Anderson-Dolan Scores Twice as Manitoba Moose Topple Rockford 4-1 in Winnipeg

Manitoba took control immediately and never looked back in a 4-1 victory over Rockford at Canada Life Centre. Mason Shaw needed just 16 seconds to open the scoring, Jaret Anderson-Dolan added a pair of goals, and Parker Ford sealed the win in the third as the Moose improved to 21-15-3-0.

A hard forecheck by Nikita Chibrikov and David Gustafsson forced the turnover that set up Shaw’s fast strike. Chibrikov poked the puck to Shaw in front of the net and the Moose captain fired a one-timer past Rockford goalie Stanislav Berezhnoy at 0:16. Rockford answered late in the opening period when Gavin Hayes ripped a wrist shot from the right wing past Manitoba’s Thomas Milic at 16:59 to tie the game 1-1.

Manitoba reclaimed the lead before intermission when Jaret Anderson-Dolan whipped a shot past Berezhnoy at 19:36. Anderson-Dolan struck again early in the second, converting a wrister from the circle at 27:11 to make it 3-1 and push momentum firmly to the Moose. Parker Ford extended the margin to 4-1 at 7:55 of the third after receiving a pass from below the goal line and deking to his backhand.

Jacob Julien recorded the first two assists of his professional career in the win, and ten Moose skaters finished with at least one point. Berezhnoy was credited with the Rockford starts and gave up Manitoba’s goals, while Milic was beaten by Hayes on the IceHogs lone marker.

The performance served as a personal reprieve for Anderson-Dolan, whose two-goal night snapped a nine-game slump. Team accounts called Anderson-Dolan’s first tally his seventh of the season, while RotoWire and CBS list him with eight goals and nine assists in 39 outings through this game; publications also noted the two-goal night will help his case but suggested a call-up to Winnipeg is unlikely unless several roster moves occur before the trade deadline.

For Manitoba, the win was the club’s fourth victory in five games and followed a 3-2 triumph over the Grand Rapids Griffins on Jan. 25, signaling a timely push into the second half of the schedule. Rockford fell to 16-24-2-2 and will try to regroup on the road.

The teams meet again in a back-to-back Sunday at 2:00 p.m. CST. Rockford then returns home Feb. 6 for Michael Leighton Ring of Honor Night, a $2 Beer Night and Screw City Night presented by Hennig with media partners 95.3 The Bull and The X. For readers tracking roster moves and call-up chatter, Anderson-Dolan’s rebound will be a storyline to watch as both clubs head into a busy February.