ICEHOGS BEAT ADMIRALS 4-2 IN FIRST MEETING

St. Pierre extends point streak to 11 games; first place Hogs extend unbeaten streak to 13

Rockford, Ill. - Kris Versteeg recorded his first three-point game of the 2007-08 season as the Rockford IceHogs beat the Milwaukee Admirals 4-2 on Saturday at the Rockford MetroCentre. That game was the first ever meeting between the Hogs and their former affiliate.

The scoring started with a pass-turned-goal from Bryan Bickell. The winger was trying to center a pass from behind the net to Colin Fraser and it hit off of the back of Admirals goalie Pekka Rinne and into the goal at 1:54 in the first period. Steve Marr, who was called up from the Pensacola Ice Pilots this morning, recorded his first AHL assist of the '07-08 season.

Admirals center Cal O'Reilly tied the game at one with a short-handed goal at 5:46 in the first. John Vigilante was credited with the assist.

But the Hogs took the lead again with a goal from Versteeg and assists from Jordan Hendry and Mike Blunden at 15:03 to make the scored 2-1 at the end of the first frame. Versteeg redirected a Hendry blast past Rinna for his eighth goal of the season.

Martin St. Pierre extended his team-high point streak to 11 with a goal at 3:33 in the third period through a scrum of Admirals players in the crease. Versteeg and Blunden were given the assists.

Then Fraser tacked on another insurance marker at 6:36 with help from Troy Brouwer and Versteeg. But the Admirals would not go down quietly as Matt Ellison brought the score to 4-2 with a goal at 17:50. Rich Peverly and Janne Niskala has the assists.

Next Home Game: Monday, Dec. 31 vs. Milwaukee Admirals. The puck drops at 7:05 p.m. The IceHogs and Admirals meet again to close out the 2007 calendar year. The IceHogs will host a post game concert as 23WIFR and the Hogs welcome Seven Mary Three to the MetroCentre. The price of admission will include the game and the concert.