ROCKFORD ROASTS CHOPS 6-3

Brouwer, Klinkhammer and Kontiola combine for nine points in win

Des Moines, Ill.- An offensive outburst led the Rockford IceHogs to a 6-3 win over the Iowa Chops on Friday night at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. The line combination of Troy Brouwer (1g-3a), Rob Klinkhammer (1g-2a) and Petri Kontiola (1g-1a) overwhelmed the Chops to lead the IceHogs.

Rockford skated out to a 2-0 first period lead. The IceHogs would notch its first even strength goal of the 2008-09 season when Kontiola fired home a pretty Brouwer pass past Jean-Philippe Levasseur at 10:14. Klinkhammer also assisted on Kontiola’s team-leading third goal of the season.

That same line would be out on the ice for Rockford’s next goal on their next shift. This time it was Klinkhammer sniping home his first goal of the season off of a Brouwer feed at 12:21.

The second period began with a flurry and Rockford got it started with a goal just 21-seconds in. Defenseman Cam Barker snuck a shot past Levasseur in traffic for his second goal of the season chasing the Chops goalie from the game.

Rockford greeted Iowa’s new goalie David LeNeveu rudely as rookie forward Nathan Davis would get his first professional goal. Davis knocked a Danny Groulx rebound past LeNeveu at 5:16 on the power play to make it 4-0.

Iowa got one back while on skating on the advantage at 7:03 of the second period. Josh Green poked a rebound past Corey Crawford cutting Rockford’s lead to 4-1.

But just 15-seconds later Brouwer responded to give Rockford its four goal cushion back. Brouwer picked up a loose puck in the high slot from Klinkhammer and rifled it past LeNeveu for his second goal of the season at 7:18.

Pascal Pelletier finished the wild second period off when he flipped home his second goal of the campaign on the power play at 19:06 of the middle stanza, helped by Brouwer and Kontiola.

Iowa would close the gap in the third period, but it wouldn’t be enough. Drew Miller beat Crawford in traffic at 4:30 on the power play and later Eric Boguniecki did the same for his first marker of the season at 15:15.

Crawford picked up his second win of the season after making 29 saves. LeNeveu was given the loss for Iowa with 18 blocks. Rockford’s success on the power play continued as they went 2-5. Iowa finished the night 2-8.

Next Home Game: Friday, Oct. 24 vs. Norfolk Admirals: Game time is 7:30 p.m. The Norfolk Admirals come into the Rockford MetroCentre for the first of two straight against the IceHogs. The weekend set marks the only time during the 2008-09 regular season that the Hogs will face an Eastern Conference team at home.