Moose defense shines, goaltending steady. Can offensive prospects ignite a playoff surge for Winnipeg's AHL squad?
The Winnipeg Jets are heating up at the right time with points in eight of their last nine games in the playoff race, and their AHL affiliate appears to be doing the same.
The Manitoba Moose recently completed a two-game series sweep over the Toronto Marlies and will look to extend that success on the road with a two-game set Tuesday and Wednesday against the Abbotsford Canucks.
With back-to-back victories Manitoba looks to have bounced back after having dropped five of its previous six games before the series. Even during that difficult stretch, however, the Moose showed flashes of promise with a win over the Grand Rapids Griffins, the current top seed in the American Hockey League.
Manitoba still has time to climb the standings and will have a good chance to do so with the most remaining games of any team in the AHL with 21 left on their schedule, giving them an opportunity to make up ground if they can string together a hot streak.
Through 51 games, Manitoba holds a 26-19-5-1 record. Much of that success has been driven by strong defensive play. The Moose have allowed just 143 goals this season, the fifth-lowest total in the league.
Offense has been the bigger challenge with Manitoba as they've scored just 132 goals, tied for the second fewest in the AHL. That total is particularly notable given the presence of several highly regarded Jets prospects on the roster, including Brayden Yager, Colby Barlow and Nikita Chibrikov.
Yager and Barlow are both adjusting to their first professional seasons, and the organization would welcome more offensive production from the group as the season progresses.
Manitoba’s goaltending tandem has helped keep the team competitive with starter Thomas Milic, who has posted a 13-7-4 record with a 2.49 goals against average and a .907 save percentage in 25 starts. His partner, Domenic DiVincentiis, has also been steady despite an 11-12-2 record, recording a 2.74 goals against average and a matching .907 save percentage.
With a strong defensive structure and reliable goaltending in place, the Moose will aim to build momentum down the stretch and push toward a potential dark horse playoff run.
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