Icehawks Clinch Playoff Berth With Win Over Muskegon

Published on April 4, 2008 under International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Port Huron Icehawks News Release


PORT HURON, Mich. - The Port Huron Icehawks clinched a berth in the International Hockey League Turner Cup Playoffs on Friday with a 5-3 win over the Muskegon Fury at McMorran Arena.

The win, coupled with a Kalamazoo loss versus Flint, makes the Icehawks the second IHL team to secure a trip to the postseason. Fort Wayne has also clinched a playoff berth.

The red hot Icehawks are now 4-0-0-1 in their last five games and 7-1-1-1 in their last ten outings. With a record of 38-29-2-3 and 81 points in the standings, they currently lead third place Flint by six points and fourth place Muskegon by eight points.

Special teams were vital in the win. Port Huron was flawless on the power play, converting on three of three power play opportunities, while Muskegon was 1-8 on the power play.

Muskegon lit the lamp first when Robin Bouchard took advantage of two Icehawks penalties and scored on the five-on-three late in the first period.

The Icehawks answered back, however, with three unanswered goals in the second period. The offensive burst began with a Kris Vernarsky power play goal at 2:07 in the second stanza and continued with an even strength goal by Tab Lardner at 5:48, and another power play tally by Jamie Carroll at 9:41. Muskegon then notched two straight goals to tie the game.

The two teams entered the third period tied 3-3, but Port Huron needed just over two minutes in the stanza to find the go-ahead goal. Josh Aspenlind notched the eventual game winner at 2:03 and Jamie Lovell scored on the power play just 45 seconds later to boost the lead to 5-3.

The Icehawks were outshot 27-23 in the win. Larry Sterling turned 24 of 27 shots for his sixth win in his last eight games, while Isaac Reichmuth stopped 18 of 23 shots between the red pipes for Muskegon.

With just four games left in the regular season, the Icehawks will now look to hold onto second place and home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs. They travel to Kalamazoo tomorrow to clash with the K-Wings, then return to McMorran Arena on Sunday to host the regular season champion Fort Wayne Komets.

Game Notes...Several Icehawks extended point streaks in tonight's game. Lardner has now put up points in his last four games (3g, 4a), Vernarsky has tallied points in his last five games (3g, 3a), and Carroll has goals in his last four contests (5g).

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International Hockey League 2 Stories from April 4, 2008


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