For the first time since the 2014–15 season, the Rockford IceHogs faced off against the Toronto Marlies. On a “school day” game in Rockford, a 10:30 a.m. start time did not hinder the IceHogs’ effort level from the first drop of the puck. Riding a three-game win streak, Rockford topped the Marlies 3–1 en route to handing Toronto their first regulation loss of the season and extending their own streak to four games.
IceHogs hand Marlies first regulation loss of the season
IceHogs head coach Derek King made it a focal point for the team to be ready to “start the game on time,” as the saying goes. The 10:30 a.m. start time can be a tricky one for teams to get going early. For the IceHogs, they took the message and ran with it in the opening frame against the Marlies.
Rockford poured on the pressure in the first 20 minutes, outshooting Toronto 17–5 and even having a Joni Tuulola goal get waved off. The power play had two chances in the first period, but Rockford would strike out with the man advantage. Marlies goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo being forced to make a diving double-save effort on the second IceHogs power play was the highlight of the onslaught.
The second period opened with the Marlies taking a 1–0 lead on the first shot of the period just eight seconds in. Matt Read beat Kevin Lankinen for his first goal of the year. Toronto would not get to enjoy the lead much, though, as the IceHogs responded immediately with the game-tying goal coming from Reese Johnson. In just 32 seconds, the teams traded goals with Johnson tallying his third of the year on a rebound chance off a Nick Moutrey shot.
"You can be by wingman any time" ✈️
-Moutrey to Reese, probably pic.twitter.com/IvjJIUzTlF
— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) November 6, 2019
The high energy of the IceHogs would force the Marlies into taking more uncharacteristic penalties in the middle frame, and, on their fourth power play chance of the game, Rockford would cash in. Philipp Kurashev tallied his first goal of his professional career to give the IceHogs the 2–1 lead just over eight minutes into the second period. Kurashev joins Adam Boqvist, MacKenzie Entwistle, Brandon Hagel, Johnson as rookies to score their first professional goals this season with the IceHogs so far. The goal marked Rockford’s third power play goal over their last two games.
See it. Watch it. Love it.
Philipp Kurashev with his first AHL goal.
Makes it 2-1 Piggies pic.twitter.com/RR3INg84wv— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) November 6, 2019
Rockford continued the pressure throughout the second period, despite being outshot in the frame 10–6 by Toronto. With just 15 seconds to play in the period, Toronto was called for their fourth penalty of the period and sixth of the game, giving Rockford 1:45 of power play time to begin the third period.
Unfortunately for the IceHogs, just 10 seconds into the third period, Jacob Nilsson took a penalty to erase the power play chance. While the IceHogs would kill off the abbreviated penalty, Nilsson took a second penalty just four minutes later to put Rockford down a man for the second time to open the period. Rockford would again kill off the Nilsson penalty to improve to four for four at that point of the game on the penalty kill against the Marlies’ third-ranked power play unit in the AHL.
As the clock ticked down in the third period, Rockford regained momentum and applied heavy pressure as the Marlies tried to weather the storm and try to find the equalizing goal. With the Toronto net empty, Anton Wedin forced a turnover in the defensive zone, Ian McCoshen flipped it ahead and Hagel tucked it in for the 3–1 insurance goal and sealed the win for the IceHogs. The loss is the first regulation defeat for the Marlies and gives the IceHogs a four-game win streak, improving their record to 6–5–0 on the year.
Kevin Lankinen would make 19 saves on 20 shots faced and sees his record move to 3–1–0 with a 1.99 goals against average and a .930 save percentage on the year. Rockford’s penalty-killing unit would kill all five penalties taken on the day, while the IceHogs scored one power play goal on six man-advantage opportunities.
What’s next?
The Rockford IceHogs are back in action on Friday night, as they host the Manitoba Moose. Puck drop on Friday night is set for 7 p.m. CST at the BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford. It is the first of eight meetings between the clubs this season, with the IceHogs finishing last season with a 1–1–2 record against the Moose.