason should they carry their strong play forward, and have many of their division opponents lose the majority of their remaining games.
Following Sunday afternoon’s second game of the back-to-back with the Iowa Wild, Manitoba will play 15 more games, but only six of those contests will come at home. Surprisingly, those six games are all in one grouping – a six-game homestand from March 26 to April 5. The Moose will wrap things up in Chicago on Saturday, April 11. Next up is a six-game road trip through Milwaukee, Chicago, San Antonio and Texas.
