IceHogs and Stars Meet for Game 1 of Division Semifinals
Published on April 28, 2023 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Rockford IceHogs News Release
Rockford, Ill. - The Rockford IceHogs take on the Texas Stars tonight in Game 1 of the Central Division Semifinals at the BMO Center at 7 p.m. The two division rivals meet in the second round of the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs after Rockford earned a record of 5-3-0-0 against Texas through eight meetings in the regular season.
2022-23 Season Records
Rockford: 35-28-5-4, 79 points (5th, Central Division)
Texas: 40-20-9-3, 92 points (1st, Central Division)
Players to Watch
Forward David Gust (26G, 33A) had eight goals through eight games against the Texas Stars in the 2022-23 regular season. Gust has three points through two postseason games so far including two goals and one assist. After earning wins in Game 1 and Game 2 in the First Round of the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs against the Iowa Wild, goaltender Arvid Soderblom has a career record of 4-0 in the First Round of the postseason. Soderblom has a .917 save percentage in this year's playoffs with a 2.38 goals-against average.
Texas is led by forward Riley Barber (32G, 32A) who paces the Stars in goals and points. The forward's 64 points was tied for 12th in the AHL during the regular season, and his 32 goals ranked fourth in the league. Former IceHogs forward Tanner Kero ranks third for the Stars with 50 points (17G, 33A) and has the second most assists on the team this season.
Last Game Highlights
The IceHogs knocked the Iowa Wild out of the Playoffs with a 4-3 overtime win last Friday night. Isaak Phillips tallied in the first period to tie the game, David Gust scored in the second period and gave the Hogs their first lead of the night, and Michal Teply evened the score in the third period and sent the contest to overtime. Buddy Robinson netted the overtime game-winning goal to send Rockford to the Division Semifinals. Arvid Soderblom recorded his fourth Calder Cup Playoff win with 26 saves on 29 Iowa shots.
Best of Five
The Hogs face off against the Central Division Champion Texas Stars in a best-of-five series in the Central Division Semifinals of the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs. This season, Rockford finished the regular season 5-3-0-0 against the Central Division Champions and have an all-time record of 37-24-4-4 against the Stars. The Hogs posted a 3-1-0-0 record against the Stars at the BMO this season and won three of the last four matchups against Texas during the regular campaign.
Familiar Foe
Meeting 15 times in the Calder Cup Playoffs, Texas is Rockford's most common adversary in the postseason, and the Hogs have a 7-8 playoff record against the Stars. Last season, Rockford faced Texas in the First Round of the 2022 Calder Cup Playoffs and won the series 2-0. Tonight starts the fifth postseason series between the two clubs.
Overtime Overboard
After playing seven overtime games against each other in the regular season, Rockford and Iowa needed extra time to settle Game 1 and 2. The IceHogs claimed a 3-2 win in Game 1 in overtime on Apr. 19 with forward Rocco Grimaldi's game-winning goal 3:59 into the extra frame. Stamping their ticket to the Central Division Semifinals, Rockford bagged a 4-3 overtime win in Game 2 with forward Buddy Robinson's game-winner at 2:05 of the overtime period. Rockford is now 6-5 in overtime in the Calder Cup Playoffs. Including the two postseason games, Rockford has now played 26 overtime contests this season. The Game 1 and 2 overtime wins marked the first time in IceHogs history that the team won back-to-back overtime games in the Calder Cup Playoffs.
First Time
Defenseman Isaak Phillips and forward Michal Teply both recorded goals against Iowa in Game 2 of the First Round on Friday night. In his seventh playoff appearance, Phillips registered his first career goal in a postseason game. The defenseman marked two assists in the 2022 Calder Cup Playoffs with the IceHogs. Teply recorded his first postseason goal and his second postseason assist in his seventh playoff appearance. The winger notched one apple with the IceHogs through five postseason games with the IceHogs in the 2022 Calder Cup Playoffs.
