Rockford IceHogs Pink It Up!

IceHogs players David Phillips, Brian Bickell & Rob Klinkhammer show off their pink hair in support for Breast Cancer.

The IceHogs supported a worthy charity last night in Rockford while beating the visiting Peoria Rivermen 4-2. In support of Breast Cancer research and awareness, everything was pink. Pink ice, pink tape on sticks & players, pink banners & decorations, pink clothing, pink jewelry, and even pink hair.
The Susan G. Komen For The Cure organization received donations of nearly $10,000 last night. IceHogs President/General Manager Mark Bernard presented them with a check for $8,970 and the IceHogs Booster Club donated a check for $1,000.

IceHogs players Brian Bickell, Rob Klinkhammer, David Phillips and Jonathan Carlsson all went above and beyond the call of duty. They showed their support and style by dying their hair various shades of pink. Pink tape was seen wrapped proudly around ends of players' sticks and socks. Even a few players decorated their sticks in a candy striped fashion by wrapping the pink tape up the stick. Tough man Ryan Flinn was seen wearing pink tape around his wrists.

The first period went scoreless and it wasn't until 5:01 in the second period that Jack Skille found the back of the net from a pass from Kyle Greentree and Richard Petiot for Rockford. Later in the second frame netminder Corey Crawford fumbled, letting in a juicy goal by Peoria's Chris Porter at 16:00. Porter was assisted by Ryan Reaves and Cam Paddock. Other goals for Rockford during the game were credited to Kyle Greentree, Jake Dowell. Matt Keith was credited with an empty netter. Jonas Junland had the second goal for Peoria.

Corey Crawford was back in stellar form once again, stopping 27 of 29 shots on goal and earned himself the number one Star of the Game honors. Ben Bishop was in net for Peoria.

Rockford's Akim Aliu was tossed from the game late in the third frame by Referee Kyle Rehman. Aliu did not like a call Rehman made and made his opinions known. Chirping at the ref will usually only get you one thing, a guaranteed early shower. Aliu received a 10 minute Misconduct and a 10 min Game Misconduct for his voiced opinions.

Immediately after the game the IceHogs boarded their sleeper bus and headed for Grand Rapids for a game against the Griffins Saturday evening. The IceHogs return home on February 3rd to take on the Griffins once again at the MetroCentre.