ROCKFORD'S COMEBACK FALLS SHORT, STREAK ENDED

Rockford , Ill.- A third period comeback was not meant to be for the Rockford IceHogs on Monday night as they fell to the Milwaukee Admirals 5-3 in a New Year's Eve contest. Rockford dug themselves into a 4-1 hole before the third period. The loss ended Rockford 's franchise record run of 16 straight games of recording a point.

Prestin Ryan pounded a zinger past Rinne from the blue line at 7:27 on a power play to make the score 4-2 and the Hogs barely had time to celebrate when Colin Fraser knocked in his 11th goal of the season, and second of the night, at 9:21 to cut the deficit to a goal.

That's as close as the Hogs would get, however, andMilwaukee later put the game away with an empty net goal from Mike Vigilante at 18:49 of the third period, his second goal of the game.

The Admirals went up 4-1 with three consecutive goals. In the first, Vigilante put the Ads ahead 2-1 at 5:55 with a shot pastRockford 's Corey Crawford.

Mike Santorelli solved Crawford at 17:53 in the second and Alexander Sulzer put the puck in the back of the net 43 seconds later to make the score 4-1.

In the first, Matt Ellison put the Milwaukee Admirals up 1-0 at 26 seconds into the first period as the IceHogs look to keep their consecutive games with a point streak going.

Fraser responded with a power play marker at 4:41 off of the rebound from Evan Brophey's shot right in front of the net.

This is the first home game since Nov. 23 that Crawford have given up more than one goal. In a consecutive game streak that lasted from Nov. 25 to Dec. 27, the young netminder was 9-0-1-4 before giving way to Mike Brodeur, who had 40 saves in the 4-2 at Peoria on Saturday in his IceHogs debut. Crawford has a GAA of 2.00 in that stretch.

Next Home Game: Wednesday, Jan. 2 vs. Hamilton Bulldogs. Game time is set for 7:05 p.m. The Hogs and Dogs meet up at the MetroCentre for their second meeting of the season and first and only in Rockford . The game is presented by Captain Morgan.