A recent surge in attendance has the numbers looking better for the Manitoba Moose but it's likely the club will still finish short of last year's average attendance total.

That, however, says owner Mark Chipman won't prevent the club from making money for the first time in franchise history.

"We're going to be profitable this year,'' said Chipman, during last night's 3-3 tie with the Houston Aeros at the Arena. "We've worked very hard going on seven years and we're finally seeing the benefit of those efforts. The efforts of a lot of people in this organization."

The Moose broke the 8,000-spectator barrier for the third game in a row last night with 8,776 customers at the game. Tomorrow's crowd is expected to be the largest of the season with more than 12,000 tickets sold as of press time last night.

Manitoba's average attendance, following last night's game, stood at 6,380. The club drew 7,034 on average last season.

The Moose should get much closer to that mark before season's end. They have eight home games remaining and the final quarter of the season is traditionally the club's best at the box office. Even so, with tomorrow's big crowd and an average of 7,500 over the remaining seven home dates, the club would finish with an average just below 6,800.

"Last year our numbers picked up. We sold more season tickets and we were up from our last year in the I (IHL),'' said Chipman. "By the time our season ends we'll be close to last year's numbers.

"Invariably what happens, getting through Christmas and December is tough. Then for the same reasons every year, interest goes up in the back half of the schedule.

"Four things happen, our walkup gets better, it's easier the sell groups, sponsorships increase and lots of people who have bought mini-packs use them later in the season. Put those four things together and this is the kind of crowd you get. It's great. The whole building is different on nights like this."

Chipman said an average attendance figure of between 6,500 and 7,000 will allow the club to make money. He also added that a new policy on complimentary tickets will help the team's bottom line.

"In the past we would comp as many as 1,000 tickets per game. We've comped last than half of that number this season." Notes: Veteran Moose winger Jimmy Roy announced in the press box last night that he and his wife Laura are expecting their first child.

gary.lawless@freepress.mb.ca