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FOUR GOAL MIDDLE FRAME BURIES ICEHOGS 5-1

Vs OKC Brophey
Rockford, Ill.- The Oklahoma City Barons' offense erupted with a four-goal middle frame and that was good enough to knock off the Rockford IceHogs 5-1 on Friday night at the Rockford MetroCentre.

Oklahoma City got on the board first at 5:13 in the first period. Alex Plante fired a shot in on Hannu Toivonen, who blocked it down, but Mark Arcobello was there to flip in the rebound to put the Barons up 1-0. Zack Stortini also registered an assist on the play.

The Barons really got their offense going in the second period with four goals, including three in a span of 1:16. After a faceoff win, Brad Moran dished the puck for Colin McDonald to send to the back of the net at 4:32 in the middle frame to make it 2-0.

Then, Oklahoma City took advantage of a 5-on-3 power play as McDonald scored his second of the game. Bryan Helmer ripped a shot that Toivonen kicked out to the slot and McDonald lit the lamp at 11:04 in the second period. Moran had the helper on the play.

The Barons extended their lead to 4-0 just 33 seconds later. With Oklahoma City still on a power play, Philippe Cornet flipped the puck over a sprawling Toivonen with help from Colten Teubert and Alex Plante at 11:37.

After the Barons fourth goal, Garnet Exelby picked up a roughing penalty and the Barons cashed in on the man advantage once again. McDonald fired in his third of the night for the hat trick at 12:20 in the middle frame to give the Barons a 5-0 lead and chased Toivonen from the game. Arcobello and Moran chipped in with the assists, the third of the game for Moran.

The IceHogs opened the third period with a power play marker of their own at 3:57. Dylan Olsen fired a shot in on Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers and Kyle Beach was on the door step to chip in the rebound for his 14th of the season to bring the score to 5-1.

But that's all the IceHogs mustered as Drouin-Deslauriers turned away 40-of-41 IceHogs chances. Toivonen was handed a loss stopping 16 pucks. Alec Richards blocked all 14 shots faced in relief.

The IceHogs converted on one of their six power play attempts as Oklahoma City cashed in on 3-of-5.

Next Home Game: Saturday, March 19, vs. Peoria Rivermen. Puck drop is at 7:05 p.m. The first 2,500 fans to the game will receive a Niklas Hjalmarsson Bobblehead brought to you by U.S. Cellular, WIFR and 97ZOK. Hjalmarsson won the fan vote to become the final bobblehead in a series of three.