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Hogs pepper Peoria with team record 49 shots in loss

Peoria, Ill.- There were shots, shots and more shots on Sunday in Peoria for the Rockford IceHogs against the Rivermen. A team single-game record 49 of them to be exact. But Ben Bishop stopped 47 of them to hold off the IceHogs 5-2 at Carver Arena.

Peoria was granted an early two-minute, 5-on-3 power play Sunday and five seconds after Rockford killed it off, the Rivermen grabbed the game’s first goal. T.J. Hensick picked up a loose puck and flipped in his eighth goal of the season at 5:00.

Later in the frame, while skating 4-on-4, Peoria struck again. Shaun Heshka picked up an Adam Cracknell pass at the right point and beat Carter Hutton through traffic at 7:37. The Rivermen then extended their lead to 3-0 when Cracknell one-timed a Cade Fairchild pass past Hutton at 11:07.

Rockford got a goal back before the first break to make it 3-1. Jimmy Hayes picked up a Rostislav Olesz rebound and batted in his fourth goal of the season at 16:22.

In the third period the IceHogs continued to chip away at the deficit with a power-play goal. Brian Connelly crossed a pass through the Peoria zone and Jeremy Morin tipped in his fifth goal of the campaign past Ben Bishop at 5:02. The goal ended an 0-14 power play skid for Rockford.

But Peoria capitalized on a failed Rockford breakout attempt to restore their two-goal advantage. Jonathan Cheechoo picked up a loose puck and picked the top left corner at 14:27 of the final frame to make it 4-2.

Phil McRae would ice the game with his 13th goal of the campaign at 16:14, sneaking a shot past Hutton from on top of the left face-off circle.

Rockford outshot Peoria 49-41 and Hutton was tagged with the loss despite 36 saves. The IceHogs recent power-play struggles continued as they finished 1-9 while holding the Rivermen of the board on three chances.

Next Home Game: Friday, Dec. 9 vs. Chicago: The Wolves come to town for the third of twelve games between Rockford and Chicago and another Illinois Lottery Cup matchup. The puck drops at 7:05 p.m. The first 1,500 fans 21-and-older will pick up the second IceHogs pint glass in a series of three courtesy of Applebees. Cylinder 6 will also be performing live before the game and during both intermissions.

For every goal that the Rockford IceHogs score in 2011-12, IceHogs head coach Ted Dent will make a donation to children’s cancer research. BMO Harris Bank will also make a donation for every goal to the “BMO Harris Bank Goals For Grades”