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ROCKFORD CAN'T OVERCOME SLOW START
Three first period Iowa goals hold up in 3-2 defeat
Des Moines, Iowa- The score sheet says a game lasts 60 minutes. It was the first 13:40 on Friday night though that cost the Rockford IceHogs two points as they fell 3-2 to Iowa Chops at the Wells Fargo Arena.
Rockford came staggering out of the starting block as Iowa jumped out to a 3-0 first period lead. Petteri Wirtanen cleaned up an Eric Reagan rebound from underneath Corey Crawford for his 12th goal of the season at 6:28 to start the scoring.
T.J. Trevelyan made it 2-0 at 7:58 when tapped in a Matt Belesky feed for his team-leading 21st goal of the season. Petri Kontiola also assisted on the goal. Francis Wathier later capitalized on a blown IceHogs breakout and knocked in his sixth goal of season past Crawford at 16:50.
Jake Dowell got a goal back for Rockford when he picked up a long feed from Danny Groulx and blasted his fourth goal of the season over the glove shoulder of David LeNeveu at 16:50 making it 3-1 at the first intermission.
After getting outshot 14-4 in the opening frame, the IceHogs would go on to outshoot the Chops 31-7 the rest of the way but could only solve LeNeveu once more.
Winger Rob Klinkhammer beat LeNeveu to a loose puck in the Iowa zone and fired home his 13th of the year. Bryan Bickell and Tim Hambly set it up for Rockford.
The IceHogs finished the contest outshooting the Chops 35-21. The power play plagued Rockford once again as they failed to score on the advantage for the seventh straight game going 0-4 on the night. Rockford did hold Iowa off the board on three man advantages.
Next Home Game: Saturday, March 21 vs. Manitoba Moose. Game time is 7:05 p.m. The Rockford IceHogs welcome the first-place Moose into the Forest City for the final of two visits in 2008-09. The first 2,000 fans can pick up a replica Goalie Mask Bank courtesy of MembersAlliance Credit Union.
Stanley Cup Fact: The most famous trophy in the sporting world, the Stanley Cup was donated by Lord Stanley of Preston, Governor General of Canada, in 1892 and first presented in 1893. See the Stanley Cup at the Rockford IceHogs game on Saturday, April 4. For tickets call the Rockford MetroCentre Box Office at 815-968-5222.
