BRODEUR AND QUICK START LEADS ROCKFORD

Brodeur makes 40 saves in his IceHogs debut

Peoria, Ill.- A solid Rockford IceHogs debut for goaltender Mike Brodeur helped the Hogs to a 4-2 win over the Peoria Rivermen at the Carver Arena. Brodeur turned away 40 Rivermen starts to pick up his first win in an IceHogs uniform.

Rockford also used a quick start and three assists from Martin St. Pierre to run its franchise best streak of games with a point to 16 straight (11-0-1-4).

Rockford tallied three goals in the game’s first 2:47 to take a commanding early lead. IceHogs leading goal-scorer Troy Brouwer started the scoring when he shoved a rebound past Chris Beckford-Tseu just 40-seconds into the contest. The goal was Brouwer’s 15th of the season and was helped by Colin Fraser and Ryan Stokes.

Rookie winger Derek Nesbitt made it 2-0 at the 1:20 mark when he fired in his second tally of the campaign off of a centering feed Martin St. Pierre. The assist for St. Pierre extended his point streak to an AHL season-high 12 games. Mike Blunden also assisted.

St. Pierre wasn’t done setting the table. At the 2:47, the Hogs leading point man set up Ross Carlson on his first shift as an IceHog and Carlson ripped in his first career AHL goal to chase Beckford-Tseu from the game.

In the second frame Peoria cut the Hogs lead down to a pair when winger Yan Stastny banked a shot off of Brodeur at 7:48 for his sixth goal of the season. Aaron MacKenzie and Mike Glumac were given the assists.

In the third period Julian Talbot reduced the Peoria deficit to a goal when he swiped his 11th marker of the season past Brodeur at 1:16. But Rockford put the game out of reach with a power-play marker fired in by Blunden past Marek Schwarz and helped by St. Pierre and Jordan Hendry.

Next Home Game: Monday, Dec. 31 vs. Milwaukee Admirals. Game time is set for 7:05 p.m. Welcome in the New Year with the IceHogs as they take on the Admirals at the MetroCentre. Come for the hockey and stick around for a post game concert as the IceHogs and 23WIFR-TV welcome Seven Mary Three to the MetroCentre.