HOGS EDGE WOLVES 6-4 BEHIND PELLETIER HAT TRICK

HOGS EDGE WOLVES 6-4 BEHIND PELLETIER HAT TRICK

Pascal Pelletier scored his second hat trick of the season on Saturday against the Chicago Wolves. (Photo by Greg Hamil)
01/03/2009 6:18 PM -
Hogs finish 4-3-0-0 in last nine days

Rockford, Ill.- A goal in each period gave Rockford IceHogs' winger Pascal Pelletier his second hat trick of the season on Saturday's 6-4 win over the Chicago Wolves in front of a sell-out crowd of 5,838 at the Rockford MetroCentre.

Rockford posted four goals in a row, but the Wolves came back to tie it at 4-4 in the second frame.

But then in the third frame, Pelletier broke the tie with the game-winner, his 17th lamp-lighter of the season to lead the IceHogs.

"He's a really highly-skilled forward who can really bang and crash pretty easily," said Winger Jack Skille. "He's one of those guys that can find the back of the net and he's one of those guys who, when he get's the opportunities, he doesn't put it in the goalies chest, he finds the net."

Rob Klinkhammer tacked on his fourth goal in three games on the empty-net for the insurance marker at 19:41.

The Hogs started this week with a win against Chicago, but then lost three straight. They have rebounded with their first three-game winning streak since Oct. 24-Oct. 26.

"Any time you can come out against a team like this after having a rough go for a while like that, it's huge," said Skille, who had a goal and two assists on the night. "Any time you can bounce back especially with two wins like this, it's huge."

The Hogs swept a weekend set against the Wolves to ensure a winning record against the I-90 rivals this season.

In the first, Jamie Rivers put the Chicago Wolves up 1-0 with a power-play goal at 3:37 in the first frame with assists from Junior Lessard and Riley Holzapfel.

Two quick goals from Pelletier and Petri Kontiola gave the IceHogs a 2-1 lead over the Wolves in the second period. Pelletier ended a nine-game goal drought by cleaning up a rebound from a Jack Skille drive. The goal was put past Chicago goaltender Brent Krahn at 13:31 in the first frame.

Moments later Kontiola doubled the score on the IceHogs' second shot of the game at 14:55. Mike Radja and Pete MacArthur were credited with assists.

In the second, Skille took advantage of a power-play opportunity and drove a Pelletier feed past Krahn at 2:56. Defenseman Andrew Archer had an assist. This would be the only power play goal Rockford could muster, going 1 for 5 on the man advantage, improving their season power play numbers to 18.3 percent.

Pelletier and Skille teamed up again later in the period when Pelletier picked up a loose puck in the neutral zone and pushed it into Wolves territory. Skille joined the break to create a 2-on-1 situation that would ultimately solve Krahn for the fourth goal of the game. Pelletier flung the Skille dish into the cage for his second tally of the night.

Krahn was relieved midway through the second period by Dan Turple after letting in his fourth goal against the IceHogs. Krahn finished with six saves, while Turple had 12 in 32:05 of ice time.

The Wolves answered Rockford's onslaught with one of their own. Chicago cut the lead to 4-2 when a Alex Brooks blast was tipped in by Spencer Machacek at 15:23 in the second.

Defenseman Zack Bogosian, the #3 overall pick in the 2008 NHL Draft with Chicago on a conditioning stint, then chipped in a goal against Crawford at 18:36 in the second. Riley Holzapfel and Grant Lewis helped on the power-play marker. Two of Chicago's goals came off of their seven power-play opportunities.

The Wolves evened the game up at 4-4 less than a minute later with a marker from Jordan Lavallee. Lessard was given the assist.

Rockford's Antti Niemi relieved Crawford for the final frame. Crawford turned away 18 shots in the no decision, while Niemi held the Wolves scoreless on 11 shots.

Pelletier's tie-breaking tally gave him a second hat trick in 2008-09 after recording one previously in his AHL career. His first came on Nov. 26 when he netted four goals against the San Antonio Rampage, setting an IceHogs AHL record for goals scored in a game.

