Defense, Goaltending Key To Hogs Solving Kalamazoo
Published on November 18, 2006 under International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Rockford IceHogs News Release
Rockford, Ill.- If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. That's exactly what the IceHogs did by beating the 2005-06 Colonial Cup Champion Kalamazoo Wings on Saturday night in front of 4,965 fans at the Rockford MetroCentre. It was the first time the two clubs hooked up since Rockford's Playoff Semifinal Series loss to the Wings last May.
The game was all about defense and goaltending, with only one goal in each of the first two periods. At 13:38 in the first, Rockford lit the lamp on a Mike Doyle centering pass that deflected off a defenseman and into the net. The Hogs took that 1-0 lead into the locker room, only allowing eight Wings shots in the first period. Rockford continued to apply their defensive will on Kalamazoo in the second period, as well, this time allowing only seven shots.
The only goal of the second frame came early in the period at 0:53 when forward Steve Yetman created a turnover and found winger Robin Big Snake who fired home a wrist shot, giving the home team a 2-0 advantage. The Wings weren't going to go home without a fight, though, getting off 15 shots in the third frame. Late in the final frame, at the 18:06 mark, Kalamazoo defenseman Mathieu Wathier created a turnover of his own, shuffled the puck over to left winger Nick Bootland who stumped Rockford goalie Frederic Cloutier with an over-the-shoulder blast.
After giving up a late lead at home the previous night against Bloomington, the IceHogs weren't about to let the same thing happen twice in one weekend. With the score 2-1 in favor of the Hogs, the Wings pulled their netminder, Ryan Nie, in hopes of finding an equalizer. Rockford center Preston Mizzi took that option off the table when he made a beautiful board pass to Nicolas Corbeil, who put the puck into the empty net at 19:28 to seal the victory.
After taking Friday night off, Cloutier returned to fine form, saving 29 of 30 shots. Rockford outshot the Wings 31 to 30, but struggled on the power play, going 0-7 on the night. The two clubs don't meet again until a January 6, 2007 tilt at the Rockford MetroCentre.
Next Home Game: Friday, Nov. 24 vs. Quad City Mallards. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. The first 1,000 fans to the game that are 21 and older will receive a Free IceHogs Jersey Koozie courtesy of Bud Light and WIFR 23. Also, the Hogs and the Salvation Army are teaming up for their annual Food Drive. Each fan that brings a can of food to the game will receive a free $9 ticket voucher to the Wednesday, December 13 game vs. Bloomington.
International Hockey League 2 Stories from November 18, 2006
- Defense, Goaltending Key To Hogs Solving Kalamazoo - Rockford IceHogs
- Flags Shut Out PrairieThunder, 1-0 - Port Huron Flags
- IceHogs release statement - Rockford IceHogs
- Countdown to Face-Off - Kalamazoo Wings
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