Hogs win third straight with 3-2 in over Wolves
Rosemont, Ill.- Carter Hutton is playing huge for the Rockford IceHogs. The goalie turned away 37 Chicago Wolves shots on Saturday to help lead Rockford to their third come-from-behind win in seven games as Rockford topped Chicago 3-2 at the Allstate Arena.
Rockford has won a season-high three straight and four of their last five contests after the home-and-home sweep of the Wolves this weekend.
Down 2-1 entering the final frame Brian Connelly tied the game off of a face off win. Brandon Pirri swiped the draw back to Shawn Lalonde and he found his d-partner Connelly who beat Eddie Lack in traffic at 1:55 of the third frame for his fifth goal of the season.
Rookie center Byron Froese then cashed in on a Sebastian Erixon turnover. Froese picked Erixon’s pocket just inside the Wolves blueline and beat Lack for his fourth goal of the season at 10:01 of the final frame.
The Wolves pressured Hutton and the IceHogs late in the third, including a power play, but Rockford staved off the rally to earn the win. Rockford held Chicago to 0-4 on the power play and have now killed off 24 straight penalties dating back to Jan. 11.
A patient Rostislav Olesz put Rockford up early in period one on Saturday. Jeremy Morin moved a puck to Olesz in the neutral zone on the left wing and the Hogs forward skated into the Wolves zone, got Chicago Lack to commit to a deek and wrapped his ninth goal into an open net at 2:01.
Off of a face-off win in the IceHogs zone, the Wolves would tie the score at 14:11 of the first frame. Defenseman Kevin Connauton picked up a Michael Davies pass and fired home his tenth goal of the season to make it 1-1.
In the second period the Wolves grabbed a 2-1 lead with Tim Miller’s 11th goal of the season. Hogs goalie Hutton fanned on a poke-check in front of his own goal and Miller was there to dump in the go-ahead marker at 13:53.
Next Home Game: Sunday, Jan. 22 vs. Milwaukee Admirals. Rockford battles the Milwaukee Admirals on Blackhawks Night at the BMO Harris Bank Center. Game time is 5:05 p.m. Current Blackhawks players Bryan Bickell and Nick Leddy, along with Assistant Coach Mike Haviland, will be on hand to sign autographs and meet with fans. Jim Cornelison will sing the National Anthem.
For every goal that the Rockford IceHogs score in 2011-12, IceHogs head coach Ted Dent will make a donation to children’s cancer research. BMO Harris Bank will also make a donation for every goal to the “BMO Harris Bank Goals For Grades”