It was the first two meetings of the season between the Manitoba Moose and Calgary Wranglers this past weekend, as Manitoba kicked off a four-game homestand at Canada Life Centre, looking to get back into the win column with the return of forward Walker Duehr from injury following the 2026 AHL All-Star Classic break.

The two clubs met on Valentine’s Day to kick off the two-game weekend series.

Brad Lambert was a late healthy scratch, so Winnipeg Jets prospect Jacob Julien jumped into the lineup.

Samuel Fagemo got the Moose on the board first, just 4:14 into the opening frame. David Gustafsson led the attack into the Wranglers’ zone and slowed down along the left boards after crossing the blue line. He found Isaak Phillips cutting into the middle of the ice, and Phillips sent a pass to his right to Fagemo, who stepped into a wrist shot and beat Ivan Prosvetov top corner for his 12th of the campaign.

Jets 2022 third-round pick Danny Zhilkin put the Moose up by a pair at 13:56. Ashton Sautner’s shot off the draw hit a body in front of the Wranglers’ net, and Zhilkin pounced on the loose puck to beat a diving Prosvetov for the 22-year-old’s ninth.

Brayden Yager also etched his name onto the scoresheet with just 43 seconds left in the first period. Zhilkin sent a cross-ice pass to Yager at the top of the right circle, and the Saskatoon, Sask. native fired a shot past Prosvetov’s glove, short side, similar to Fagemo’s opening tally.

After 20 minutes of play, Manitoba found itself up by a trio of goals while leading the shots 10-8.

Fagemo netted his second of the contest near the halfway point of the game at 9:49. Kale Clague sent a slick slap pass down low to Fagemo, and he went forehand to backhand, beating the Calgary goaltender over his blocker to make it 4-0.

Calgary remained scoreless after 40 minutes, trailing Manitoba 4-0. The Moose held a 19-16 edge in shots.

Former Detroit Red Wing Martin Frk got Calgary on the board early in the final frame, snapping Thomas Milic’s shutout bid with his 17th at 2:48.

Duehr, in his first game back from a lower-body injury, put Manitoba back up by four at 6:05 with a shorthanded goal. Mason Shaw sprung a pass to Duehr, who was behind all but one Wrangler. He used his body to protect the puck, cut to the net, and roofed it for his 12th, making it 5-1.

After dropping their last two contests in regulation, Manitoba earned a 5-1 win over the Wranglers in game one of the weekend series. Milic made 23 saves as Manitoba improved to 23-17-3.

Game two of the weekend series went down on Louis Riel Day, with the Moose looking to sweep the weekend without Lambert.

For the second straight game, Manitoba opened the scoring. Ville Heinola fired a point shot through traffic, and it found its way past Arseni Sergeev for the Finnish defenceman’s third of the year at 13:37.

The Moose led 1-0 after 20 minutes, leading the shots 9-8.

David Gustafsson, the “Gus Bus,” put the Moose up by a pair with his ninth of the season at 13:09. Heinola fired a point shot, similar to his opening goal, and Gustafsson got a stick on it to redirect it off the iron and in.

Rory Kerins got Calgary within one late in the middle frame on the man advantage, beating Domenic DiVincentiis with a one-timer for his 15th at 16:55.

Manitoba still led by one after 40 minutes despite being outshot 16-8 in the middle period.

Calgary continued the pressure in the final 20 minutes, and it paid off as Kerins netted his second of the game at 15:41 to tie it late.

Exactly like the second period, Manitoba was outshot 16-8, but DiVincentiis was stellar in net.

After 60 minutes and 3-on-3 overtime solved nothing, the two clubs went to a shootout.

After two rounds, the goaltenders stood tall until the third round, when Matvei Gridin beat DiVincentiis blocker side to give the Wranglers a 1-0 lead, meaning Heinola, Manitoba’s third shooter, had to score.

Sergeev shut the door on Heinola with his left pad on a backhand deke attempt, and Calgary completed the comeback with a 3-2 shootout win.

DiVincentiis made 38 saves, good for Second Star of the Game, while Manitoba, who still picked up a point, dropped to 23-17-4.

The Moose will stay put as they’ll face the Iowa Wild twice at home next weekend.