Chicago Wolves @ Rockford IceHogs ... 12-13

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AHL/Game Stats -
http://stats.theahl.com/stats/text-game-report.php?game_id=1005160

Chicago Wolves 2 at Rockford IceHogs 7 - Status: Final

Dec 13, 2008 - Rockford MetroCentre

1st Period:
Scoring - 1. Rockford, T. Brent (6) (J. Wisniewski, E. Brophey) 12:09
2. Rockford, J. Wisniewski (1) (N. Hjalmarsson, M. Radja) 17:10 PP
Penalties - Served by B. Bickell Rfd (bench minor - too many men) 7:29, T. Brent Rfd (high-sticking) 10:03, R. Holzapfel Chi (tripping) 15:05, J. Lessard Chi (delay of game) 16:11, T. Brent Rfd (tripping) 18:57

2nd Period:
Scoring - 3. Chicago, J. Motzko (15) (J. Rivers, J. Insana) 0:57 PP
4. Rockford, P. MacArthur (2) (P. Kontiola, M. Radja) 7:20
5. Chicago, J. Hamilton (3) (J. Rivers, B. Sterling) 9:42 PP
6. Rockford, J. Wisniewski (2) (D. Groulx, P. Kontiola) 14:30
Penalties - B. Sipotz Chi (holding) 1:17, M. Hoffman Chi (fighting) 7:21, S. McMorrow Rfd (fighting) 7:21, E. Brophey Rfd (high-sticking) 8:33, J. Hendry Rfd (hooking) 9:04, J. Motzko Chi (unsportsmanlike conduct) 14:30, G. Stevenson Chi (hooking) 17:39, J. Skille Rfd (hooking) 19:03

3rd Period:
Scoring - 7. Rockford, P. Pelletier (14) (J. Skille, T. Brent) 2:39
8. Rockford, E. Brophey (4) (M. Blunden, D. Groulx) 5:12
9. Rockford, J. Wisniewski (3) (J. Skille, P. Kontiola) 13:52
Penalties - B. Sterling Chi (roughing) 8:25, S. Lehman Chi (roughing) 12:59, P. MacArthur Rfd (roughing) 12:59, J. Hendry Rfd (delay of game) 17:13

CHI Shots: 18 13 13 TOTAL: 44
RFD Shots: 12 14 5 TOTAL: 31

Power Play Conversion:
Chicago Wolves 2-7
Rockford IceHogs 1-6

Goaltenders:
Chicago Wolves -
Gherson 5-3-0 Start: 1st 0:00 Min: 59:56 SV: 24 GA: 7 [L]
Rockford IceHogs -
Crawford 8-3-0 Start: 1st 0:00 Min: 59:56 SV: 42 GA: 2 [W]

Attendance: 4757

Referee I: David Banfield (44)
LINESMAN I: Bryan Pancich (85)
LINESMAN II: Craig Kneale (86)

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IceHogs Website -
http://icehogs.com/news/index.html?article_id=914

HATS OFF TO WISNIEWSKI, HOGS BEAR-Y WOLVES 7-2

12/13/2008 - James Wisniewski records his first professional hat trick on Teddy Bear Toss Night

Rockford, Ill.- Tim Brent brought on the teddy bears then James Wisniewski caused the hats to fly as the Rockford IceHogs beat the Chicago Wolves 7-2 at the Rockford MetroCentre.

Wisniewski rocketed two goals past Chicago's Robert Gherson and slapped in a sweet feed from Jack Skille to complete the hat trick in his second conditioning game off of knee surgery this summer.

His three goals helped the Hogs return the favor to the Wolves after Rockford took a 6-1 loss on the chin just a week ago at the Allstate Arena. The rehabbing defenseman also tacked on an assist in his second game with the IceHogs.

In the first period, Tim Brent was dinged for a high-sticking penalty, but took advantage of a bad situation when a perfectly-timed pass from Wisniewski flew past the box as he was coming out. The IceHogs captain took it, drove for the goal, and gave Rockford a 1-0 lead at 12:09. The assist was Wisniewski's first AHL point since Nov. 11, 2006 when he served as a blueliner for Norfolk.

Brophey was also credited with an assist.

Wisniewski's first period was not finished however, firing a laser between the pads of Gherson. The one-timer was set up by Mike Radja and Niklas Hjalmarsson. The goal was Wisniewski's first AHL marker since March 8, 2006. The power play score ended an IceHogs 0-for-28 slump on the power play. The last power play scored by the Hogs came on Nov. 28 this season against Peoria.

Joe Motzko chopped the Hogs lead in half with a power-play goal at 0:57 in the second period. It was Motzko's fifth goal against the IceHogs in just three games in the 2008-09 season. The assists were credited to Jamie Rivers and Jon Insana.

The IceHogs added to the lead over the rival Wolves with a Pete MacArthur tally in the second period. The Hogs regained the two-goal lead at 7:20 in the second frame. Kontiola and Radja were credited with the helpers.

Jeff Hamilton then recorded a power-play goal at 9:42 in the second period with helpers from Rivers and Brett Sterling making the score 3-2 in favor of the Hogs.