Next Home Game: Friday, Jan. 9 vs. Chicago Wolves. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. Another meeting between the IceHogs and Wolves at the MetroCentre. The game is the fourth of five on the season in Rockford eighth of nine between the rivals. The first 2,000 fans to the game will pick up a set of 2008-09 Rockford IceHogs player cards courtesy of ComEd.

KLINKHAMMER TALLIES LATE, LEADS HOGS OVER WOLVES

KLINKHAMMER TALLIES LATE, LEADS HOGS OVER WOLVES

Photo by Ross Dettman
01/02/2009 1:48 PM -
Winger helps end Rockford’s five-game road losing streak

Chicago, Ill.- In the four previous meetings, the Rockford IceHogs and Chicago Wolves played one-sided hockey. The West Division rivals were due for a tight one-goal affair on Friday night they got it at the Allstate Arena.

Fueled by a pair of Rob Klinkhammer goals, the IceHogs slipped by the Wolves 3-2 for their first ever regulation regular season win at the Allstate Arena.

With game tied at two apiece in the final frame, Klinkhammer, with help from Jake Dowell and Mike Blunden would put Rockford up for good. Dowell jammed a puck in front and Klinkhammer picked it up and beat Chicago goalie Brent Krahn one-on-one for the game winner and his seventh goal of the season at 19:04.

Rockford struck first against Chicago on Friday with Klinkhammer’s first marker. Klinkhammer picked up a cross-ice feed from Danny Groulx and flipped his sixth goal of the season past Krahn at 3:44.

Corey Crawford was brilliant in the first period including on a five-on-three Wolves power play. During the two Chicago power plays, Crawford turned away eight Wolves shots and 16 overall in the period.

Chicago tied the game at 1-1 in the second period with a power-play marker from Joe Motzko. Motzko batted a deflected puck out of mid-air at 16:27 past Crawford for his eighth goal of the season against Rockford and leading 23rd overall. Jamie Rivers and Jeff Hamilton assisted on the goal.

Rockford got the lead back in the third frame with a power-play goal of their own. Evan Brophey picked up a Pascal Pelletier feed in transition and snuck his eighth goal of the season past Krahn. Groulx also helped on the goal.

The lead was short lived, however, as the Wolves tied the game right back up at 10:23 of the final frame. Brian Sipotz wristed his first goal of the season past Crawford to knot the game at 2-2. Spencer Machacek and Riley Holzapfel marked assists.

Rockford outshot the Wolves 35-34 in the contest and Crawford got the win, ending the IceHogs team-low five-game road losing streak. Krahn was sharp as well, but was saddled with the loss after making 32 saving.

Next Home Game: Saturday, Jan. 3 vs. Chicago Wolves. The puck drops on 2009 at 7:05 p.m. Rockford returns to the MetroCentre to complete another home-and-home set, this time against the Wolves. The first 2,000 fans to the game will receive a pair of IceHogs Fleece Gloves courtesy of Mega Truck Rental and 13-WREX TV.

GROULX TIES GAME LATE, HOGS WIN 3-2 IN SHOOTOUT

GROULX TIES GAME LATE, HOGS WIN 3-2 IN SHOOTOUT

Rob Klinkhammer finished with his second multi-point game of the season with a goal and assist to lead the Rockford IceHogs over the Quad City Flames. (Photo by Greg Hamil
12/31/2008 1:52 PM -
Rockford ends three-game slide

Rockford, Ill.- The Rockford IceHogs ended 2008 with a win, beating the Quad City Flames 3-2 in a shootout on Wednesday at the Rockford MetroCentre.

"We've been struggling the last ten games or so," said #1 star of the game Rob Klinkhammer. "We've been really lacking confidence. It was really important for us to get a win tonight."

Down 2-1, defenseman Danny Groulx sent the game to overtime with his third goal of the season at 13:49 in the third period. Groulx blasted a Tim Hambly feed after Rob Klinkhammer won a face-off deep in the Quad City zone past Leland Irving.

After a scoreless overtime, Pascal Pelletier and Petri Kontiola tallied during the shootout to take two points away from Rockford's oldest rival. Only Kris Chucko could solve Antti Niemi on the other side of the ice.

