Giroux, O’Marra break through in Barons win
BY RYAN ABER
raber@opubco.com
Barons goaltender Martin Gerber lost a close decision to Manitoba’s Eddie Lack in a shootout loss Friday.
In the rematch Saturday, Gerber won in a knockout.
Gerber posted his second shutout of the season and the Barons got to Lack in the second and third, closing out a five-game roadtrip with a 4-0 win at the MTS Centre.
A pair of Barons players snapped long scoring droughts in the win. Ryan O’Marra, after picking up his 13th assist earlier in the second, scored for the first time this season at 17:28 after Linus Omark’s pass deflected off a Moose defender to O’Marra.
Late in the third, Alexandre Giroux scored his first goal since Oct. 27 on the power play. Giroux, the AHL’s leading goal scorer in each of the last two seasons, had gone 14 games without a goal.
The Barons, No. 1 in the AHL in penalty killing, killed off all seven Manitoba power plays, including a pair of extended 5 on 3 chances.
“I thought we were not too much puck-watching,” Gerber said on Manitoba radio. “We gave them some shots but we tried to keep them as far out as possible. That’s always helpful for the goalie.”
Gerber also shut out Lake Erie on Oct. 19 at home.
Matt Marquardt and Omark also scored for the Barons, who return home at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday to play Houston.
Omark also assisted on Giroux’s goal.
Gerber was making his second start for the Barons after a two-game stint in Edmonton.
Friday, he had his seven-game Barons and nine-game overall winning streak halted by Manitoba’s 3-2 shootout win.
Saturday night, Gerber quickly was challenged after Jordan Bendfeld and Taylor Chorney drew penalties just 4 seconds apart about nine minutes into the game.
But Gerber turned away several Manitoba chances on the 5 on 3 and wound up stopping all 37 Moose shots.
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Barons are a class act and great hockey!
Congrats on the shutout here Gerber and team!