Hogs Return Home for Friday Night Matchup vs. Stars
February 23, 2024 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Rockford IceHogs News Release
ROCKFORD, Ill.-The Rockford IceHogs return home to face the Texas Stars tonight at the BMO Center. The Hogs split a pair of games in Iowa against the Wild, and Rockford has now won four of its last six contests. This weekend is the last of four straight home weekend back-to-back sets for the Hogs.
FRIDAY, FEB. 23 AT 7 PM: MILITARY APPRECIATION NIGHT & $2 BEER FRIDAY
Benchmark Exteriors presents Military Appreciation Night to honor active and veteran military personnel with a free ticket to the game and a discounted offer for any guests! It's also a Friday which means $2 beer (cans of Bud Light, Budweiser, and Busch Light) and $2 soft drinks!
Life Decisions Shoe Drive
The IceHogs are honored to partner with Life Decisions to assist with their "Shoe Us the Love" shoe drive! Starting at this Friday's IceHogs game, donate your gently worn used and new shoes. Collected shoes will help support Life Decisions and will be given a second life by those in need through #microenterprise. You can also drop off shoes at the BMO Center lobby through Feb. 25 or at other locations in Rockford. Learn more about Life Decisions at lifedecisions.net and if you are coming to the games this weekend please consider supporting the cause!
2023-24 Season Records
Rockford: 20-21-5-2, 47 points (4th, Central Division)
Texas: 24-18-3-2, 43 points (3rd, Central Division)
Last Game: 3-1 Win at Iowa (Feb. 21)
The IceHogs survived a late push by Iowa and held on to win a 3-1 game at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa on Wednesday. Rockford outshot Iowa 14-5 in the first period, and Michal Teply picked up his fifth goal of the season after a setup from Josh Maniscalco.
Maniscalco also helped set up Rockford's second goal when he and Lukas Reichel combined to get Mike Hardman the puck in front of the net for Hardman's 16th goal of the season.
Last Game vs. Texas: 3-2 Overtime Win (Feb. 13)
Ethan Del Mastro netted the overtime game-winner for Rockford in a 3-2 final over Texas on Feb. 13 at the BMO Center. Trailing entering the third, Mike Hardman scored with 3:13 left in regulation to tie the game in the middle of a late push for Rockford that saw the Hogs outshout the Stars 16-5 in the period.
Defensive Prowess
The IceHogs have been stout defensively as of late. Rockford has allowed three or less goals in nine straight games and is averaging just 1.89 goals-against per game in that span. The Hogs are 20-6-3-1 when keeping the opposition at or below three goals this season. Part of Rockford's success has centered around two rookie defensemen, Ethan Del Mastro and Nolan Allan, who both have appeared in all 48 games for Rockford this season.
Manny Stepping in and Stepping Up
Josh Maniscalco played in his fifth straight contest for Rockford on Wednesday when he notched two assists vs. Iowa. The five straight appearances are the most consecutive games for Maniscalco this season, and his two-assist night was the third multi-point night of his career in the AHL.
Reichel Returns
On Sunday, it was announced that Lukas Reichel was assigned to the IceHogs after posting 10 points (3G, 7A) in 50 NHL games with the Blackhawks. This season has marked Reichel's longest run in the NHL to date, and the forward has now tabbed 26 total points (10G, 16A) in 84 NHL games through the past three seasons. Reichel ranked fourth in scoring for Rockford last season with 51 points (20G, 31A) in 55 games, and the Nuremburg, Germany native set a rookie scoring record for the Hogs in 2021-22 when he recorded 57 points (21G, 36A) in 56 games. Reichel was selected 17th overall by the Blackhawks in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.
Stauber's Success
Jaxson Stauber became the first-ever AHL goaltender to score a goal and record a shutout in the same game when he blanked Chicago with 24 saves and hit the back of an empty net with a minute left in regulation last night. Stauber became just the 23rd AHL goaltender to score a goal, joining his father Robb on the list. Robb scored a goalie goal with the Rochester Americans in the 1995-96 season. Stauber is also just the second Rockford goaltender in the IceHogs' AHL era to score a goal. Collin Delia recorded a goal for the Hogs on Dec. 17, 2021 against the Texas Stars. On Wednesday, the Iowa Wild scored their first goal against Stauber at the 12:49 mark of the third period, ending what was a 137:28 shutout streak for the netminder that started on Feb. 10 against Chicago in the second period. The second-year man out of Providence College has won his last three games and has allowed just two goals in that span for a .969 save percentage in that stretch.