Wisniewski's second marker of the night was a blast from the blue line at 14:30 in the second with helpers from Danny Groulx and Petri Kontiola.

With a 4-2 lead in the second intermission, the IceHogs broke the game open with markers from Pascal Pelletier at 2:39 and Evan Brophey at 5:12 in the third frame. Wisniewski's third-period marker at 13:52 summoned the hats from the 4,757 fans in attendance.

Corey Crawford kept the Chicago Wolves at bay stopping 42 of the Wolves' 44 shots. Crawford's save total was a team season high, as is his five game-winning streak.

Gherson recorded 24 saves in the loss. Rockford went 1-for-6 on the power play as Chicago converted on two of their seven power play opportunities.

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Wolves Website -
http://www.chicagowolves.com/news/features/index.html?article_id=749

ICEHOGS PREVAIL OVER WOLVES, 7-2

12/13/2008

Rockford, Ill.---The Chicago Wolves fell victim to a James Wisniewski hat trick and couldn’t find the back of the net, despite firing 44 shots on goal, on the way to a 7-2 loss to the Rockford IceHogs at the Rockford MetroCentre Saturday night.

Right wings Joe Motzko and Jeff Hamilton each netted a power-play goal for Chicago, while defenseman Jamie Rivers added two assists.

Rockford (15-9-0-2) jumped out to a 1-0 lead at 12:09 of the first frame. Center Tim Brent broke away at center ice, skated in on Chicago goaltender Robert Gherson and ripped a shot from his knees top-shelf past the netminder.

Wisniewski made the lead two with his first of the night when he collected a pass at the left circle and teed-off a long-wrister past Gherson at 17:10 of the first period.

Chicago (15-10-1-1) pulled within one just 57 seconds into the middle frame with a man-advantage marker from Motzko. Rivers slipped a pass to Motzko, who fired a slap-shot past Rockford netminder Corey Crawford.

Crawford (8-3-0) posted 42 saves on 44 shots.

Rockford extended its lead, 3-1, with a goal from left wing Pete MacArthur at 7:20 of the second period. MacArthur came streaking across the doorstep and redirected a shot by center Petri Kontiola.

The Wolves responded just over two minutes later when Hamilton blasted a
one-timer past Crawford.

Rockford doubled up at 14:30 of the second period when Wisniewski uncorked a long blast straight up the center, through traffic and past Gherson.

Gherson (5-3-0) turned aside 24 of 31 shots in the loss.

The IceHogs added to their lead, 5-2, when left wing Pascal Pelletier rebounded a shot underneath the pads of Gherson at 2:39 of the final frame.

Rockford center Evan Brophey flipped a shot off Gherson’s stick and into the net, to increase their lead 6-2 at 5:12 of the third period.

Wisniewski added a late third period marker to complete the hat trick and rounded out scoring at 7-2.

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Rockford Newspaper -
http://www.rrstar.com/sports/x1720694094/IceHogs-collect-Teddy-Bears

Wiz Helps IceHogs Beat Wolves

By Brenda Young-RRSTAR.COM

Posted Dec 13, 2008

ROCKFORD — James Wisniewski has made his time with Rockford IceHogs a memorable one.

Wisniewski, one of the Chicago Blackhawks’ top defensemen, recorded a hat trick in the IceHogs 7-2 victory over the Chicago Wolves in front of 4,757 fans Saturday at the MetroCentre.

The IceHogs (15-9) bounced back from a loss against Milwaukee on Friday and avenged a 6-1 loss to the Wolves (15-10) on Dec. 6 on the road.

It was the first time that the IceHogs had beaten the Wolves by two goals or more.

Wisniewksi, who last played in an American League Hockey game in 2006, was playing in his second game after injuring his right knee last summer.

“The coaches and players have been great,” said Wisniewksi, who will return to the Blackhawks on Tuesday. “They treated me well and have helped me out.”

Rockford struck early when Tim Brent scored when he blasted a shot past Robert Gherson at 12:09 in the first period. His shot of the game prompted fans in the stands to throw 1,331
Teddy Bears onto the ice. The teddy bears will be given to local charities.

It wasn’t long before Wisniewski, who had no goals against the Iowa Chops on Thursday, tallied his first score on a power-play goal off an assist from Niklas Hjalmarsson and Mike Radja.

It was the first power-play goal for the IceHogs since Nov. 28.

“They were easing me back into it,” Wisniewski said. “Tonight, I was involved more on power plays and other things. That’s my game. I like to shoot the puck and they help in creating the shots.”

Wolves right-winger Joe Motzko made it 2-1 near the end of the second. It was Motzko’s fifth goal of the season against the IceHogs.

“They are a team that can score,” said IceHogs goalie Corey Crawford, who had 42 saves.
“When we went up 4-2, and had a penalty kill, it helped our team.”

Wisniewski tallied Rockford’s fourth and final goal. His hat trick was the first by an IceHogs defenseman since Barry McKinlay in 1999.

Pascal Pelletier and Evan Brophey each had a goal for the IceHogs.