Moose lets loose to beat Thunder

     Review-Journal
      The Manitoba Moose is one of the International Hockey League's hottest teams, and the Thunder discovered why Saturday at Winnipeg Arena in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
      Ex-Thunder goaltender Fred Brathwaite made 31 saves as Manitoba rallied for a 4-2 victory over Las Vegas in the first of a two-game series.
      The teams play again today at noon in Winnipeg.
      The Thunder led 2-1 in the second period after getting goals from defensemen Ryan Bast and Steve Bancroft, but the Moose finished with three unanswered goals.
      "We just didn't have any jump tonight," said Thunder coach Chris McSorley. "Whether it was the travel or something else, I don't know. But we didn't play the same type of game we've been playing the last couple of weeks."
      Since Randy Carlyle took over Feb. 3 as Manitoba's general manager and coach, the Moose is 9-2-1 and 8-1-0 in its last nine.
      One of the keys for the Moose has been quick starts, which happened Saturday when Manitoba beat Las Vegas goaltender Andre Racicot 3:08 of the first period. Eric DuBois angled a pass through the slot that Greg Pankiewicz redirected behind a helpless Racicot.
      Las Vegas responded with Bast's second goal of the season at 14:11 of the first period and Bancroft's 10th goal at 2:14 of the second.
      Wayne Strachan, just called up from the East Coast Hockey League, tied it for the Moose at 12:54 after getting a nice pass from Alex Korolyuk.
      Manitoba went ahead to stay on the power play when Dale DeGray rifled a shot past Racicot at 16:39.
      The Thunder's comeback hopes became more difficult because of a fluke goal a minute into the third. Manitoba's Randy Gilhen banked a shot off Thunder center Joe Day's skate into the net for an insurance goal.