IceHogs win at Allstate, take 3-2 series lead home


ROCKFORD 5, CHCAGO 1

Troy Brouwer netted a pair of goals to lead Rockford to a 5-1 road victory over Chicago on Friday at Allstate Arena in Game 5 of the West Division finals.

Brouwer has four tallies over his last two games for the IceHogs, who won for the first time in eight trips to Chicago this season and now hold a 3-2 series lead heading into Game 6 at the MetroCentre on Sunday.

After a scoreless first period, Rockford netted three goals before the second period was 10 minuets old. Jack Skille and Colin Fraser each scored unassisted at 2:08 and 5:45, respectively, and Brouwer potted a shorthanded marker at 9:11.

AHL MVP Jason Krog pulled the Wolves within 3-1 at the 18:27 mark, scoring his first goal of the playoffs after posting 12 assists.

But the IceHogs scored twice more in the third period to account for the final margin. Adam Berti and Brouwer provided the goals, and Niklas Hjalmarsson picked up an assist on both.

Rockford goaltender Corey Crawford stopped 40 of 41 shots in the winning effort.

The IceHogs can advance to the Western Conference finals with a home-ice win over Chicago in Game 6 on Sunday.


TORONTO 4, SYRACUSE 3 (OT)
Bates Battaglia scored at 18:35 of the first overtime to give Toronto a 4-3 win over Syracuse at Ricoh Coliseum in Game 5 of the North Division finals.

With the victory, the division-champion Marlies staved off elimination and forced a Game 6 on Saturday back at the Onondaga County War Memorial in Syracuse.

Brent Aubin, John Mitchell, and David Ling also netted goals for the Marlies, and Kris Newbury chipped in with three assists.

Crunch defenseman Clay Wilson pulled his club even at 3-3 with a power play goal 2:17 into the third period. The game remained deadlocked until Battaglia’s game-winner.

Tom Sestito and Gilbert Brule added tallies in the losing effort for Syracuse, which saw its three-game road winning streak come to an end.