IceHogs sweep Moose, advance to conference final

Carl Dahlstrom, Victor Ejdsell and Cody Franson scored second-period goals, and the host Rockford IceHogs swept Manitoba out of the Calder Cup playoffs with a 6-3 victory Friday night.

Chris DiDomenico also scored and had 2 assists, and Collin Delia made 35 saves as Rockford improved to 7-0 in the postseason.

"Right when we skated out, I could tell it was going to be an amazing night," Delia said. "The electricity that these fans bring is second to none."

The IceHogs will face the Texas Stars in the best-of-seven conference final. Games 1 and 2 will be in Texas on May 18 and 20, with Games 3-5 in Rockford on May 22, 24 and 25.

"We all felt we have … an excellent team (and) a team that can go deep," coach Jeremy Colliton said when asked if he's surprised the IceHogs have swept two straight opponents. "We're going to face adversity - we have at times. Not all the games have been smooth. We're not going to sweep all the way through. We've just got to keep playing, and I think good things will happen for this team."

Dahlstrom, a 6-foot-4, 231-pound defenseman who played 11 games late in the year for the Blackhawks, broke a 2-2 tie at 1:35 of the second period with Rockford on the power play.

The IceHogs have scored at least 1 power-play goal in all seven playoff games, they went 4-for-9 Friday, and they are 15-for-40 in the postseason.

Ejdsell made it 4-2 when he converted on a penalty shot at 11:24 of the second period.

Franson, who got Rockford on the board with an absolute rocket in the first period, then gave the IceHogs a 5-2 edge at 17:07 of the second. The 30-year-old Franson has 13 goals (10 on the PP) in 44 games since clearing waivers and being assigned to Rockford in January.