Komets' comeback falls short this time
April 28, 2006 - International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Rockford IceHogs News Release
Rockford, Ill.- The Rockford IceHogs moved one step closer to advancing to the Colonial Cup Semifinals as they topped the Fort Wayne Komets 6-4 in Game Four of the clubs First Round Playoff series at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Ind. The IceHogs grabbed a 3-1 best-of-seven series lead with Game Five scheduled for Friday night in Rockford.
Rockford built a 4-0 lead in Game Four and had to withstand a third period Fort Wayne rally to take the win. The only goal in the opening period came at 14:59 when IceHogs winger Bruce Watson fired a misplayed puck past Komets goalie Kevin St. Pierre for the 1-0 lead. Midway through the second, the game got a bit crazy as Rockford scored three goals in a span of just over 90 seconds.
The barrage started when winger Greg Barber was brought down on a breakaway with a delayed penalty being called on Fort Wayne. Barber was awarded a penalty shot, the first for an IceHogs skater in the postseason, and the winger buried his chance past St. Pierre at 9:55. Fort Wayne defenseman Ed Campbell was then assessed a four-minute penalty for high sticking moments later, putting Rockford on a 5-on-3 advantage. It took winger Billy Tibbetts just six seconds to capitalize, putting Rockford up 3-0 with a power play blast at 10:31.
Rookie winger Robin Big Snake then tallied on the back-end of the long advantage at 11:34, deflecting in a Matt Gens shot from the point extending the Hogs lead to 4-0. Fort Wayne began its comeback at 16:08 of the second when rookie winger Jamie Milam blew a 4-on-3 power play marker past Hogs goalie Scott Dickie.
The Komets came out strong in the third and reduced the IceHogs lead to one goal less than five-minutes into the final frame. Winger Lance Gailbraith lit the lamp with another Komet power play goal at 1:13 of the third before winger David Hukalo tipped in the Komets third goal of the game at 4:54.
Rockford rookie center Yannick Tifu gave the Hogs its two-goal cushion back with a nice individual effort in front of St. Pierre, beating the goaltender at 11:47 of the period and pushing the lead for Rockford to 5-3. The Komets wouldn't roll over, however, as center David Carpentier knocked in another Komets goal at 17:58, closing Rockford's lead to 5-4.
The rally for Fort Wayne would come to an end at 19:43 of the last frame when Barber scored into an empty net, sealing the win for Rockford. The Hogs were outshot for the fourth straight game in the series, this time 37-34. Dickie earned his second postseason win making 33 saves.
Next Home Game: Friday, April 28 vs. Fort Wayne Komets. Game Five of the First Round of the Colonial Cup Playoffs. Game time is 7:30 p.m. The Hogs and Komets return to the MetroCentre for Game Five as the Hogs look to end Fort Wayne's season and the Komets hope to extend it another day.
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