A Pair Of Late Second Period Power Play Goals Is The Difference

(WINNIPEG, MB) – 22 seconds isn’t that much time, but it was enough to deny the Marlies two points.

Jason Jaffray scored a pair of power play goals 22 seconds apart, and then added an empty netter for the hat trick, as the Marlies dropped a 4-2 decision to the Manitoba Moose in Winnipeg on Saturday night.

James Neal had the other Moose goal, while Boyd Devereaux and Kyle Rogers tallied for Toronto.

Cory Schneider made 33 saves for his ninth straight victory, while Justin Pogge stopped 26 shots for the Marlies.

Toronto opened the game with some physical play as Todd Perry laid out a solid hit on Jason Krog, then dropped the gloves with Guillaume Desbiens 18 seconds into the game. Andre Deveaux and Daniel Rahimi would have their turn at a dance six minutes later. Pogge also stopped Michael Grabner on a penalty shot, before Devereaux opened the scoring late in the first period. Toronto outshot Manitoba 17-9 in the period.

The Moose responded early in the second as Neal scored his second goal in as many nights to even the score at 1-1. Toronto would restore the lead when Andy Schneider’s point shot was stopped by Cory Schneider, but Rogers coming across the top of the crease batted the puck out of the air for his first AHL goal.

Then, the Moose would go to the power play late in the second, as Jaffray would score a pair of identical goals, getting one time shots off from the face off circle, to put the Moose out 3-2 with a minute left in the second.

Both teams had chances in the third, but Jaffray would finish the hat trick with an empty net goal with 5 seconds remaining, sending the Marlies to their fifth straight game without a win.

Toronto is now 3-9-2-0 all-time in Manitoba.

The Marlies continue their five game road trip in Rochester on Wednesday night.