By: Annie Nadin

The Matchup

The Wranglers return to the ice looking to flip the script against the Manitoba Moose after a tough outing at the Canada Life Centre In Winnipeg on Feb. 14.

It was a night that unraveled early.

The opening frame put Calgary on its heels as Samuel Fagemo opened the scoring and Manitoba seized momentum the Wranglers struggled to slow.

While Calgary tightened things up as the game wore on, including a perfect three-for-three performance on the penalty-kill in the second period, the early damage was done.

The Moose continued to press, extending their lead and forcing the Wranglers to chase.

Calgary finally broke through in the third with Martin Frk wiring home his 17th of the season off a slick feed from William Stromgren.

A late shorthanded marker from Manitoba sealed the 5-1 final.

“We gave up too much off the rush, and that’s where we kind of got killed last night,” head coach Brett Sutter shared following practice on Sunday. “The message today was cleaning up some of those areas, what’s causing us to give up those odd man rushes…if we clean up that area, I didn’t mind our game.”

Now, the Wranglers reset.

“Guys are going to step up, guys are hungry, I think they know we’re close now,” said Sutter.

Calgary enters the back half of the doubleheader ninth in the Pacific Division with 44 points.

Frk continues to pace the offense with 39 points.

The Other Side

The Moose, meanwhile, will look to build on their momentum.

Manitoba sits third in the Central Division with 49 points following Saturday’s victory.

Like Calgary, the Moose were perfect on the penalty-kill, going three-for-three, quick to shut down scoring opportunities.

Fagemo was the difference-maker in Saturday’s matchup, scoring twice and driving the attack.

Through 43 games, he’s posted 22 points (13 G, 9 A), including four points in his last six contests.

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