Murray's Shutout, Wiesblatt's Three Points Power Admirals Past Moose

Matt Murray turned aside all 32 shots he faced and Oasiz Wiesblatt collected two goals and an assist as the Milwaukee Admirals blanked the Manitoba Moose 4-0 Wednesday morning at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, extending their winning streak to three games.

The shutout was Murray's third of the season and the 12th of his AHL career, coming in his eighth consecutive start. Manitoba outshot Milwaukee 11-7 in the first period and 13-10 in the second, but Murray was unbeatable through 40 minutes, keeping the Moose off the board despite the territorial advantage.

Milwaukee built its lead quickly in the opening frame. Tanner Molendyk scored at 4:04 on a right-point shot that went high into the net, with Andreas Englund and Massimo Rizzo picking up assists. It was Molendyk's third goal of the season and Rizzo's first point as a member of the Admirals. Less than three minutes later, Kyle Marino's shot from the right post was fumbled by Moose goaltender Thomas Milic. Four bodies dove into the crease for the loose puck and, after a video review, officials credited the goal to Wiesblatt at 6:58. It was his 10th of the season and his first since Jan. 23.

Neither team scored through the second period, but the Moose came close. Tyrel Bauer ripped a point shot off the crossbar late in the frame, and Murray answered everything else the home side threw at him.

Jordan Oesterle broke it open in the third, beating Milic with a slap shot from the point at 12:30 for his eighth goal of the season, assisted by Marino and Wiesblatt. Wiesblatt then sealed it with 11 seconds remaining, converting a power-play opportunity at 19:49 with Marino and Oesterle picking up assists. It was Wiesblatt's seventh power-play goal of the year. Marino finished the night with three assists on the scoresheet.

Moose forward Walker Duehr acknowledged the difference-maker after the game. "I think (Matt Murray) played a good game, but when it boils down to it, we need to be sharper from the get-go," Duehr said. "I think we got better as the game went on, but execution wasn't there for us to start the game." Manitoba had chances in the third as well, with Samuel Fagemo and Phil Di Giuseppe each hitting iron, but could not solve Murray at any point.

The win moved Milwaukee to 25-25-4-3, back to .500 for the first time in a stretch that has seen the club claw back into contention. The Admirals' magic number to clinch a playoff spot now sits at 22 points.

The game also marked a personal milestone for defenseman Englund, who skated in his 350th AHL game and his 550th professional game in North America, a total that includes 200 NHL appearances.

The school-day morning start drew a crowd of more than 7,000 children from around Manitoba, according to Illegalcurve Hockey. The two teams meet again Thursday night at Canada Life Centre before Milwaukee returns home to host Grand Rapids at Historic Panther Arena on Saturday, March 21.