The Manitoba Moose are done for the 2022-23 American Hockey League season.
Spencer Stastney scored the game-winning goal with just 27 seconds left in regulation time to lift the host Milwaukee Admirals to a 2-1 triumph over the Winnipeg Jets’ minor league squad Sunday night in the fifth and deciding game of their best-of-five opening-round series. Jansen Harkins had given the visitors life at the 18:03 mark of the final frame, netting his fourth goal of the series to even the game 1-1 with goalie Oskari Salminen on the bench for an extra attacker.
The celebration was short lived. Stastney finished off a passing play with former Jets winger Zach Sanford after Manitoba skaters Cole Maier and Dean Stewart collided near centre ice.
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Milwaukee Admirals forward Luke Evangelista keeps the puck out of Manitoba Moose defenceman Ashton Sautner’s reach Saturday night in Milwaukee.
“The six-on-five was good. The goaltending pull was all good. We get it into a 1-1 score …we just collide, basically,” said Moose head coach Mark Morrison. “(Stewart’s) got the puck coming up the wall and Maier’s trying to change, they collide, unfortunate, both guys go down.
“(The Admirals) go back in on a three on one.”
Manitoba earned an overtime last Wednesday in Milwaukee to take a 2-1 series lead, and had two opportunities to wrap up the series on the road.
But they couldn’t get the job done.
“They’re not saying too much in (the dressing room) right now. It’s pretty quiet,” Morrison said. “We wanted to take it into overtime and then it’s anybody’s (game). It’s one shot. That’s what we were trying to do.” Mark Jankowski scored midway through the second period to open the scoring for Milwaukee. Salminen did all he could between the pipes for the visitors, turning aside 31 of 33 shots by the Admirals.
The Moose misfired on five power-play chances, including a pair in the final frame. Milwaukee netminder Yaroslav Askarov wasn’t overworked but had a sound night, stopping 20 drives.
— staff
