DESPERATE FLAMES CRUSH ICEHOGS

Rockford fails to clinch in Quad City

Moline, Ill.- There was a desperate hockey team on the ice on Wednesday night at the i wireless Center in Moline and it wasn’t the Rockford IceHogs. The Quad City Flames kept their playoff hopes alive after cruising to a 5-2 victory over the IceHogs.

With two games remaining Rockford’s magic number to clinch a playoff spot is still just one point.

Rockford was sluggish out of the gate on Wednesday as the Flames tallied twice in the first 7:09 to take a 2-0 lead. Dustin Boyd poked a rebound that bounced out in front of the IceHogs net past Niemi for his first goal with Quad City this season at 3:37.

A shorthanded goal moved the Quad City lead to a pair. Brett Sutter picked up a loose puck and finished off an unassisted shorthanded goal by sniping ninth goal of the season past Niemi at 7:09. Sutter would finish with three points, all shorthanded.

After Rockford failed to score on three straight power plays, including two five-on-threes, Quad City took advantage of their third power play of the night. Carsen Germyn blasted his 13 goal of the campaign past a screened Niemi at 18:37 making it 3-0 at the first intermission.

Rockford got a goal back in the second period when Tyler Mosienko converted on a power play. Mosienko picked up an Evan Brophey pass and knocked his own rebound past Leland Irving for his fifth goal of the season at 12:42. Tim Hambly also assisted the goal.

In the third period the IceHogs couldn’t generate any momentum to get back into the game. With Rockford on the power play late both Sutter and Brad Cole buried empty-net shorthanded tallies to make it 5-1.

Jake Dowell added a late power-play tally at 19:55, his sixth goal of the season set up by Logan Stephenson.

Rockford finished the contest 2-8 on the power play while holding Quad City to 1-8. The two teams combined to go 0-5 on the five-on-three advantage.

Niemi was saddled with the loss after giving up three goals on 32 shots faced while Irving got the win with 21 blocks.

Next Home Game: Friday, April 10 vs. Peoria Rivermen. The game starts at 7:30 p.m. Rockford faces off against Peoria in the clubs’ 2008-09 regular season home finale. The first 1,000 fans to the game will pick up a Patrick Kane Bobblehead doll and the first 2,500 fans will receive an IceHogs Team Photo courtesy of Johnson Press. All fans can enter to win an IceHogs game worn jersey as the team will give away an entire set during Fan Appreciation Night. Also, the IceHogs will present their 2008-09 Team Awards prior to the game.