ROCKFORD, Ill – The IceHogs returned home to a task that seemed daunting from the start. The Milwaukee Admirals had taken advantage of their home ice and built a comfortable 2-0 series lead.
Perhaps feeling a little shell-shocked from the trip up to Milwaukee the IceHogs had a difficult time finding their legs at home. The Admirals’ Jed Ortmeyer complicated things for the Hogs at 15:03 of the first when he netted his goal of the series and the playoffs.
The goal took some wind out of the Hogs’ sails but netminder Antti Niemi held the fort for the rest of the first period. The Admirals outshot the IceHogs 11 to nine through twenty minutes of play.
Offensive threats were a problem for the IceHogs through the second period. Pascal Pelletier finally found the back of the net for Rockford at the 16:21 mark of the second on the power play. It was only the third shot of goal of the period for the Hogs and for the fans in Rockford it was a relief.
The cheers and relief were shot-lived as Mike Santorelli restored the one-goal advantage for the Admirals at 18:36 of the period. The goal took air out of the seats and energized the Milwaukee bench again. Ortmeyer picked an assist on the goal for his second point of the night.
Through two periods the IceHogs managed just 14 shots including five in the second. It is difficult to score if you do not put the puck on the net.
For Santorelli the goal in the second was only the first of three in his natural hat trick on the night. And for Ortmeyer it was only his second of four points on the night as he assisted on all three of Santorelli’s goals. Santorelli completed the natural hat trick at 15:22 of the third after getting his second of the night the 7:02 mark of the final stanza.
Milwaukee was scoreless in two attempts on the power play while the Hogs went one for three. The Hogs were outshot on the night 38-26.
Contact lou.lafrado@prohockeynews.com
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