On Wednesday night, the Rockford IceHogs welcomed the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to town for the first of two meetings between the teams this year. Behind a 45-save performance from starting goaltender Anton Forsberg, the IceHogs held on for a 2-1 win to extend their winning streak to five games. With the win, paired with a loss by the Milwaukee Admirals, the IceHogs are just 1-point out of the fourth Calder Cup Playoff spot in the AHL Central Division.
Rockford IceHogs Extend Winning Streak To Five Games
The Rockford IceHogs took a four-game win streak into their contest against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins looking to make it five games and tighten the gap between them and the Milwaukee Admirals in the Central Division. With help from the Texas Stars in a 1-0 defeat of the Admirals, paired with a 45-save performance from Anton Forsberg in net, the IceHogs achieved both goals.
The game got off to a fast start as the IceHogs took the early 1-0 lead just under two minutes into the game when Rockford-area native Josh McArdle scored his first career AHL goal to put Rockford up 1-0. The Penguins answered back just a minute later as Jarrett Burton tallied his fourth goal of the season to knot the game 1-1. Late in the 1st period, the IceHogs were able to take advantage of a 5-on-3 powerplay when Dylan Sikura set up Luke Johnson for a one-timer to get the IceHogs back in the lead, 2-1. Rockford would take the 2-1 lead into the second period, out-shooting the Penguins 14-7 after 20 minutes.
Rockford IceHogs forward Josh McArdle celebrates a goal against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. (Courtesy: Rockford IceHogs)
Over the next two periods, the IceHogs of the first period vanished and a more passive IceHogs squad took the ice. Getting out-shot in the second period 19-6 and 20-7 in the third period, Anton Forsberg was forced to stand on his head and keep the one-goal lead alive for Rockford. Luckily, he was able to stop all 39 shots he faced in periods two and three and earn the 2-1 victory.
The IceHogs were 1-for-6 on the powerplay against the Penguins, while they killed all three penalties against them. Rockford ranks 30th in the AHL on the man-advantage (14.5%) and their penalty-kill ranks 10th in the league (82.5%).
Forsberg’s 45 saves rank as the second-most he has made this season, behind his 49-save performance against the Texas Stars on December 15, only this time he was able to walk away with the win. Forsberg has won his last three starts in a row, improving his record to 11-9-1, with a 2.56 GAA, and a 0.921 save-percentage. Forsberg now ranks tied for the eighth-best GAA in the league and his 0.921 save-percentage ranks in a tie for third-best in the AHL for active goalies.
What’s Next?
The Rockford IceHogs are back in action on Friday night as they continue their six-game home stand. On Friday, the Tucson Roadrunners come to town for the first of back-to-back games. Rockford holds a 1-0-1 record against the Roadrunners this season after back-to-back games in Arizona in October. Puck drop for Friday night is scheduled for 7pm CT at the BMO Harris Bank Center, while Saturday is a 6pm CT puck drop.