In the first period, the Hogs took the lead with a goal from Klinkhammer with 16 seconds left before the first intermission. The winger lit the lamp for his fifth goal of the season at 19:44 on a rebound of a shot by Dan Bertram. Hambly recorded an assist on the goal as well.

Quad City's Matt Pelech tied the score at one by sniping the corner of the net at 7:16 in the second period with an assist by Peter Vandermeer and Adam Cracknell.

Then Ryan Wilson capitalized on a Pascal Pelletier penalty to give Quad City it's first lead of the night at 4:23 in the third period with assists from Cracknell and David Van der Gulik.

"I think when we gave up that second goal, the boys were thinking 'Oh no, here we go again,' " Klinkhammer said. "But Groulx' goal just took the weight off our shoulders and gave us a lot more confidence."

Klinkhammer finished with his first multi-point game since Oct. 17 at Iowa.

Niemi picked up his first win in six starts with 28 saves. Leland Irving finished with 32 saves. The Hogs ended their streak of five straight games with a power-play goal, going without one in eight opportunities. They held the Flames to 1-for-6 on the power-play.

Next Home Game: Saturday, Jan. 3 vs. Chicago Wolves. The puck drops on 2009 at 7:05 p.m. Rockford returns to the MetroCentre to complete another home-and-home set, this time against the Wolves. The first 2,000 fans to the game will receive a pair of IceHogs Fleece Gloves courtesy of Mega Truck Rental and 13-WREX TV.

SPECIAL TEAMS HAUNT ROCKFORD AGAIN

SPECIAL TEAMS HAUNT ROCKFORD AGAIN

12/30/2008 6:24 PM -
Moline, Ill.- Specials teams continued to hinder the Rockford IceHogs on Tuesday night. The IceHogs fell 3-1 to the Quad City Flames at the i wireless Center in Moline.

Quad City converted on two of their five power play opportunities on the night while the IceHogs scored just once on nine chances. The turning point in the game came in the second period when the Flames snuffed out a Rockford 5-on-3 power play and moments later tallied a power-play goal of their own to take a lead that they would not give up.

With the game tied1-1, Flames winger Kris Chucko flipped his 13th goal of the season over the shoulder of Corey Crawford to finish the momentum swing. Both David Van der Gulik and Brad Cole assisted the goal.

Rockford was first to score on Tuesday when Jack Skille tallied on the power play. Pascal Pelletier drove the net and after Leland Irving denied his attempt, Skille followed up to jam in his 11th goal of the season at 3:57 of the first period.

Quad City responded, however at 11:55. Jamie Lundmark skated out in front of Crawford and flipped his 11 goal of the season over his shoulder to tie the game.

Rockford couldn't solve Irving in the third period either. The Hogs chipped in 11 shots in each of the three frames, but Irving made 32 saves to preserve the win.

The Flames did add some insurance when Ryan Wilson blasted his third goal of the season on a power play past Crawford at 6:43, set up by Lundmark and Chucko.

Crawford finished the night with 21 saves, but it wasn't enough as he was handed his second straight loss after going unbeaten in seven straight. Rockford's struggles on the road continued as the Hogs have now lost five straight away from the Rockford MetroCentre.

Next Home Game: Wednesday, Dec. 31 vs. Quad City Flames. Game time is 7:05 p.m. The Rockford IceHogs welcome the Quad City Flames in for a game on New Year’s Eve. Illusionist Jason Michaels will be performing and fans will be allowed on the ice after the game for a post-game skate.

CHOPS ROAST HOGS 6-3 AT METROCENTRE

CHOPS ROAST HOGS 6-3 AT METROCENTRE

Defenseman Brian Salcido and the Iowa Cho put up big numbers against the IceHogs defense in the last two games. (Photo by Greg Hamil)ps
12/29/2008 1:22 PM - IceHogs have given up 12 goals in last two games

Rockford, Ill.- The Rockford IceHogs' late effort fell short in a 6-3 loss to the Iowa Chops on Monday at the Rockford MetroCentre. Four first period goals by the Chops were enough to bury the Hogs in front of a sell-out crowd of 5,812.

