Red-Hot Hogs Seek to School Barracuda
March 31, 2018 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Rockford IceHogs News Release
ROCKFORD, Ill - The Rockford IceHogs swept a two-game trip in Manitoba and boast a three-game win streak as they return home to host the San Jose Barracuda on Saturday night at the BMO Harris Bank Center.
Puck drop is at 6 p.m. and fans can tune in to all the action on Cozi TV 23.3 or Dish Network Channel 252, beginning with IceHogs Warmup at 5:30 p.m. IceHogs fans can also listen to the game at sportsfanradio1330.com or watch live at AHLlive.com (subscription required).
Matchup: The IceHogs (36-25-4-4, 4th Central) host their 37th of 38 home games of the 2017-18 regular season tonight and are currently tied for the sixth-most points at home this year in the AHL. Rockford enters tonight's contest with wins in each of its last three games and points in 13 of the last 16 contests (11-3-1-1) since Feb. 13.
Hogs forwards Chris DiDomenico and Tyler Sikura each tallied points against the Moose on Wednesday to extend their personal point streaks to an IceHogs team season-high seven straight games. DiDomenico has four multi-point efforts during his current streak and 11 total points (4g, 7a) over that span, while Sikura has logged nine points (3g, 6a) during his own seven-gamer.
In net, goaltender Jeff Glass has won four of his last five appearances, combining for a 4-1-0-0 record with a 2.18 GAA and .925 save percentage in that time. Glass is backed up by Matt Tomkins, who was recalled from the ECHL's Indy Fuel on Thursday.
San Jose (28-25-4-4, 7th Pacific) arrives in Rockford with points in two consecutive games, including a shootout loss in Grand Rapids last night. The Barracuda are just 11-13-3-3 on the road this season and have won only two of their last 10 road contests (2-5-2-1).
Forward Rudolfs Balcers leads the team in scoring with 41 points on 18 goals and 23 assists in 60 games this year. The rookie standout is ninth in the league in rookie scoring, but has notched just one point over his last six games since March 18.
Between the pipes, Antoine Bibeau has posted a 19-14-4 record with a 2.49 GAA and .916 save percentage in 39 games this year. Bibeau is ninth in the league in games played and 11th among AHL netminders in wins in 2017-18.
Next Home Game: Friday, April 13 vs. Chicago
The IceHogs host their final home game of the 2017-18 regular season with an Illinois Lottery Cup series matchup against the Chicago Wolves. Friday is Fan Appreciation Night and the first 2,500 fans in attendance will receive a free copy of this season's team photo, courtesy of American Solutions for Business.
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American Hockey League Stories from March 31, 2018
- Rampage Split Weekend Series against Heat After 4-1 Loss - San Antonio Rampage
- Hogs Bury Barracuda with 4-Goal Third Period - Rockford IceHogs
- Monsters Drop Tight-Checking Tilt in Ontario, 5-3 - Cleveland Monsters
- Wolves' Magic Number Drops to 3 in Shootout Loss - Chicago Wolves
- Blue-Collar Heat Outwork San Antonio for 4-1 Win - Stockton Heat
- Four-Goal Third Period Propels Amerks Past Devils - Rochester Americans
- Barracuda Downed by Rockford's Four-Goal Third - San Jose Barracuda
- Iowa Falls to Tucson 4-3 - Iowa Wild
- Bridgeport scores once shorthanded, twice on the power play, and twice at even strength in Saturday's win - Bridgeport Islanders
- Checkers Snap Seven-Game Crunch Streak with 4-1 Win - Syracuse Crunch
- Admirals Can't Hold Lead against Griffins - Milwaukee Admirals
- Bau Scores Twice as Bears Ground Rocket, 6-3 - Hershey Bears
- Bridgeport Batters Wolf Pack 5-1 - Hartford Wolf Pack
- T-Birds Put up Five in Front of Sellout Crowd, But Are Stunned by Comets - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Sens Beaten in First Visit to Allentown - Belleville Senators
- Penguins Lose Heated Battle with Bruins, 3-1 - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Devils Lose Lead in 5-3 Loss to Amerks - Binghamton Devils
- P-Bruins Magic Number Down to Four After 3-1 Win over Penguins - Providence Bruins
- Comets Reign over Thunderbirds in a Wild Affair - Utica Comets
- McKegg Leads Checkers to Win over Red-Hot Syracuse - Charlotte Checkers
- Moose Eclipsed by Marlies Late - Manitoba Moose
- Rampage Sign Defenseman Neal Goff to Amateur Tryout Contract - San Antonio Rampage
- Marlies Set American Hockey League Road Wins Record - Toronto Marlies
- Reign Sign Mikey Eyssimont to ATO - Ontario Reign
- American Hockey League Announces Suspension - AHL
- Flames Recall Defenseman Oliver Kylington on Emergency Basis - Stockton Heat
- Game Preview: Condors Host San Diego at 7 p.m. - Bakersfield Condors
- Red-Hot Hogs Seek to School Barracuda - Rockford IceHogs
- Game #63 Preview: Tucson at Iowa - Tucson Roadrunners
- Rampage Defenseman Chris Butler Recalled Under Emergency Conditions - San Antonio Rampage
- Game Preview: Rocket Fly into Hershey on Dietz & Watson Ham Shoot Night - Hershey Bears
- G Alex Lyon Recalled by Flyers - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Game Day Build-Up: Senators at Phantoms, March 31 - Belleville Senators
- Round 2 in Manitoba - Toronto Marlies
- Penguins Sign Niclas Almari to ATO - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Sabres Assign Criscuolo to Rochester - Rochester Americans
- Monsters Outlasted by Gulls, 3-1 - Cleveland Monsters
- Condors Road Point Streak Ends in Ontario - Bakersfield Condors
- Roadrunners Post Six to Outlast Iowa Friday Night - Tucson Roadrunners
- Moose Tripped by Marlies 3-2 - Manitoba Moose
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