The Manitoba Moose and the Grand Rapids Griffins are set to face off in the first game of their best-of-five Central Division Semifinals series. This exciting matchup will take place at the Canada Life Centre. The Moose recently advanced after a decisive 2-1 victory against the Milwaukee Admirals in the third game of the First Round. Meanwhile, the Griffins last competed on April 19, suffering a 6-4 loss to the Cleveland Monsters, closing the regular season with an impressive 51-16-4-1 record.
Game Details
Fans can purchase tickets for the game through moosehockey.com/tickets. Coverage starts at 1 p.m. CT on CJOB.com, available through the Winnipeg Jets App and AHLTV on FloHockey. The puck drops at 2 p.m. CT.
Key Players
- Walker Duehr: With 29 career playoff games, he ranks second on the Moose’s all-time playoff appearances list. He has recently contributed significantly, assisting in a crucial game-winning score against Milwaukee and netting a goal in another.
- Samuel Fagemo: He scored the series-winning goal in the first round and holds a total of six goals in his playoff career.
- Phil Di Giuseppe: He leads the Moose with 39 AHL playoff games played.
Home Performance
The Moose are experiencing a strong home advantage in these playoffs. They are only the second team since the AHL changed its playoff format in 2022 to open with five consecutive home games. Their playoff performance at the Canada Life Centre has been impressive, with four of the last five games won by just one goal.
Playoff History
This series marks the first playoff meeting between the Moose and the Griffins since 2018. Historically, the Moose have faced the Griffins in the Calder Cup Playoffs four times, winning three out of four series. Manitoba holds a 14-9 record against Grand Rapids in postseason contests.
Close Contests
Both teams have exhibited a pattern of tight games throughout the season. The Moose won 18 of their 35 regular-season games by a single goal, ranking them fourth in the AHL for this statistic. The Griffins also secured 17 one-goal victories. When expanded to games decided by two or fewer goals, the Moose had 22 wins, while the Griffins gathered 25.
As the Central Division Semifinals commence, fans will be keenly watching to see if the Moose can continue their successful run against the adept Griffins in what promises to be a thrilling series.
