Fast Facts: Moose at Chicago – April 9

The Moose put the wraps on a three-game road trip tonight in Chicago. It's the final meeting of the regular season between the Central Division's top two teams. Beyond that, tonight marks the first day the Moose have a clinching scenario for the 2022 Calder Cup Playoffs. Manitoba will try to shake off a 7-2 loss last night in Milwaukee while the Wolves come in the more rested team having last played on Wednesday. Coverage of tonight's game begins at 6:45 p.m. on cjob.com/sports, AHLTV and the Manitoba Moose App. Puck drop is slated for shortly after 7 p.m. CT on 680 CJOB.

Is Tonight the Night?

The Moose sit with a ‘magic number’ of just three points coming into tonight’s game. However, due to the Texas Stars and Iowa Wild playing each other four times the rest of the season, the Moose can reach the post season with a minimum of 81 points. Therefore a win or overtime/shootout loss for the Moose would result in Manitoba clinching a playoff berth. The Moose previously visited the playoffs in 2018 when the team reached the Central Division Final against the Rockford IceHogs.

Back in Antlers

Ville Heinola made an impact by recording a power play assist in his first game back with the Moose. The defenceman has recorded 20 points (3G, 17A) in 33 games for Manitoba this season. Heinola has produced on the power play with 12 points, including all three of his goals on the season. The Honkajoki, Finland product has also suited up in 12 games for the Jets this season, tallying five assists in the NHL. Four of those assists came during Heinola’s past five games played.

Working on the Power Play

Manitoba has been racking up goals on the man advantage its past six games. The squad recorded eight power play markers on 25 opportunities for a 32 percent success rate during that span. Manitoba has scored two power plays goals in three of those six games, and eight times this season. The Moose power play posted its best night back on Nov. 10 with four goals in Milwaukee during a 4-3 overtime victory. Manitoba has drawn 233 penalties this season and turned those opportunities into 47 goals. That mark gives the antlered ones a 20.2 percent mark on the man advantage which is good for ninth in the AHL. Manitoba also features the league’s ninth ranked penalty kill, turning aside 82.1 percent of power plays against.

That’s Twenty!

Both forward C.J. Suess and defenceman Ville Heinola hit the 20-point plateau in last night’s loss. Suess tallied his ninth goal of the campaign to reach 20 points for the second time in his career. Meanwhile, Heinola picked up his 17th assist of the season to achieve the plateau for the first time in his career. The Moose have 12 players who have recorded at least 20 points this season. Only the Milwaukee Admirals boast more in the Central Division, with 13 skaters at 20 points. A little further up the leaderboard, the Moose saw their fifth player hit 30 points this season as Austin Poganski notched his 21st assist of the season.

Meanwhile, In Florida

Forward Jeff Malott has goals in back-to-back games and seven points (3G, 4A) his past six games to take over the Moose scoring lead at 37 points (22G, 15A). Meanwhile, in Jacksonville, Fla. his older brother, Mike, is set to take a huge step in his own career. Mike Malott is set to make his UFC debut tonight at UFC 273 in a welterweight bout against American fighter Mickey Gall. Malott, 30, holds a 7-1-1 record in his professional MMA career. The elder brother earned his opportunity back in October following a 39-second submission on Dana White's Contenders Series. Coincidentally, Jeff wears 39 for both the Moose and the Winnipeg Jets and made his NHL pre-season debut two days prior. Jeff made his NHL regular season debut March 20 with the Jets in Chicago.

Who's Trending?

Leon Gawanke recorded a power play assist in yesterday’s loss against Milwaukee. The defenceman has recorded six points (6A) over his past 10 games and sits third in team scoring with 33 points (8G, 25A) through 57 games. Gawanke’s nine power play assists on the season are tied for most on the club alongside fellow defender Ville Heinola.