"I think everyone is upset and disappointed," Dowell said of giving up six goals in the first two periods. "But it's everyone's job here to get themselves mentally prepared. The mental part is the tough part. We have to bounce back and get over it."

The Chops manufactured a comfortable 3-0 lead during a span of 1:21 of game play in the first frame. The first goal came on an Iowa power play when T.J. Trevelyan chipped in a loose puck past Rockford goaltender Corey Crawford at 11:09. Adrian Veideman and Brian Salcido were credited with the assists.

Just 18 seconds later, Matt Caruana doubled the lead with assists from Francis Wathier and Eric Boguniecki. Salcido then drove in a shorthanded goal at 12:30 in the first stanza. The goal was unassisted.

Drew Miller solved Crawford yet again at 18:04, netting his 15th marker of the season. The power-play goal was assisted by Salcido and Petteri Wirtanen.

In the second, Iowa winger Francis Wathier lit the lamps at 6:38. Then Belesky made it 6-0 at 13:39, chasing Crawford from the game. Crawford ended the night with 11 saves on 17 shots.

"On the power play, we're obviously not scoring," Dowell said. "And on the penalty kill, we're not doing the job. We obviously need to do some soul searching and go back to the basics. We maybe got a little ahead of ourselves and maybe thought we were a little better than we are."

The Hogs finally found the back of the net thanks to a blue line blast from Evan Brophey on a Rockford power play. The Brophey drive was set up by Tim Brent and Danny Groulx at 6:13 in the third.

Moments later Mike Blunden flipped in a rebound off of a Rob Klinkhammer shot at 8:18 in the third. Andrew Archer was also credited with an assist.

A final goal from Pete MacArthur cut the lead to three for the IceHogs. MacArthur knocked in a Mike Radja pass at 17:19 in the final period. Petri Kontiola also helped on the goal as well.

"We showed that we had some character, but it was too little too late," Dowell said. "We need to find a way to get ourselves into the game early. I thought we were ready, but they got three quick goals. We tried hard in the third, but that's not going to win many games."

The Hogs finished the night 1-for-5 on the power play while the Chops took advantage of three of five advantages and have scored six goals on the power play against the Hogs in their last two games.

Niemi turned away nine shots in relief of Crawford. Iowa's Jean Phillipe Levasseur stopped 28 shots for Iowa.


Next Home Game: The Rockford IceHogs welcome the Quad City Flames in for a 7:05 p.m. game on New Year’s Eve. Illusionist Jason Michaels will be performing and fans will be allowed on the ice after the game for a post-game skate.

FIVE UNASWERED IOWA GOALS SINKS ROCKFORD

FIVE UNASWERED IOWA GOALS SINKS ROCKFORD

Photo by Greg Hamil
12/27/2008 2:21 PM -
Des Moines, Iowa-Three goals had been the Rockford IceHogs magic number this season. Entering Saturday’s game against the Iowa Chops, Rockford had a record of 14-0-0-2 when scoring at least three goals in a game this season.

That didn’t hold up on Saturday as Rockford came up one-goal short in a 6-5 loss to the Chops at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

A high scoring first period began when Iowa potted the first goal 6:32 in. Winger T.J. Trevelyan blasted his eighth goal of the season past Antti Niemi off of an Adrian Veideman feed. John de Gray also helped with the goal.

Rockford then reeled off three straight goals to take a 3-1 lead. Jack Skille began the surge when he tipped a Tim Brent slapper past David LeNeveu on a power play at 9:17, tying the game. Pascal Pelletier helped set it up as well.

Brent then tallied while the IceHogs skated shorthanded to give them the lead. Brent tipped a pass at the Rockford line into the neutral zone, and out skated Brian Salcido into the Iowa zone. On a breakaway Brent flipped his eight lamp lighter of the season past LeNeveu, unassisted, at 12:52.

Defenseman Jordan Hendry put Rockford up by a pair after he one-timed a Rob Klinkhammer pass past LeNeveu for his third goal of the season at 15:11. Jake Dowell also earned an assist on the goal.

