Hogs Return Home to Face Griffins After Christmas Break
December 27, 2023 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Rockford IceHogs News Release
ROCKFORD, Ill. - After a week-long road trip to California and a few days off to celebrate Christmas, the Rockford IceHogs return home to the BMO Center tonight to face the Grand Rapids Griffins. The Hogs have picked up points in the Central Divisions in three of their last four games and are seeing the Griffins for just the second time this season.
The first 1,000 kids 14 and under will receive a Screw City youth jersey that's a replica of the Screw City jerseys the IceHogs will be wearing at tonight's game. It's also a Wet Your Whistle Wednesday where fans can score a ticket and two drinks (beer, soda or water) for just $20.
2023-24 Season Records
Rockford: 11-12-3-0, 25 points (4th, Central)
Grand Rapids: 9-13-3-1, 22 points (6th, Central)
Last Meeting vs. Grand Rapids
Drew Commesso became the youngest IceHog to ever record a shutout on Oct. 28 when he stopped all 18 Grand Rapids shots in a 3-0 win. Rockford blitzed Grand Rapids in the first period by scoring two goals and outshooting the Griffins 16-4 in that frame. Ethan Del Mastro, Brett Seney, and Joey Anderson supplied the goals.
Last Game: 3-2 Overtime Win vs. San Diego
The IceHogs survived an up-and-down affair at Pachanga Arena in San Diego on Dec. 22 to defeat the Gulls 3-2 in overtime. It was Rockford's second overtime win of the season, and it gave the Hogs just their second win in the last 11 games. Rockford scored the game's first two goals with power-play strikes from Jackson Cates and Boris Katchouk in the second frame. Nikita Nesterenko answered Katchouk's goal 13 seconds later and cut the Hogs' lead to one. With an empty net in the third, San Diego tied the game at 2-2 with a goal from Trevor Carrick with 20 seconds left in regulation. In the extra period, David Gust scored 1:24 into overtime to hand Rockford the extra point. The IceHogs' penalty kill was 6-for-6 against the Gulls' top-10 power play.
Close Calls
Four of Rockford's last five games and each of Rockford's last three losses have all been by just one goal. The Hogs played in just one one-goal game in the first 10 games of the season, and in the 16 games since have found themselves in 8 contests decided by one score. This season, Rockford is 4-2-3-0 in one-goal games. The Hogs are 2-3 in overtime games and 1-0 in shootout finals.
OT Hero
The IceHogs have two overtime wins this season, and David Gust has provided the game-winner in each of them. Gust is one of just nine AHL players with multiple overtime goals this season, and is tied for second in the category behind Rochester's Jiri Kulich. Gust is tied for first amongst active AHL skaters. Only nine NHL players currently have multiple OT winners this season. Gust also had two overtime-winning goals last season with Rockford, and was the only IceHogs with multiple OT winners.
Starting to Break Through
The IceHogs were hitting hard times earlier in December. Two of the last five goaltenders that Rockford has played against (Jesper Wallstedt and Tomas Suchanek) have each earned AHL Player of the Week Honors after they beat the IceHogs twice in one week. Over Rockford's last 11 games in which the team is 2-7-2-0, the Hogs' shooting percentage is at a lowly 6.5%. The league average shooting percentage is 10.5% with the Hershey Bears (AHL leader in points) leading the league at 12.8% and the Bridgeport Islanders (32nd in AHL rankings) bringing up the rear at 7.3%. Rockford ranks 24th out of 32 AHL clubs with a 9.7% shooting percentage for the season.
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 Circle TV (Changing from 19.2 to The 365 starting on Dec. 31)! 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)
Oct. 28 vs. Grand Rapids - W 3-0 - Recap, Highlights
Dec. 27 vs. Grand Rapids 7 p.m.
Jan. 12 @ Grand Rapids 6 p.m.
Jan. 13 @ Grand Rapids 6 p.m.
Jan. 24 @ Grand Rapids 6 p.m.
Feb. 2 vs. Grand Rapids 7 p.m.
Feb. 17 vs. Grand Rapids 7 p.m.
Mar. 2 @ Grand Rapids 6 p.m.
Mar. 23 vs. Grand Rapids 7 p.m.
Apr. 12 @ Grand Rapids 6 p.m.
IceHogs vs Griffins, All-time
64-51-6-4
American Hockey League Stories from December 27, 2023
- Penguins Suffer 4-1 Defeat at Giant Center - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Richard, Callahan Lead P-Bruins to Victory Over Islanders - Providence Bruins
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- Abbotsford Canucks At Calgary Wranglers Series Preview - Abbotsford Canucks
- Turner Elson Scores Third Goal of the Season, But Wolf Pack Fall 3-1 to Thunderbirds - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Abramov's 3rd Period Strike Downs Wolf Pack Inside Sold-Out Thunderdome - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Comets' Comeback Falls Short against Phantoms, 5-4 - Utica Comets
- Crunch Blow Past Amerks, 3-1 - Syracuse Crunch
- Tucson Roadrunners Road Ahead: a December to Remember - Tucson Roadrunners
- McWard Makes Memorable Trip to Canuck Place - Abbotsford Canucks
- Morning Skate Report: December 27, 2023 - Henderson Silver Knights
- Askarov Recalled by Predators - Milwaukee Admirals
- Game Preview: Bears vs. Penguins, 7 p.m. - Hershey Bears
- Wolf Pack Return from Holiday Break to Battle Thunderbirds - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Game Preview: Condors v Knights, 6:30 p.m. - Bakersfield Condors
- Hogs Return Home to Face Griffins After Christmas Break - Rockford IceHogs
- Capitals Recall Miroshnichenko and Lapierre from Bears - Hershey Bears
- Griffins Embark on Three Games in Five Days - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Tampa Bay Lightning Recall Defenseman Sean Day from Syracuse Crunch - Syracuse Crunch
- Wolf Pack Recall Cristiano Digiacinto from Loan to Cincinnati Cyclones - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Bridgeport Islanders Return Home to Face Bruins Tonight - Bridgeport Islanders
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