HUTTON, HOGS HOLD OFF MILWAUKEE

Rockford ends four-game slide

Milwaukee, Wis.-Carter Hutton celebrated his 27th birthday on Wednesday and helped carry the Rockford IceHogs to a 3-1 win over the Milwaukee Admirals at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. The win snapped a four-game winless streak for Rockford.

Hutton made 29 saves to earn his tenth win of the season while all four goals were tallied in the first period.

Milwaukee grabbed the first goal of the game early in period one. Juuso Puustinen pounced on a loose puck in the Rockford zone and knocked in his third goal of the season at 2:51 of the opening frame past Hutton.

The IceHogs countered with three goals to take a 3-1 lead. A Philippe Paradis shot was blocked down by Magnus Hellberg, but right to Brandon Pirri who buried his ninth goal of the season at 5:54 to tie the game at 1-1.

Then three minutes later Andrew Shaw put Rockford on top. Peter LeBlanc crossed a pass to Shaw on the doorstep where the winger tipped in his seventh goal of the season at 8:51.

A miscue from Hellburg later put Rockford up 3-1. Jeremy Morin picked up a Martin St. Pierre pass in the neutral zone and dumped the puck into the Admirals end where Hellberg misplayed the puck. It settled behind him with Morin following his dump in and he knocked in his tenth goal on the campaign at 14:44.

Rockford faced four third period short-hands and killed them all off to stave off the Admirals. Jeremy Smith came on in relief of Hellberg and made 19 saves.

Next Home Game: Saturday, Dec. 22 vs. Abbotsford Heat at 7:05 p.m. The IceHogs host the Western Conference’s top team on Saturday for Stan Mikita Night. Blackhawks Ambassador and Hall of Famer Stan Mikita will be on hand to meet and greet fans. The first 1,500 fans through the gates will get a mini-stick, compliments of U.S. Cellular.