Skate, pass, shoot and score.

The Manitoba Moose didn’t exactly tip toe around the latest controversy that lit sports media on fire last week. Fans could watch the players pushing, shoving and checking each other into the boards while trying to complete the objective of any hockey game, that of scoring a goal.

The Manitoba Moose took on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at the MTS Centre Tuesday night.

As the fans cheered to the sound of bodies crashing against the boards, it seems forgotten that just last Tuesday, Montreal Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty, slammed headfirst into a metal stanchion after a high check from Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara. Pacioretty suffered a severe concussion, broken vertebra, a loss of his career, while Chara, a penalty.

These common hockey injuries forced officials in the NHL to put misconduct in hockey under a microscope.

Here at home, roughing and fighting in the game of hockey is something that Moose fan, Ron Pluchinski, isn’t a stranger to. “I grew up with the game, played since I was eight years old, took and gave hits, but that hit, that hit on Pacioretty was vicious,” says Pluchinski who says he noticed Pacioretty and Chara “tangling” earlier in the game.

While the Moose took the ice tonight, the whispers of the NHL general manager’s plan on fighting concussions lingered. The meeting was held Monday in Florida and no doubt stems from the recent occurrence of unfortunate events.

Pluchinski says that he has a three-year-old son at home and is thinking twice about enrolling him in the all-Canadian sport. “I mean, my buddies have their kids in hockey camps and are excited about their kids first fight, that won’t be me,” he says.

The ominous outpour of booing filled the MTS Centre as the Moose’s goaltender Eddie Lack let the first goal in with three minutes left in the first period.  The shot made by Penguins right-wing Geoff Walker tallied his count to the eighth of this season.

“Over the years, sure, I’ve definitely seen an increase in fighting, but that’s just hockey,” says Moose season ticket holder Ted Rahal.

“Getting hurt is the risk you run when you sign up to play the game,” says Rahal. “But what happened with Pacioretty, well that was appalling how they kept replaying that hit over and over. The media totally de-sensitized it,” says Rahal.

If the Moose had focused more on skating, passing, shooting and scoring rather than checking, hitting, shoving, and hooking they may not have just penciled in their sixth shut-out of the season. The Penguins just claimed their spot as the top-ranked team in the AHL, while the Moose is fourth in the Western conference.