On Friday, the Rockford IceHogs will get back to game action after a full week off as they get ready to face the Texas Stars in the Western Conference Finals of the Calder Cup Playoffs. The series begins in Cedar Park, Texas on Friday night. Rockford is coming off a second consecutive series sweep in these Calder Cup Playoffs as they topped the Manitoba Moose in four games, marking their furthest trip into the postseason in franchise AHL history. Also of note, by advancing to the Calder Cup Western Conference Finals, this marks the furthest a Chicago Blackhawks minor-league affiliate team has gone in the AHL playoffs since the New Brunswick Hawks won the Calder Cup in 1982.
Texas Stars vs Rockford IceHogs: By The Numbers
IceHogs Final Record and Standings: 40-28-8, 88 points, 4th Central Division
Stars Final Record and Standings: 34-28-14, 90 points, 2nd Pacific Division
Head-to-Head: 2-1-1, Rockford
Rockford Regular Season Goals For vs Texas: 13
Texas Regular Season Goals For vs Rockford: 5
Rockford Second-Round Series: 4-0 over Manitoba Moose
Texas Second-Round Series: 4-1 over Tucson RoadRunners
Rockford Calder Cup Playoffs Powerplay: 15/40 (37.5%), 1st in AHL
Texas Calder Cup Playoffs Powerplay: 5/29 (17.2%), 10th in AHL
Rockford Calder Cup Playoffs Penalty-Kill: 26/28 (92.9%), 2nd in AHL
Texas Calder Cup Playoffs Penalty-Kill: 24/28 (85.7%), 6th in AHL
Rockford Calder Cup Playoffs Top Skater: Chris DiDomenico (4G, 7A), 11 points
Texas Calder Cup Playoffs Top Skater: Brian Flynn (6G, 4A), 10 points
Rockford Calder Cup Playoffs Top Goalie: Collin Delia (7-0-0), 1.64 GAA, .948 Save-Percentage
Texas Calder Cup Playoffs Top Goalie: Mike McKenna (7-2-0), 1.65 GAA, .952 Save-Percentage
Series Preview Audio
Ahead of their Western Conference Finals series against Texas, hear from Rockford head coach Jeremy Colliton, Matthew Highmore, and Collin Delia as they breakdown the upcoming matchup with Texas, having a full week off before Game One, and the journey it has been reaching this point of the season.
Head Coach Jeremy Colliton
Matthew Highmore
Collin Delia
Players To Watch
Collin Delia, G, Rockford IceHogs
The success of the IceHogs essentially starts and stops with Delia in net. He has played outstanding in the postseason and in the two month run-up to the Calder Cup Playoffs. Delia is one of the two hottest net-minders in the postseason this year and his work in net has been one of the key factors in getting Rockford to this point. If Delia continues what he has done since the beginning of February, and out-duel Stars goalie Mike McKenna, the IceHogs penalty-kill can continue to be successful and the pucks will stay out of their net.
Collin Delia salutes the home crowd after the Rockford IceHogs defeat the Manitoba Moose in Game Four of the Western Conference Semi-Finals in the Calder Cup Playoffs. (Courtesy: Alec Reicher)
Mike McKenna, G, Texas Stars
It’ll be a tall order for Delia to out-duel McKenna in net as the 35-year old McKenna has been at the top of the AHL this season in net. The Stars continue to ride McKenna and rely on him in the penalty-killing game, just like Rockford with Delia. The IceHogs will have to simplify their game in getting pucks to the net and force McKenna to work for saves. Getting traffic in front of net and cycling the puck on the powerplay will be keys for Rockford if they are to crack McKenna.
Chris DiDomenico, C, Rockford IceHogs
Speaking of Rockford’s powerplay, the top-ranked unit in the Calder Cup Playoffs has been key in getting the IceHogs to this point in the season. The biggest contributor to the man-advantage success is forward Chris DiDomenico. Eight of his eleven points so far in the postseason have come on the powerplay (2G, 6A) and he has facilitated a ton of offensive chances while at even-strength as well. Rockford’s offense seems to go as DiDomenico does.
Chris DiDomenico celebrates with his teammates after a goal in Game Four of the Western Conference Semi-Finals. (Courtesy: Todd Reicher)
Brian Flynn, RW, Texas Stars
The leading point-scorer for the Stars so far in the Calder Cup Playoffs, Flynn has come up at big spots for the Stars this postseason with timely goals. Flynn, a veteran of 275 NHL games since 2013, is playing in his first full season in the AHL since the strike-shortened 2012-13 season. He has tallied six goals in nine games for the Stars so far, including an overtime winner in the First Round and a overtime-forcing goal in the Second Round. If the IceHogs are going to have success defensively, keeping Flynn off the scoreboard will be key.
Victor Ejdsell, LW/RW, Rockford IceHogs
This postseason has been a bit of a showcase for the sizable Swedish forward. Ejdsell took a bit to come around to the North American game, joining the IceHogs late in the season. But what he has shown in the Calder Cup Playoffs so far is that he has a tremendous vision on the ice and a deceptive shot. As he has earned ice-time, his confidence and comfort level have increased and it shows in his play. If Ejdsell can continue to find his game, he’ll continue to find the scoresheet and help Rockford’s offense.
Victor Ejdsell of the Rockford IceHogs. (Courtesy: Todd Reicher)
Travis Morin, C, Texas Stars
Morin is one of three current Stars players who are still on the team that won the Calder Cup in 2014 (Morin, Curtis McKenzie, Justin Dowling) and won the Jack A. Butterfield award as Calder Cup Playoff MVP during the Stars’ 2014 run. He ranks third in points for Texas with six (3G, 3A) over their nine games in the postseason and has been one of the key forwards for Texas for nine years. A veteran of 623 AHL games and 74 Calder Cup Playoff games (all with Texas) Morin can always be counted on to lead a talented Stars roster. He leads the Stars in penalty minutes (12) in the postseason and Rockford could find a way to get Morin in the box and give their top-powerplay units opportunities to get on the board.
What’s Next?
The Rockford IceHogs and Texas Stars meet in the Calder Cup Playoffs for the third time in AHL history, with both teams owning a sweep in the postseason over the other.
Here is the schedule for the IceHogs and Stars in the Calder Cup Playoffs Western Conference Finals:
- Game One: Rockford IceHogs at Texas Stars, Friday, May 18, 7pm (H-E-B Center at Cedar Park, Cedar Park, Texas)
- Game Two: Rockford IceHogs at Texas Stars, Sunday, May 20, 5pm
- Game Three: Texas Stars at Rockford IceHogs, Tuesday, May 22, 7pm (BMO Harris Bank Center, Rockford, Illinois)
- Game Four: Texas Stars at Rockford IceHogs, Thursday, May 24, 7pm
- * Game Five: Texas Stars at Rockford IceHogs, Friday, May 25, 7pm (*If Necessary)
- * Game Six: Rockford IceHogs at Texas Stars, Monday, May 28th, 7pm (*If Necessary)
- * Game Seven: Rockford IceHogs at Texas Stars, Tuesday, May 29th, 7pm (*If Necessary)
The Winner of the series will advance to the Calder Cup Finals and play the winner of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and Toronto Marlies.