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Updated: Oct. 25, 2007 at 10:33 PM CDT

IceHogs take Game 1 with 4-2 win

By Jen Sharpe
www.moosehockey.com

In the first-ever clash between both clubs, the Manitoba Moose fell 4-2 to the Rockford IceHogs Thursday night at the MTS Centre. Moose rookie Pierre-Cedric Labrie scored his third goal and fifth point in three games, while Jozef Balej extended his point streak to six games. IceHogs netminder Corey Crawford stopped 21 of 23 shots for the win.

>> Click to view photos of tonight's game.

>> Click here to see official scorer's sheet

First Period

With two Cor(e)ys manning the nets (Cory Schneider for Manitoba and Corey Crawford for Rockford), the Moose and IceHogs tested the waters through the first few minutes of play. Although the Moose had home-crowd advantage, the IceHogs struck first 2:32 into the game. Approaching Moose netminder Cory Schneider on his glove side, Jack Skille out-outmaneuvered the rookie goaltender to give the visitors an early 1-0 lead.

Three consecutive penalties put Manitoba's penalty-killers to work in the first half of the first, and the Moose rose to the occasion, keeping the score within one.

Less than two minutes after five-on-five play resumed, Jozef Balej powered the puck past the red line, through the IceHogs zone, and buried it behind Corey Crawford to tie the game at one.

With former Moose defenceman Prestin Ryan in the box for Rockford, Manitoba was keen to gain their first lead of the game. Pouncing on a rebound on Jimmy Sharrow's shot -- and then persistently plugging at the puck until it slipped past Crawford -- rookie Pierre-Cedric Labrie scored his third goal and fifth point in three games.

Despite trailing 11-6 in shots, Manitoba maintained their one-goal lead heading into the first intermission.

Second Period

The first powerplay of the second period went to Manitoba as Rockford's David Bolland was called for hooking at 1:09. Balej soon evened the odds, however, as he was sent to the box for tripping 1:30 later. Despite the man-advantages and a 16-6 shot discrepancy in favour of Rockford, the score remained set at 2-1.

A skirmish in front of Crawford's net near the period's halfway point netted Manitoba's third powerplay of the game, but a high-sticking major to Moose forward Greg Classen soon put the Moose back on the defensive. Moose penalty killers and steady goaltending from Schneider ensured the IceHogs finished the middle frame 0-for-5 on the man-advantage.

Third Period

36 seconds into the third, Rockford's excess shots paid off in a goal. Earning his first of the season by going top shelf on Schneider, IceHogs' David Bickell tied the game at two. Less than two minutes later, Rockford regained their one-goal lead as Jake Dowell netted the visitor's 27th shot of the game.

Heated tussles and key saves at both ends of the ice highlighted most of the third, but Dustin Byfuglien's empty-netter in the final minute of play sealed a 4-2 win for the IceHogs.

Video Clips

Highlights - Moose vs. Ice Hogs - stream

Game Summary

SCORING	1	2	3	T
Rockford	1	0	3	4
Manitoba	2	0	0	2

Oct 25, 2007 - MTS Centre

FIRST PERIOD:

1. Rockford, J. Skille (2) (P. Kontiola, E. Brophey) 2:32
2. Manitoba, J. Balej (4) (J. Sharrow) 10:11
3. Manitoba, P. Labrie (3) (J. Sharrow, M. Grabner) 13:52 PP

Penalties - S. Heshka Mtb (hooking) 3:02, L. Bourdon Mtb (interference) 5:25, M. Fortunus Mtb (interference) 7:08, P. Ryan Rfd (interference) 12:08, C. Barker Rfd (roughing) 15:56, C. Fraser Rfd (roughing) 15:56, J. Balej Mtb (roughing) 15:56, D. Rahimi Mtb (roughing) 15:56

SECOND PERIOD:

No Scoring

Penalties - D. Bolland Rfd (hooking) 1:09, J. Balej Mtb (tripping) 2:42, M. Blunden Rfd (slashing) 3:08, M. Brown Mtb (roughing) 3:08, D. Byfuglien Rfd (hooking, roughing) 8:46, M. Brown Mtb (roughing) 8:46, G. Classen Mtb (major - high-sticking) 11:53

THIRD PERIOD:

4. Rockford, B. Bickell (1) 0:36
5. Rockford, J. Dowell (2) (P. Kontiola, N. Hjalmarsson) 2:24
6. Rockford, D. Byfuglien (2) (C. Crawford) 19:26 SH EN

Penalties - D. Bolland Rfd (high-sticking) 5:56, C. Genoway Mtb (hooking) 10:46, S. Heshka Mtb (hooking) 15:24, J. Fahey Rfd (hooking) 19:11, D. Byfuglien Rfd (slashing, roughing) 19:38

SHOTS	1	2	3	T
Rockford	11	11	11	33
Manitoba	6	8	9	23

POWER PLAYS:

Rockford IceHogs 0-7. Manitoba Moose 1-6.

GOALTENDERS:

Rockford IceHogs
Crawford 29-19-5
Start: 1st 0:00 Min: 60:00 SV: 21 GA: 2 [W]

Manitoba Moose
Schneider 21-12-2
Start: 1st 0:00 Min: 59:23 SV: 29 GA: 3 [L]

Attendance:
6,061

Three Stars

Three Stars

RFD - Jake Dowell
MTB - Jozef Balej
RFD - Cam Barker

What's Next

The Moose and IceHogs meet again tomorrow night at the MTS Centre. The first 5,000 fans through the gate will receive a free Moose eco bag, perfect for Halloween trick-or-treating.

Moose Image Gallery

Photos by Travis Golby, the Manitoba Moose. Click on one of the thumbnails at right to reveal a larger version of this image.

Photos by Jonathan Kozub. Click on one of the below thumbnails to reveal a larger version of the image above.

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