
Wolves huff, puff but can't scare IceHogs
March 28, 2008 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Rockford IceHogs News Release
Rockford, Ill.- The Chicago Wolves and Rockford IceHogs have returned to their early-season theme, this time with a twist. Games between the two teams are usually close and tonight the Hogs came out on top 3-2 in a shootout at the Rockford MetroCentre. It was the first shootout and third overtime game between Chicago and Rockford.
In the eight times the Hogs and Wolves have played, the home team has won seven and all but three were one-goal games. And the Hogs got a big game from Wade Flaherty, who was honored before the game for winning his 300th professional game on Monday.
With the game tied at two, Troy Brouwer scored once in the shootout while Petri Kontiola got the puck past Ondrej Pavelec twice. For the Wolves, Jesse Schultz and Joe Motzko each scored.
In the first period, Darren Haydar scored on Flaherty at 1:09 off of assists from Jason Krog and Joe Motzko to put the Wolves up 1-0.
But Jake Dowell responded at 10:36 in the first to tie the game at one. Tyson Marsh and Mike Blunden recorded the assists. The helper was Marsh' first with the IceHogs.
After a scoreless second, Justin Fletcher pushed the puck past Ondrej Pavelec at 9:13 in the third period to put the Hogs up 2-1. Kontiola and Martin St. Pierre recorded the assists.
But the Wolves came back again with a power play goal from Haydar at 15:06. Krog again supplied the assist, as did Motzko. 20 more minutes of scoreless hockey, including a five-minute 4-on-4 overtime, then meant the two teams went to a shootout.
Flaherty continued his strong play of recent with 18 saves, while Pavelec took the loss with 22 saves.
Now with two more games left this weekend, the Hogs are 10 points from ensuring a place in the 2008 Calder Cup playoffs. The team travels to Des Moines, Iowa on Saturday to play the Iowa Stars and then return home Sunday to meet Iowa again. Chicago clinched a playoff spot on Thursday without even playing. With Peoria's 4-2 loss in San Antonio, Chicago became the first West Division team to clinch a playoff birth. The Wolves currently sit 11 points ahead of Rockford atop the West Division.
Next Home Game: Sunday, March 28 vs. Iowa Stars. Game time is slated for 4:05 p.m. The backend of a home-and-home series with Iowa concludes at the MetroCentre. The first 1,000 fans to the game will pick up the sixth and final IceHogs poster of the season from Pepsi, MedicineMan and Johnson Press. Sunday is also Family Faith Night at the MetroCentre as the IceHogs, Pepsi, Culver's, 101 WQFL and TV51 welcome the band Anavox.
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American Hockey League Stories from March 28, 2008
- Wolves huff, puff but can't scare IceHogs - Rockford IceHogs
- Admirals Sail on in Shootout, 3-2 - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Houston drops 5-1 contest to Peoria Friday night, plays Chicago Saturday - Houston Aeros
- Marlies Drop Monsters 4-1 - Cleveland Monsters
- Rivermen Overcome Aeros 5-1 - Peoria Rivermen
- Reinforcements return to pull Sound Tigers two points closer to Hershey - Bridgeport Islanders
- Stars end three game skid - Iowa Chops
- Americans end Moose streak in shootout - Manitoba Moose
- 'Dogs lose to Pens in shootout - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Crunch Outlast River Rats In Overtime 3-2 - Albany River Rats
- Crunch Outlast River Rats In Overtime 3-2 - Albany River Rats
- Defenseman's Late Goal Boosts Phantoms To 5-3 Win - Adirondack Phantoms
- 'Dogs Lose to Pens in Shootout - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Falcons Beat Bruins 4-3 In A Shootout - Springfield Falcons
- Monarchs Shut Out Admirals - Manchester Monarchs
- Monarchs Quickly Connect Four - Manchester Monarchs
- P-Bruins Fall to Falcons in Shootout 4-3 - Providence Bruins
- Devils Win Battle Against Pirates, 4-1 - Albany Devils
- Hartford Howls To Season Sweep, Defeat Sharks 3-2 - Worcester Sharks
- Oreskovic Named Marlies American Specialty/AHL Man Of The Year - Toronto Marlies
- Jersey Giveaways & Toyota Vehicle Contest Highlight Final Four Moose Home Games - Manitoba Moose
- Stars Add Right Wing Raymond Sawada For Final 10 Games - Iowa Chops
- Griffins To Host Houston, Serve Up More Dollar Dogs And Beers - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Love Named Lake Erie Monsters' 2007-08 American Specialty/AHL Man Of The Year - Cleveland Monsters
- Admirals Hit The Ice For Three-In-Three - Milwaukee Admirals
- Aeros Sign First Round Pick Gillies, Gajic To Contracts - Houston Aeros
- San Jose Sharks Sign Forward Matt Jones - Worcester Sharks
- Aeros Host Peoria Rivermen For The Second Time This Week - Houston Aeros
- AHL Quick Hits- 3/28/08 - AHL
- Amerks Face Moose Tonight, Look To Avoid Season Sweep - Rochester Americans
- Minard returns, Rank and D'Aversa sent to Wheeling - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Helmer Named Rampage's 2007-08 Man Of The Year - San Antonio Rampage
- Reid All About It, Wolves Sign Chicago Native - Chicago Wolves
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- Busy Weekend at the Van - Grand Rapids Griffins
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