SATURDAY, FEB. 24 AT 7PM: LUKAS REICHEL BOBBLEHEAD GIVEAWAY
The first 2,500 fans will receive a bobblehead of former IceHog and current Blackhawk Lukas Reichel!
Tune In LIVE on the IceHogs Broadcast Network Presented by BMO
Watch and listen to every game this season on the IceHogs Broadcast Network presented by BMO! Listen from your favorite device, at home, or on the road at IceHogs.com and on the IceHogs app and watch LIVE on AHLTV and selected games in High Definition on 19.2 The365! Fans can also tune in on all of Mid-West Family's local stations including 104.9 The X, B103, 95.3 The Bull, and Rockford Greatest Hits 100.5 and featured on Rock River Current, the Stateline's premiere source for local events, news and culture.
2023-24 Head-To-Head Schedule (All Times Central)
Wed., Nov. 8 vs Texas - L 5-1 - Recap, Highlights
Fri., Jan. 5 at Texas - L 4-1 - Recap, Highlights
Sat., Jan. 6 at Texas - W 5-3 - Recap, Highlights
Fri., Feb. 9 vs Texas - OTL 3-2 - Recap, Highlights
Tue., Feb. 13 vs Texas - OTW - Recap, Highlights
Fri., Feb. 23 vs Texas, 7 p.m.
Tue., Mar. 12 at Texas, 7 p.m.
Wed., Mar. 13 at Texas, 7 p.m.
IceHogs vs Stars, All-Time
39-26-5-4
American Hockey League Stories from February 23, 2024
- Senators Rally In Third For Shootout Win Over Amerks - Rochester Americans
- Moose Fall to Wranglers - Manitoba Moose
- Senators Win Shootout Thriller to Sweep Two-Game Set in Rochester - Belleville Senators
- Condors Edge Roadrunners, 3-2 - Bakersfield Condors
- Silver Knights Drop First of Series, 4-0, to Colorado - Henderson Silver Knights
- Prosvetov Turns in 15-Save Shutout in Eagles' 4-0 Blanking of Henderson - Colorado Eagles
- Kaiser Records First Pro Multi-Point Game In Victory Over Texas - Rockford IceHogs
- IceHogs Hang on to Defeat Stars in Rockford - Texas Stars
- Bears Squeak Past Penguins in Penalty-Filled Affair - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Bears Take Down Penguins 4-1 in Return Home - Hershey Bears
- Three Short-Handed Goals Help P-Bruins Past Monsters in Overtime - Providence Bruins
- Power Play Rekindles as T-Birds Dispatch Wolf Pack - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Wolf Pack Drop 6-3 Decision to Thunderbirds - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Monsters Earn Point in 4-3 Overtime Loss to Bruins - Cleveland Monsters
- Bojangles Game Preview: February 24 vs. Lehigh Valley - Charlotte Checkers
- Crunch Defeat Comets, 2-1 - Syracuse Crunch
- Comets Drop Close Contest to Crunch, 2-1 - Utica Comets
- Dillon Hamaliuk Returns to Penguins - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Capitals Recall Hendrix Lapierre from Hershey - Hershey Bears
- Morning Skate Report: February 23, 2024 - Henderson Silver Knights
- San Diego Gulls to Host Gulls Fight Cancer Night on Saturday, February 24 - San Diego Gulls
- Eagles Announce Recipient of 2024 Pot of Gold Fundraiser - Colorado Eagles
- Syracuse Crunch Sign Forward Austin Magera to PTO - Syracuse Crunch
- San Diego Gulls Reassign Luka Profaca to Tulsa - San Diego Gulls
- Lycksell Returns to Phantoms - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Game Day: Wranglers vs Moose - Calgary Wranglers
- Howarth and Weeks Sent to Indy - Rockford IceHogs
- Wolf Pack Conclude Six-Game-In-Eight-Day Stretch with 'I-91 Rivalry' Showdown - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Hogs Return Home for Friday Night Matchup vs. Stars - Rockford IceHogs
- Game Preview: Bears vs. Penguins, 7 p.m. - Hershey Bears
- Dillon Hamaliuk Reassigned to Nailers - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Game Preview: Condors at Roadrunners, 6 p.m. - Bakersfield Condors
- Rangers Assign F Brennan Othmann to Wolf Pack - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Providence Bruins Recall Ethan Ritchie from Maine Mariners - Providence Bruins
- Game #48: Tucson Roadrunners vs. Bakersfield Condors - Tucson Roadrunners
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