THIRD TIME'S A CHARM FOR ROCKFORD IN THE SHOOTOUT

Rockford, Ill. – The Rockford IceHogs took another game into a shootout on Wednesday, but this time is ended in two points for the good guys.

The Hogs beat the Syracuse Crunch 2-1 at the Rockford MetroCentre in their third consecutive shootout-ending game.

After a quiet first period, defenseman Ryan Stokes scored his first IceHogs goal to make the score 1-0 at 4:19 in the second period. Stokes skated in his fourth game of the season and his second since coming back from a two-month knee injury.

Adam Pineault tied the game at one just seven seconds into the third period. The puck bounced off of goalie Corey Crawford's pads and Pineault stuck it into the back of the net.

But Martin St. Pierre showed why he was named CCM/AHL Player of the Month for November with the game-winning goal in the shootout. His 28 points and 19 assists, including one more tonight on Stokes' goal, lead the team.

Jack Skille and Kris Versteeg also put the puck in the net in the shootout for the Hogs. For the Crunch, Pinneault and Derek MacKenzie solved Crawford.

Crawford continues to give the home fans a show. Despite taking the shootout loss in both games over the weekend, the net minder has allowed only two goals in his last three home games. On Wednesday, he let through a single goal on 24 shots for the win.

Syracuse's Adam Munro, who took the loss in a 2-1 game against the Hogs in Syracuse on Nov. 17, was on the losing side again Wednesday. He allowed two goals on 27 shots.

Next Home Game: Friday, Dec. 14 vs. Rochester Americans. The game starts at 7:05 p.m. Rockford is back on home ice to take on another North Division foe. Next Friday the IceHogs welcome the Rochester Americans to the MetroCentre for their first and only visit to Rockford during the 2007-08 regular season. ?The game is the second and final match-up between the two clubs in ‘07-08.