Iowa cut the deficit down to a goal at 17:33 while skating on a 5-on-3 power play. Veideman blasted his second goal of the campaign past Niemi off of assists from Trevelyan and Salcido, making it 3-2 at the first intermission.

The second period wasn’t as kind to Rockford, however, as Iowa tallied twice to take a 4-3 lead. Trevelyan tied the game at 3-3 at 4:19 of the frame beating Niemi for his second goal of the night. Later in the period, while on a power play, Matt Beleskey beat Niemi with a blast over the shoulder for his third marker of the season.

The Chops added to their lead in the third period when Salcido picked up the puck in the neutral zone after his penalty expired and deeked out Niemi for his second goal of the season at 1:49.

Veideman stretched the lead to 6-3 with his second power-play goal of the game. Veideman picked up a loose puck in traffic in front of the Rockford goal and deposited his third marker into the back of the net at 13:01.

Down three, Rockford didn’t pack it in and battled back to make it a 6-5 game. Defenseman Tim Hambly blasted his second goal of the season past LeNeveu off of a Nathan Davis face-off win at 13:26 cutting the deficit down to two goals.

Then after the IceHogs killed off a Chops power play, Brent fired his second goal of the night past LeNeveu at 19:26 to make it 6-5.

That was all that Rockford could muster, however, as they failed to solve LeNeveu in final seconds of the game with the extra attacker.

Niemi was saddled with the loss after turning away 22 Iowa shots while LeNeveu got the win after making 30 stops. Rockford was held to 1-9 on the power play while the clubs woes on the penalty kill away from home continued, allowing the Chops three power-play tallies on eight chances.

Next Home Game: Monday, Dec 29 vs. Iowa Chops. Game time is 7:05 p.m. Monday’s game against Iowa is sold out! Fans that do not have tickets can stop by the MetroCentre Box Office at 10 a.m. on Monday and can enquire about some late team released tickets and standing room only tickets. Also on Monday, the Chicago Sky Drumline will entertain the crowd during timeouts and intermissions.

HOGS FINISH OFF WOLVES 6-2 AT METROCENTRE

HOGS FINISH OFF WOLVES 6-2 AT METROCENTRE

The Rockford IceHogs scored three goals in the final frame to beat the Chicago Wolves 6-2. (Photo by Greg Hamil)
12/26/2008 12:23 PM -
Groulx, Brent, Skille and Archer all had multi-point games

Rockford, Ill.- Four different defensemen recorded points and all six goals came from a different shooter as the Rockford IceHogs iced the Chicago Wolves 6-2 at the Rockford MetroCentre.

Defenseman Jimmy Sharrow punched in his first goal in an IceHogs uniform just 23 seconds into the game at the Rockford MetroCentre to start the scoring. The slap shot from the point came with assists from Jordan Hendry and Jack Skille.

But Chicago's Brett Sterling tied the game at one with a power-play marker at 8:47 in the first period. Helpers came from Joe Motzko and Jeff Hamilton.

Then Nathan Davis slipped the puck under Ondrej Pavelec at 17:09 to give the IceHogs the advantage again. Assists came from Dan Bertram and Andrew Archer.

In the second frame, Danny Groulx put a lamp-lighter over Pavelec's left shoulder on the power play at 10:07 with assists from Archer and Pascal Pelletier.

Joe Motzko came right back and scored his 19th goal of the season at seventh against the IceHogs in five games at 11:13 with assists from Steve Martins and Grant Lewis.

Evan Brophey poked in a lose puck in front of the net on a power play to give Rockford an insurance goal at 8:33 in the third. Tim Brent and Danny Groulx were credited with the assists.

Then Brent let an unassisted empty-net goal fly at 17:51 and Mike Radja put the final dagger in at 18:37 with assists from Petri Kontiola and Skille.

Corey Crawford finished with 30 saves in the win, while Pavelec had 16 saves. It is the most goals that the league's top goaltender has allowed all season. Chicago's power play was 1-for-5, while Rockford finished 2-for-6 on the advantage.

It is the first time since Nov. 26 that the IceHogs have scored two power-play goals in a game. In the last 10 games, the Hogs have recorded four man advantage markers.

