IceHogs top Milwaukee 3-2 in a shootout
Milwaukee, Wis.- Three straight wins over the weekend still have the Rockford IceHogs playoff hopes flickering. Despite a late third period tally by the Milwaukee Admirals on Sunday, forcing overtime, Rockford was able to rebound and knock off the Admirals 3-2 in a shootout at the Bradley Center.
Carter Hutton was solid again against the Admirals, picking up his eighth on the season against the Midwest Division rivals after making 29 saves. Rockford is now three games over .500 (32-29-2-5) for the first time this season and have beaten Milwaukee seven straight games.
With Rockford hanging on late in the third period, the Admirals would tie the contest with just 32-seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime. With Atte Engren on the bench, Brodie Dupont redirected a point shot from Jonathan Blum and in past Hutton for his fourth goal of the season.
After a scoreless overtime, Hutton stopped four of the five Admirals shooters in the shootout while Philippe Paradis and Rostislav Olesz tallied for Rockford to help them earn the extra point.
Playing just over 24-hours after the birth of his son, winger Wade Brookbank would put Rockford up 1-0. The veteran winger poked home a rebound off of a Paradis shot 8:04 into the opening frame standing in front of Engren. Rob Flick stayed hot with an assist on the goal.
Milwaukee countered to tie the game 1-1 late in the first period. Mark Van Guilder won a battle for a loose puck behind the Rockford goal and set up Ryan Thang on the backdoor for his 15th goal of the season at 19:07.
In the second period, the IceHogs reclaimed the lead. Rookie winger Terry Broadhurst led a transition rush up ice for Rockford, feeding center Brandon Svendsen who then found Kyle Beach wide open in the slot. The forward would blast home his fourth tally of the season at 3:01 of the middle frame.
The IceHogs are now off until Friday when they return home against Peoria at 7:05 p.m.
Next Home Game: Friday, March 30 vs. Peoria Rivermen. The puck drops at 7:05 p.m. The IceHogs and Rivermen meet for a 12th and final time this season on Friday when they square off at the BMO Harris Bank Center. The first 1,500 fans to the game will receive an IceHogs Fitness Towel courtesy of Peak Fitness.
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”