MORIN SETS THE STAGE FOR COMEBACK

Hogs topple Milwaukee 4-3 in overtime

Milwaukee, Wis.- In the third game in three days between the Rockford IceHogs and Milwaukee Admirals, Rockford was able to outlast their division rivals in come-from-behind fashion, knocking them off 4-3 in overtime at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. All three games this weekend finished in a one-goal difference.

Down 3-1 entering the third period against a goalie who had allowed two or fewer goals in nine of his ten AHL appearances this season, Jeremy Morin would tally twice in 23 seconds for Rockford. The first came at 2:20 when Morin finished off a Terry Broadhurst pass in transition for his tenth marker of the season.

Then Morin would tie the game at 3-3 when Alex Broadhurst set him up on a 2-on-1 breakaway 23-seconds later for his first multi-goal game of the season, beating Admirals goalie Marek Mazanec.

The game would remain tied through the end of regulation and Rockford would snag the extra point in the final seconds of overtime. Klas Dahlbeck held in a Milwaukee clear out attempt and found Adam Clendening on the right circle where he cranked home the game winner with 20.1 seconds left in the extra hockey.

Rockford pressured Mazanec in the first period, but the Admirals struck first. Off a Rockford turnover, Mikka Salomaki fed Vinny Saponari in the slot and the winger beat Jason LaBarbera at 12:38 for his seventh goal of the season.

The IceHogs would tie the game later in the frame thanks to a broken Saponari stick. Terry Broadhurst's shot from the slot would hit the debris in the Milwaukee zone and Alex Broadhurst was on the doorstep to clean up the loose puck for his eighth goal of the season at 17:17. Rockford outshot Milwaukee 20-6 in the opening stanza.

For the first time in three games on the weekend, Milwaukee solved Rockford's penalty kill in the second period to take a 2-1 lead. Simon Moser deflected a loose puck to Salomaki who flipped his 11th goal of the season over LaBarbera.

That lead was stretched to 3-1 late in the period while teams skated 4-on-4. Joonas Jarvinen split the Hogs defense and his shot was knocked down by LaBarbera but trickled through for his second of the season at 19:10.

The IceHogs matched a season high with 43 shots on goal while LaBarbera earned the win after making 25 saves.

Next Home Game: Tuesday, Feb. 4 vs. Hamilton Bulldogs. Puck drop is 7 p.m. for another WXRX Dollar Day at the BMO. Fans can take advantage of one dollar beers, hot dogs, sodas and companion tickets.