On Friday night, the Rockford IceHogs are set to take on the Ontario Reign in Rockford on the annual “Pink the Rink” night for the IceHogs. The special night is to benefit breast cancer awareness and will feature the IceHogs home ice being dyed pink and the team will be wearing special Rockford Peaches themed uniforms to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the team from the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, featured in the movie A League Of Their Own.
IceHogs “Pink The Rink”
The IceHogs celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Rockford Peaches by wearing Peaches-inspired sweaters, which will replicate the original uniforms worn by the team from 1943-1954. The jerseys will be available via blind-silent auction during the game, and a select number will be made available via online auction the following week, with proceeds benefiting breast cancer research.
@megancavanagh8 the Rockford IceHogs will wear these jerseys on Jan 26 for Pink in the Rink night for breast cancer research, plus honoring the 75th anniversary of the Peaches. We would like to officially invite you to be our guest of honor that night. We need a great hitter! pic.twitter.com/DnFZ9769Oc
— Chris Toltzman (@TOLTZ) November 15, 2017
Excited to celebrate Rockford Peaches baseball during #PinkintheRink tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/lOSoHi89Mf
— Joseph Zakrzewski (@JoeyZRadio) January 25, 2018
Also part of the “Pink the Rink” night is the ice surface of the BMO Harris Bank Center has been dyed pink and the “Locks for Love” will be in attendance taking hair donations during the game. All benefiting breast cancer awareness and research.
Final Games Before AHL All-Star Weekend
The contest marks the second and final meeting between the teams this season. Earlier this month, the IceHogs traveled to Ontario as part of a three-game California road trip and came away with a 5-2 victory. Coming into the weekend, the IceHogs sit in third place in the AHL Central Division with a 23-16-5 record with 51 points and a .580 point percentage. Rockford trails second-place Iowa Wild by .001 percentage points with only .011 percentage points separating second and fourth place in the Central Division. The Reign currently are in fifth-place in the AHL Pacific Division with a 21-16-2 record, 44 points, and a .564 points percentage.
The IceHogs follow-up Friday night’s contest with a road game against the Grand Rapids Griffins on Saturday night to close the book on the “first half” of the AHL season, as the AHL All-Star Weekend in Utica, New York takes place on Sunday and Monday. Heading into the weekend, the Griffins sit in sixth pace in the Central Division at 21-18-5 with 47 points and a .534 points percentage.
With the season heading into February after the All-Star Break, the IceHogs would be wise not to look too far ahead to the break and get much-needed points in what appear to be winnable games this weekend. While it is still early to be scoreboard watching, knowing where they stand in the Central Division and Western Conference can keep the young IceHogs group focused on the task at hand. Making the playoffs for this young group would be a major accomplishment.
The IceHogs will be represented at the AHL All-Star game by rookie forward Matthew Highmore and defenseman Carl Dahlstrom. Both players were named replacements for Vince Hinostroza and Erik Gustafsson, but both have had much deserving seasons on their own merits. Highmore leads the team in scoring with 29 points (18G, 11A) and his 18 goals ties him for second in the AHL among rookies. Dahlstrom leads the IceHogs defensemen in scoring with 21 points (3G, 18A) as well as leading the team with a plus/minus rating of +15. He has already nearly doubled his point production in 70 games last season and has been one of Rockford’s most consistent defenseman at both ends of the ice.
Friday night’s “Pink the Rink” game is set for a 7pm CT puck drop at the BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford. Saturday night’s game in Grand Rapids is set for a 6pm CT puck drop.