THREE GOAL DEFICIT TOO MUCH FOR ROCKFORD TO OVERCOME

Hogs drop a 5-4 contest in Rochester

Rochester, NY- Two-three goal deficits were a little too much for the Rockford IceHogs on Friday night. Down 3-0 and 5-2, the IceHogs comeback fell one-goal short, as they fell to the Rochester Americans 5-4 at the Blue Cross Arena. Hogs center Martin St. Pierre chipped in three more points and now has eight points in his last two games.

The Amerks jumped all over Rockford in the opening frame with three goals in the game’s first 9:11. The first two came on power plays with Cam Barker in the box. Winger Rob Globke, who accounted for two first period markers, blasted a puck deflected in front of the Rockford goal past Wade Flaherty at 3:45. Flaherty stepped out of his crease to play the dump in, and the puck caromed in front right to Globke.

Rochester extended the lead to 2-0 after Stefen Meyer buried his fifth goal of the campaign at 6:13. The Americans later ended Flaherty’s night with Globke’s second tally of the game, ripping his third goal of the season past the Hogs goaltender at 9:11.

As they’ve done all season, Rockford kept battling despite the early deficit and made it a one-goal game at the first intermission. St. Pierre punched his fifth goal of the season past David Shantz at 10:15, cutting it to a 3-1 game. Then at 12:29, winger Colin Fraser knocked a rebound past Shantz for his fifth marker of the campaign. The opening frame feature five combined goals on 1 combined shots.

In the second period, the IceHogs had an opportunity to tie the game with a five-on-three power play, but failed to solve Shantz. Moments later, Meyer took advantage of a Rockford penalty and snuck his second goal of the night past Corey Crawford at 7:26. The Amerks stretched its lead to 5-2 when Anthony Stewert skated in all alone on Crawford and slipped his fifth lamp lighter of the campaign past the Hogs goalie at 13:10.

Rockford attempted another comeback in the third period and they didn’t waste any time getting is started. Winger Bryan Bickell fired home his fifth marker of the season just 30-seconds into the final frame. Barker then reduced the Amerks lead to one with a power-play blast at 11:40 for his fourth goal of the season.

That’s all that the IceHogs could muster, however, as Shantz shutout the Hogs the rest of the way. Rockford out shot Rochester 35-21 in the contest.

Next Home Game: Friday, Nov. 23 vs. Quad City Flames. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. The IceHogs and Flames meet for the first time at the Rockford MetroCentre. The first 2,000 fans to the game will receive and IceHogs Championship Ring Statue commemorating the club’s Colonial Cup Championship in 2007. The game is sponsored by Dental Dimensions, WTVO-TV channel 17 and FOX 39. For tickets call (815) 968-5222.