A weekend trip to Manitoba got off to a tough start for the Lake Erie Monsters on Friday night, as they dropped a 1-0 decision to the host Moose at the MTS Centre. Despite outshooting Manitoba, 27-17, Lake Erie could not avoid getting shut out for the fifth time this season. The loss takes the Monsters to 9-17-0-3 on the year, while the Moose improve to 17-13-4-0. The two teams will face off again Saturday night in Winnipeg in their last meeting of the season.

Neither team could find an advantage through the first period on Friday, as 20 minutes came and went with no score. The Moose outshot the Monsters, 7-4, in the frame.

Lake Erie's offense came out firing in the second period, almost tripling Manitoba in shots, 13-5. Despite that, the Moose were the ones able to find the net. Guillaume Desbiens would score the eventual game-winner at 7:22 of the second, assisted by Travis Ramsey.

Desbiens' goal would be all the Moose would need. The Monsters doubled up Manitoba on shots in the third period, 10-5, and yet Lake Erie could still not get anything by Manitoba goalie Cory Schneider.

It was a battle of All-Star goalies on Friday, as both Lake Erie goalie Weiman and the Moose's Schneider competed in last year's AHL All-Star Game. Weiman finished Friday's game with 16 saves on 17 shots, while Schneider turned away all 27 shots he faced in net.

The Monsters will have an immediate chance to seek revenge, as the two teams meet again Saturday night at 8:30 p.m. in their last matchup of the season.

Lake Erie will return home to Quicken Loans Arena on Tuesday (December 22nd) when they host the Rochester Americans for the first time this season.