Toronto, Ont.- A four-goal second period carried the Rockford IceHogs to their second straight win and a 5-3 victory over the Toronto Marlies at the Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto on Sunday.
Rockford goalie Joe Fallon made 27 saves to pick up his first career AHL win and Rockford received goals from five different skates. The IceHogs also moved their all-time record to 5-0-0-0 against the Marlies.
Winger Akim Aliu put Rockford in front with his first goal of the season at 4:04 of the opening frame. Aliu worked around Toronto defenseman Carl Gunnarsson and beat James Reimer for the 1-0 lead.
Toronto answered with two markers to grab a 2-1 advantage at the intermission. Defenseman Jonas Frogren scored his first goal of the season to tie the game after he beat Joe Fallon at 13:26 off of a Ryan Hamilton feed.
Then on a power play Jiri Tlusty put the Marlies on top. Tlusty picked up a shot that was initially blocked by IceHogs defenseman Richard Petiot and fired his second goal of the campaign over Fallon at 16:46.
Rockford exploded with four second period goals to take a 5-2 lead into the second intermission. Defenseman Daryl Boyle began the barrage when he fired his first goal of the season over the shoulder of Reimer at 2:52.
Rob Klinkhammer extended Rockford’s lead to 4-2 when he cleaned up a Bracken Kearns rebound at 4:21 for his first goal of the season. Later on a 5-on-3 power play, winger Bryan Ewing buried his first career AHL goal. Ewing picked up a rebound off of the back half wall from a Pete MacArthur shot and beat Reimer at 11:57.
The second period scoring was capped by a shorthanded goal from winger Jake Dowell. Dowell out skated the Marlies defense to a loose puck, skated in all alone and tallied the IceHogs first shortie of the season at 15:36 unassisted.
Toronto added a third goal to cut the deficit to 5-3. Tlusty finished off an Andre Deveaux centering pass for his second of the night at 14:18.
Next Home Game: Friday, Oct. 16 vs. Chicago Wolves. Game time is 7:05 p.m. After five-straight road tilts to open the 2009-10 regular season the IceHogs return home to face the Wolves. The first 5,000 fans to the game will pick up an IceHogs wall calendar from Maverick Media and 23 WIFR.