Crazy game ends in shootout loss for Rockford
April 14, 2006 - International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Rockford IceHogs News Release
Rockford, Ill.- The Rockford IceHogs earned a shootout point in a 6-5 loss to the Flint Generals in front of 3,456 at the Rockford MetroCentre Friday night after fighting back from two third period deficits with two short-handed goals. Center Preston Mizzi set the IceHogs single season goal scoring record, but it was only enough to help the IceHogs earn a point in the standings.
Mizzi put the Hogs on the board at 3:14 of the opening period when he slapped in his club record 17th power play goal past Eric Marvin. But the Generals retaliated with a 5-on-3 power play marker at 9:03 from winger Terry Marchant. Flint took the lead at 17:43 of the first after Jason Selleke fired a tally past Hogs goalie Brendan Cuthbert.
The second period panned out like the first. Rockford scored first to tie the contest when winger Jason Ralph deflected in his 14th of the campaign just 30 seconds in. Winger Mike Kinnie put the Generals back on top at 15:28 of the middle period before the Flint lead was extended to 4-2 with a late power-play goal from Fabian Lanial at 19:41.
Things got interesting in the third period. The IceHogs began its comeback while skating short-handed with Mizzi's second of the night and club-record 38th of the campaign at 8:10 of the third. Winger Greg Barber tied the contest at 4-4 at 10:56 blasting a shot past Marvin sending the MetroCentre crowd into a frenzy.
Later in the frame, seconds after a Flint power play expired, Hogs goalie Michel Robinson, inserted into the game after the second period, was crashed into by Kinnie and had the puck jarred loose and knocked into in the net at 15:32. Robinson retaliated on Kinnie and received a game misconduct for hitting the winger with his blocker.
Just 20 seconds later Ralph was assessed an unsportsmanlike misconduct along with the IceHogs bench to put Rockford short-handed 5-on-3 for four minutes of the final 4:08 of the game. Off of the ensuing face-off, defenseman Dan Boeser blasted home the equalizer at 15:56 short-handed sending the game to a shootout.
In the extra session, the Hogs were outscored by the Generals 3-1 and Flint grabbed the extra point. Rockford outshot Flint 45-30 and power plays favored the Generals as they finished 2-for-12, including 0-for-6 in the third period. Rockford was 1-for-5 on the advantage and didn't have any in the third period.
Next Home Game: Saturday, April 15 vs. Muskegon Fury. Game time is 7:05 p.m. The IceHogs wrap up the 2005-06 regular season with another bout with the Fury. It's Fan Appreciation Night at the MetroCentre and the IceHogs will hand out its season awards prior to the game.
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