WOLVES NIP THE ICEHOGS 4-2 AT THE ALLSTATE

Home team wins sixth straight in season series

Rosemont, Ill.- Home ice advantage is the theme in the Rockford IceHogs-Chicago Wolves season series. That theme held true on Saturday night as the Hogs fell to the Wolves 4-2 at the Allstate Arena.

Tied entering the third period, Wolves winger Andre Deveaux would break the 2-2 game. Deveaux picked up a Bryan Little pass and wrapped it around Corey Crawford at 3:08. The Wolves put the game away with a late power-play goal from Alexandre Giroux at 19:55, his second man-advantage goal of the night.

After the goal a ruckus ensued between the teams benches and the remaining 4.4 second was run off to end the game.

Off of a face-off deep in the Chicago zone, Rockford grabbed the 1-0 lead in the first period. Petri Kontiola won the draw back to Kris Versteeg, and the Hogs winger wristed in his 10th marker of the season beating Ondrej Pavelec at 12:05.

A Versteeg penalty moments later put the Wolves on the power play and it didn’t take long for them to capitalize. Giroux knocked in a perfect set-up pass from Jason Krog at 12:45 tying the game at 1-1.

Rockford’s power play struggled in the first period going 0-for-4 and the unit also gave up a short-handed goal. Defenseman Grant Lewis’ centering pass on a 3-on-2 breakaway deflected off of Hogs winger Mike Blunden and past Crawford for his first goal of the season at 17:12 making the game 2-1 at the first intermission.

The Hogs redeemed themselves on the power play in the second period, tying the contest at 2. Kontiola was on receiving end this time, blasting a Versteeg pass past Pavalec at 2:05 for his 13th goal of the season. Colin Fraser also chipped in an assist on the goal.

The loss for Rockford ended its franchise record streak of consecutive games on the road without a regulation loss. The streak ended at 15 games and the IceHogs last lost on the road in regulation in Chicago on Nov. 24.

Next Home Game: Tuesday, Feb. vs. Houston. Game time is 7:05 p.m. The Hogs return home to open a three-game home stand when the Aeros return to Rockford to battle the IceHogs. Come and celebrate Mardi Gras with the IceHogs.