Behind the Glass: Holy Cow what a Finish!

Working for the Rockford IceHogs this season has been a dizzying experience. Never so much, though, as it was on Thursday Night.

It all came down to Game Seven at home – over 6,200 screaming fans chanting and singing along to Mony Mony as the Rockford IceHogs winger Kevin Ulanski got an early score. The Kalamazoo Wings, however, came roaring back quickly to tie it up at one goal apiece, which held until the end of the first period. In the second, the battle on the ice went back and forth with plenty of scoring chances denied by both goalies on the top of their games. With every shot on goal, every gasp was amplified and the crowd stood up and sat down as if the seats were electrified, when Jason Noterman notched a surprise goal, picking up the puck and dumping it into the net after his first shot had been knocked away.

2-1 isn't a safe score in a Game Seven, and the crowd grumbled and muttered nervously as the third period clock ticked down to 15 minutes... 10 minutes... 5 minutes... Chris at the PA called on the crowd to chant louder and louder still while down in the tunnel, the office staff looked on, nervous about the close score and, at the same time, amazed at how every fan filled the MetroCentre to the rafters. It looked like every one of them were shouting at full volume "Let's Go Hogs!"

Then, with 1:18 remaining on the clock, The IceHogs scored again!

By now you know the story. The wrister scored by Nicolas Corbeil turned the anxious crowd gasps and mutters into an aircraft-engine roar, drowning out all the clanging cowbells. Even Corbeil had to yell to celebrate with his teammates a mere foot away from him. Down in the tunnel, we didn't have a word to say - the smiles said it all as we looked up at the crowd going wild.

And just like that, in Game Seven, the IceHogs earned our first Colonial Cup in eight seasons in the last game of this era.

As you know we're changing leagues next year. The IceHogs are leaving the UHL - the league we've played in since our inception - to join the elite member clubs of the AHL, becoming the Chicago Blackhawks top minor league affiliate. Most of this year's players will either retire or move on to play for other teams around the country. Some will try out for an AHL team next season, others will leave for Europe.

But for one deafening moment, every one of us in that building knew what it felt like to be a champion.