After suffering an 8-1 loss on Tuesday night, the Rockford IceHogs needed a bounce back performance over the weekend and produced just that. With a win over the Chicago Wolves on Friday and a win over the Texas Stars on Saturday, the IceHogs jumped from fourth-place in the AHL Central Division to second-place behind the Manitoba Moose.
A 4-3 overtime win over rival Chicago and a 6-2 route of the Stars was the perfect response the IceHogs needed to show after falling to the Moose earlier in the week.
Friday: Rockford IceHogs def. Chicago Wolves, 4-3 (ot)
In the third game of the Illinois Lottery Cup rivalry this season, the Wolves came into Rockford having taken down the IceHogs one week prior in a 4-3 win in Chicago. On Friday, it would be the same final, but the IceHogs would come out on top, taking the 2-1 series lead over the Wolves in this season’s installment of the rivalry.
Prior to Friday night’s action, the Chicago Blackhawks announced that goaltender Corey Crawford would be placed on injured-reserve with an undisclosed injury. The Blackhawks recalled IceHogs goalie J.F. Berube and also assigned Collin Delia to Rockford.
On top of the last-minute transactions, the IceHogs welcomed Marian Hossa to the BMO Harris Bank Center for Friday’s game to honor the NHL legend. It was shaping up to be quite the Friday, even before the puck dropped.
The IceHogs got out to the first period lead just past the mid-way point when Tomas Jurco netted his sixth goal of the season, giving the IceHogs the 1-0 lead. Just five minutes later, Ville Pokka put the IceHogs up 2-0 with his third goal of the season. Both Pokka and Jurco assisted on each others goals and Rockford took the 2-0 lead into the second period.
Early in the middle-frame, the IceHogs extended their lead to 3-0 after Andreas Martinsen scored his second goal of the season. But the shutout for Jeff Glass wouldn’t last much longer as former IceHog Brandon Pirri opened up the scoring for the Wolves just three minutes later. With just over a minute remaining in the period, Brett Sterling would score his fourth goal of the season to make it a 3-2 game heading into the third period.
In the third, the IceHogs would be able to hold off the Wolves attack for most of the final frame. But, with just under five minutes left in the game, Teemu Pulkkinen would tie the game with his eighth goal of the season and the game would head to overtime.
ICYMI: Vinnie Hinostroza was back at it for the @goicehogs with an overtime game-winner last night. pic.twitter.com/UdYOfKd49q
— AHL (@TheAHL) December 2, 2017
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In the overtime period, the IceHogs would need just 37 seconds and one shot for Vince Hinostroza to end the game. With his ninth goal of the year, Hinostroza gave the IceHogs the 4-3 win over the Wolves and sent the fans home happy.
Saturday: Rockford IceHogs def. Texas Stars, 6-2
Saturday night’s game against the Texas Stars marked the IceHogs’ Annual Teddy Toss night benefiting Rockford-area hospitals and children’s charities. Although it was the Stars that got out to the lead late in the first period. It would be Anthony Louis‘ fourth goal of the season eight minutes into the second period that not only tied the game 1-1, but also sent the Teddy Bears flying.
RELEASE. THE TEDDY BEARS! ? pic.twitter.com/N8LnaUs8Qa
— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) December 3, 2017
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That wouldn’t be all for the IceHogs in the second period either. Later in the period, Matthew Highmore would score his team-leading 10th goal of the season to give the IceHogs the 2-1 lead. With just under two minutes left in the period, William Pelletier would extend the Rockford lead to 3-1 with his second goal of the year.
In the third period, the IceHogs would notch two more goals to extend the lead to 5-1 with tallies coming from Luc Snuggerud and Darren Raddysh, their third and second goals of the year respectively. A former IceHog would break the scoring run for Rockford as Texas’ Mark McNeill would score his third goal of the year to make it a 5-2 game with six minutes remaining. Tomas Jurco would add an empty-net goal and the IceHogs completed the route of the Stars, 6-2.
Four Rockford rookies scoring for the IceHogs and Vince Hinostorza tallying three assists in the game made the Saturday tilt a great momentum builder for the team heading into an extended break. Hinostroza leads the team in scoring with 22 points (9G, 13A) in 23 games and ranks 9th overall in the AHL in scoring after a four-point weekend. Jeff Glass would notch wins number six and seven on the season with both victories over the weekend, improving his record to 7-2-1 this year.
What’s Next?
The IceHogs will be on the ice next on Friday, Dec. 8th when they begin a home-and-home series with the Grand Rapids Griffins. Friday nights game takes place in Grand Rapids and is slated for a 7pm ET puck drop. The IceHogs return home on Saturday and play hosts to the Griffins back at the BMO Harris Bank Center for a 6pm CT puck drop in Rockford. Saturday night will also be Girl Scout Night for the IceHogs. In three games this season, the IceHogs are 3-0-0 against the Griffins with a pair of shootout victories.