Next Home Game: Monday, Dec. 29 vs. Iowa Chops. Game time is set for 7:05 p.m. The Chops return to the MetroCentre to wrap up the back-end of a home-and-home series. WIFR-TV channel 23 has bought your ticket to the game. Go to www.wifr.com to print off a voucher good for two tickets to the IceHogs-Chops contest on Monday as WIFR has bought the house.

ROCKFORD'S OFFENSE COOLED OFF DURING WEEK 11

ROCKFORD'S OFFENSE COOLED OFF DURING WEEK 11

Photo by Ross Dettman
12/22/2008 11:46 AM -
IceHogs resume on Friday following holiday break

Week 11 Recap
Week 11 is a week that the Rockford IceHogs would like to forget. It all fell apart in the third period on Friday with the IceHogs leading the Houston Aeros 2-0. The Aeros battled back and won the contest in a shootout and the IceHogs would go onto score just three more times the rest of the weekend. A four-day break leads the IceHogs into Week 12 and two more games against West Division opponents.

Week 11 Results
Friday, Dec. 19: Houston 4 vs. Rockford 3 (SO)
Saturday, Dec. 20: Houston 2 vs. Rockford 1
Sunday, Dec. 21: Rockford 1 at Chicago 4

Week 12 Schedule
Friday, Dec. 26 vs. Chicago, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 27 at Iowa, 7:05 p.m.

Bacon Bits:

-Rockford matched a season low with a three-game road losing streak

-Corey Crawford is unbeaten in regulation in a season high six-straight games dating back to Nov. 15 (5-0-0-1)

-Five of Rockford’s 29 games have been decided by a final score of 2-1 this season

-Sunday’s 4-1 loss marked Rockford’s first loss on Sunday this season and first loss in the third game in three days

-Rockford has three more three-in-threes this season

-Petri Kontiola chipped in his team-leading eighth multi-point game on Friday

-Kontiola has 29 career multi-point games, sixth most in IceHogs history

-Before Sunday Rockford had not lost two straight in regulation since Nov. 7 and Nov. 8 at Norfolk

-This weekend was also the second time in 2008-09 that Rockford has scored one goal in back-to-back games (3-1 loss at Norfolk on Nov. 8; 2-1 shootout loss at Milwaukee on Nov. 12)

-The goaltending opponents on Saturday (Barry Brust, 1.91 GAA, .933 Sv%) and Sunday (Ondrej Pavelec, 1.49 GAA, .948 Sv%) were the top two active netminders in the American Hockey League

-After starting the season 3-0 in shootouts, the IceHogs are now 4-3 including 2-2 at home

-Only Manchester (4-4) has played in more shootouts than the IceHogs

-Jack Skille has four points (1 g-3a) in his last four games

-Defenseman Jimmy Sharrow finished minus on Sunday for the first time since joining the IceHogs

-He has a point and is +4 in six games

-Between Dec. 14 and Dec. 25 (11 days) Rockford will have played three games

-Between Dec. 26 and Jan. 3 (9 days) the IceHogs will play seven games

Hot Hog Week 11:
IceHogs winger Jack Skille posted a two point week in a week in which Rockford’s offense was stymied by strong goaltending. Skille chipped in an assist in Saturday’s 2-1 loss against Houston on Saturday and Rockford’s only goal on Sunday in a 4-1 loss at Chicago.

Upcoming Games:
Friday, Dec. 26 vs. Chicago Wolves. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. The IceHogs Wolves match-up in a post-Christmas showdown at the Rockford MetroCentre. Come dressed in your ugliest Christmas sweater and you could walk away with round trip airline tickets courtesy of Allegiant Airlines to Tampa, Fla. and a pair of tickets to see the Chicago Blackhawks play the Tampa Bay Lightning on Feb. 17 in Tampa.

Saturday, Dec. 27 at Iowa Chops. Game time is 7:05 p.m. Rockford returns to the road for a quick trip to Des Moines and the Wells Fargo Arena to battle the Chops. The game is the second in Iowa on the season and fourth of 10 overall. Rockford is 3-0-0-0 against the Chops this season.

