Winnipeg's AHL Moose Face Win-or-Go-Home Game 3 vs Admirals Sunday

The Manitoba Moose are set for their biggest game of the season on Sunday, with everything on the line in a decisive Game 3 against the Milwaukee Admirals in their best-of-three series.

A win would send Manitoba into the next round and set up a daunting matchup with the Grand Rapids Griffins, who are coming off a historic campaign. For now, however, the focus remains squarely on surviving and advancing.

The Moose are expected to receive a significant boost with the addition of promising prospect Kevin He, who joins the lineup for the win-or-go-home matchup. Winnipeg’s 2024 fourth-round pick, He arrives after a strong offensive season split between the Niagara IceDogs and Flint Firebirds, where he combined for 39 goals and 38 assists, totaling 77 points in 60 games.

Manitoba will also look to build on contributions from Elias Salomonsson, who made an impact in Game 2 after returning to the lineup. Salomonsson recorded an assist on Manitoba’s tying goal, showing flashes of his offensive awareness and ability to influence the game from the blue line.

Meanwhile, attention will also be on Brad Lambert, who continues to search for consistency in his development season. The 30th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft has yet to register a point in the AHL playoffs and has split time between the Moose and the Winnipeg Jets this year.

At the NHL level, he posted six points in 25 games, while with Manitoba he has recorded 13 points in 34 AHL contests. Expectations entering his third professional season were higher, with many projecting a near point-per-game breakout that has yet to fully materialize.

Now, with elimination looming, the Moose are hoping the 22-year-old can deliver one of his most complete performances of the season when it matters most. Manitoba will look to defeat Milwaukee and extend their playoff run to the second round for the first time since the 2023 AHL playoffs.

Puck drop for this marquee matchup is at 2:00 p.m. CT with the game being available on CJOB.com, the Winnipeg Jets App and AHLTV on FloHockey.