Walker Duehr Sparks Manitoba Moose in Game 1 Win Over Griffins
The manitoba moose opened their Central Division Semifinals series against the Grand Rapids Griffins at Canada Life Centre on the afternoon of the article. They came in after a 2-1 first-round win over Milwaukee and with a run of tight home results that had already carried them through the opening round.
Walker Duehr at Canada Life Centre
Walker Duehr entered the series with points in two straight games and 29 Calder Cup Playoff games on his record. He also helped set up David Gustafsson's winner in Game 2 and opened the scoring in Game 3 against Milwaukee, a stretch that gave Manitoba a direct scoring link from the first round into this matchup.
His goal in Game 3 was his first post-season tally since Game 5 of the 2022 Western Conference Finals with the Stockton Heat. Duehr finished the regular season second on the Moose with 17 goals and fifth on the team with 34 points, so the series opener began with one of Manitoba's most productive forwards carrying momentum into another home test.
Grand Rapids Returns After April 19
Grand Rapids had not played since a 6-4 loss to Cleveland on April 19 and finished the regular season at 51-16-4-1. That break left the Griffins rested but also made their first playoff shift back into game speed part of the challenge, especially against a Moose team that had already survived a one-goal first-round series.
The matchup also picked up an old playoff thread. It was the first meeting between the clubs since the 2018 Central Division Semifinals, when Manitoba won a deciding fifth game. The teams had met four times in the Calder Cup Playoffs before this series, with the Moose winning in 2007, 2009 and 2018 and Grand Rapids taking the 2006 series.
Moose Track Tight Games
Manitoba's home results gave this opener an unusual edge. The Moose were the second team to open the Calder Cup Playoffs with five consecutive home games since the AHL adopted its current playoff format in 2022, and the Charlotte Checkers were the only other team to do it during the 2023 Playoffs.
That run fit the numbers from the regular season. Manitoba went 10-2-2-1 in one-goal home games, won four of its previous five games at Canada Life Centre and had 18 of its 35 regular season wins decided by one goal, a total tied for fourth in the AHL. The Griffins were not far behind in close games, going 25-8-4-1 in games decided by two or fewer goals, while Manitoba finished 22-5-5-3 in the same split.
Four games between the teams this season were decided by two or fewer goals, and they split those games with Manitoba taking the only overtime win. Samuel Fagemo scored the series-winning goal on Sunday for his first playoff game-winner and his sixth career Calder Cup Playoffs goal in 20 postseason games. He led the Moose with 19 goals during the regular season and played all 72 regular-season games, giving Manitoba another scoring piece built for a tight series at home.
The game was scheduled to air beginning at 1 p.m. CT, with puck drop set for 2 p.m. CT, and the opening stretch at Canada Life Centre set the tone for a series built on the smallest margins.
