When Cory Schneider starts between the pipes and finishes the game as a spectator and it has nothing to do with an injury, it’s generally bad news for the Manitoba Moose.
Schneider was yanked after just over 32 minutes of action Saturday afternoon as the Moose were smoked 8-2 by the Hamilton Bulldogs before a crowd of 5,626 at Copps Coliseum.
The victory gives the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead in the best-of-7 North Division final.
The third-year goalie from Marblehead, Mass. stopped 17 of 22 shots he faced, but watched the final 27 minutes and change from the bench as head coach Scott Arniel elected to rest Schneider in preparation for Game 3 on Monday as the series shifts to the MTS Centre.
Special teams were a big factor in the early stages as the Bulldogs struck three times in their first four opportunities to build a 4-1 advantage.
Bulldogs scoring leader David Desharnais got the home side on the board with a power-play marker at 6:32 of the opening period, but the Moose replied when Mario Bliznak deflected home a shot from Brian Salcido at 19:50.
The Moose actually had a chance to take their first lead of the series early in the second, but Peter Olvecky’s shot was turned away by Cedrick Desjardins and the Bulldogs went back the other way and scored a goal that helped them take complete control.
Ryan Russell (on a nifty redirection), P.K. Subban (on a two-man advantage) and Mike Glumac (on a deflection during a power play) scored during a span of 8:33 to turn a tie game into a one-sided affair.
Brandon product Brock Trotter scored the final two goals of the second period.
J.T. Wyman scored on a penalty shot (while short-handed) and Alex Henry (on the power play) rounded out the scoring for the Bulldogs.
Dan Sexton added a power play goal for the Moose, who got 12 saves from Daren Machesney in relief.
HOOF PRINTS: The only bad news for the Bulldogs was that D Yannick Weber left the contest in the second period after taking a big hit from Moose F Aaron Volpatti.