Gust In Time
Forward David Gust tallied his second goal of the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs in Game 2 against the Wild on Friday night. The previous 2022 Calder Cup Champion with the Chicago Wolves has three points through two postseason games after marking a goal and an assist in Game 1 on Apr. 19. The winger has 18 points (7G, 11A) in 30 career Calder Cup Playoff Games.
Comeback Kids
Rockford's third-period comeback in Game 2 against Iowa marked just the third time the IceHogs overcame a deficit in the final frame to win a Calder Cup Playoff game. The second time Rockford accomplished this feat in the postseason was Game 4 of the 2018 Western Conference Finals against Texas in Game 4 to keep the series alive. The Stars had jumped out to a 3-0 series lead, but a third-period goal from Luke Johnson and an overtime goal from Victor Ejdsell gave the Hogs a 3-2 win and helped Rockford eventually extend the series to six games before Texas claimed a 4-2 series victory. Rockford completed eight comeback victories during the 2022-23 regular season, and became just the 23rd team since the Hogs joined the AHL in 2007 to pull out eight wins when trailing entering the third period.
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 on 23.3 Circle TV! 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.
2022-23 Playoffs Head-to-Head Schedule (All Times Central)
GAME 1: Friday, Apr. 28 at BMO Center, 7 p.m.
GAME 2: Sunday, Apr. 30 at BMO Center, 4 p.m.
GAME 3: Wednesday, May 3 at H-E-B Center at Cedar Park, 7 p.m.
GAME 4*: Friday, May 5 at H-E-B Center at Cedar Park, 7 p.m.
GAME 5*: Saturday, May 6 at H-E-B Center at Cedar Park, 7 p.m.
*if necessary
2022-23 Head-to-Head Schedule (all times Central):
Nov. 12 at Texas, 2-3 L, Recap & Highlights
Nov. 13 at Texas, 5-4 W, Recap & Highlights
Nov. 23 vs Texas, 7-2 W, Recap & Highlights
Dec. 20 at Texas, 1-6 L, Recap & Highlights
Dec. 21 at Texas, 3-2 OTW, Recap & Highlights
Jan. 3 vs Texas, 4-3 OTW, Recap & Highlight
Feb. 17 vs Texas, 3-2 OTW, Recap & Highlights
Feb. 22 vs Texas, 3-5 L, Recap & Highlights
IceHogs vs. Stars, All-Time:
37-24-4-4
American Hockey League Stories from April 28, 2023
- Jansen Harkins and Daniel Torgersson Score for Moose in Loss - Manitoba Moose
- Kulich's Return, Mersch's Hat Trick Help Amerks Stave Off Elimination with 8-5 in Game 3 - Rochester Americans
- IceHogs Fall 5-3 in Game 1, Stars Take 1-0 Series Lead - Rockford IceHogs
- Late Tiebreaker Helps Stars Win Game One in Rockford - Texas Stars
- Admirals Earn Game One Win - Milwaukee Admirals
- Dylan Garand Records First Calder Cup Playoff Shutout as Wolf Pack Blank Bruins 1-0 in Game One - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Bears Come Out Roaring In 5-2 Game 1 Win Over Checkers - Hershey Bears
- Crunch Fall to Amerks, 8-5, in Game 3 - Syracuse Crunch
- Checkers Suffer Game 1 Loss to Hershey - Charlotte Checkers
- P-Bruins Drop Game One of Atlantic Division Semifinals to Wolf Pack - Providence Bruins
- Hills, Perrott, Weeks Join Rockford from Indy - Rockford IceHogs
- Game Day - ABB vs CGY - 04.28.2023 - Calgary Wranglers
- Wolf Pack Visit Bruins in Game 1 of Atlantic Division Semifinals - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Atlantic Division Semifinals Game 1 Preview: Bears at Checkers, 7 p.m. - Hershey Bears
- IceHogs and Stars Meet for Game 1 of Division Semifinals - Rockford IceHogs
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