CLENDENING, ST. PIERRE HELP LIFT WEST IN SKILLS COMPETITION

Trailing 8-6 entering the final leg of the 2013 Pepsi AHL All-Star Skills Competition, Rockford IceHogs representatives Adam Clendening and Martin St. Pierre helped the Western Conference All-Stars defeat the Eastern Conference All-Stars at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, R.I.

The West fell into a 7-2 hole after the first four events of the evening – Sher-Wood Puck Control Relay, CCM Fastest Skater, EA Sports NHL 13 Rapid Fire and CCM Hardest Shot. Clendening and St. Pierre each competed in the Rapid Fire, with Binghamton Senators’ goaltender Robin Lehner denying all five of Clendening shots, while St. Pierre converted on one of five shots on Springfield Falcons netminder Curtis McElhinney.

But the West began to mount their comeback effort in the Pepsi Accuracy Shooting, with St. Pierre contributing by sniping all four targets on eight shot attempts. After garnering another point in the Pepsi Pass and Score challenge, the West completed the comeback in the H&R Block Breakaway Relay. Though Clendening was turned away by Lehner in Round One, St. Pierre anchored the final heat for the West against hosting Providence Bruins goaltender Niklas Svedberg. With the score even at 11-11, St. Pierre deked Svedberg into a diving attempt and then flipped the puck over the sprawled out goaltender, giving the West the final 12-11 victory.

For a complete 2013 Pepsi AHL All-Star Skills Competition Scorecard click here.

Clendening and St. Pierre return to the All-Star festivities tonight in the 2013 AHL All-Star Game as the Western Conference looks to complete a second consecutive All-Star Classic Sweep, which can be viewed in the Rockford area on 23.2 Antenna TV, Comcast Cable channel-436, Charter-970, Mediacom-101 or also online through AHLlive.com.

Next Home Game: Saturday, Feb. 9 vs. Houston Aeros. Game time is slated for 7:05 p.m. The first 2,000 fans to the game will pick up a Colin Fraser Bobblehands figurine courtesy of Gatorade, recognizing the first former IceHogs skater to win two Stanley Cups.