The IceHogs Broadcasting Network:
Rockford IceHogs fans can catch all of the IceHogs regular and post-season games on the Hogs flagship radio station Rockford’s Voice, WNTA-AM 1330 and 30 regular season games on ESPN Radio 1380-AM, WTJK. Fans can also watch and listen to the Hogs on the World Wide Web with AHL Live! Visit the IceHogs Web site (icehogs.com) and click on the “click here to watch the AHL Live” icon, and for just $6, you can catch all of the IceHogs action on your computer. Also, fans with Comcast Cable television can tune in to Channel 57 for all the IceHogs hockey action this season. The broadcast begins with the Pregame Show 30 minutes before the puck drops. Make sure to give your opinion during the Comcast Post-Game Call-In Show following each game at (815) 874-8255.

No Hog Talk This Week At Cousin’s Bar and Grill:
There will be no Bud Light Hog Talk at Cousin’s Bar and Grill tonight due to the holiday break. The show, which runs from 6-7 p.m., will resume on Monday, Jan. 5. Bud Light Hog Talk is hosted by Jim Stone and features IceHogs Head Coach Bill Peters along with a pair of IceHogs players.

Where to Watch the IceHogs:
IceHogs fans can now catch every IceHogs regular season game live on TV! Every IceHogs home game during the 2008-09 season can be viewed on Comcast Cable Channel-57. When the IceHogs are on the road log onto the IceHogs official team Web site, www.icehogs.com, and watch the IceHogs through AHL Live for just $6. Fans can also stop out to the Sports Page, located on Broadway near Alpine Road in Rockford, and watch the IceHogs when the team is on the road.

Tickets Now On Sale!
IceHogs individual game tickets are now on sale! Call (815) 968-5222 to reserve your seats for any IceHogs regular season game during the 2008-09 season. Tickets can also be purchased in person at the Rockford MetroCentre Box Office in downtown Rockford, at Hogs Headquarters inside Cherryvale Mall or on the Web at www.metrocentre.com. Tickets start at just $10.

WOLVES PLAY MR. GRINCH, BEAT HOGS 4-1 IN ALLSTATE

WOLVES PLAY MR. GRINCH, BEAT HOGS 4-1 IN ALLSTATE

The IceHogs can only pick up one point on the three-game weekend. (Photo by Ross Dettman)
12/21/2008 3:34 PM - Four even-strength goals bury Hogs in final game before Christmas break

Rosemont, Ill.- The Chicago Wolves sent the Rockford IceHogs home without any Christmas presents on Sunday at the Allstate Arena. Jack Skille scored Rockford's only goal in the 4-1 loss.

The Wolves took an early advantage thanks to an unassisted goal from Spencer Machacek at 1:42 in the first period. The goal came after a 20-minute power outage delayed the game just one minute in.

In the second, former IceHogs defenseman Tyson Marsh gave the Chicago Wolves the 2-0 advantage 59 seconds into the second period. Marsh blasted the puck past Antti Niemi with helpers from Jeff Hamilton and Brett Sterling for his first goal with Chicago.

But Skille found a loose puck in front of Ondrej Pavelec at 6:02 and chipped it into the goal to cut the Wolves' lead in half. Tim Brent earned an assist on the power-play marker.

Joe Motzko scored his sixth goal against the IceHogs this season at 11:46 with a helper from Sterling to give the Wolves the two-goal advantage again.

And Colin Stuart tacked on an insurance marker at 2:23 in the third with helpers from Steve Martins and Machacek.

Niemi finished with 29 saves, while Pavelec had a strong 23 saves in his American Hockey League return. The Hogs held the Wolves off of the board on five power-play opportunities, while scoring in one of three chances.

Next Home Game: Friday, Dec. 26 vs. Chicago Wolves. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. The IceHogs Wolves match-up in a post-Christmas showdown at the Rockford MetroCentre. Come dressed in your ugliest Christmas sweater and you could walk away with round trip airline tickets courtesy of Allegiant Airlines to Tampa, Fla. and a pair of tickets to see the Chicago Blackhawks play the Tampa Bay Lightning on Feb. 17in Tampa.