IceHogs Battle Griffins on Pucks and Paws Night at the BMO Center
April 2, 2023 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Rockford IceHogs News Release
Rockford, Ill. - The Rockford IceHogs face off against the Grand Rapids Griffins today at the BMO Center at 4 p.m. on Pucks and Paws Night presented by Riverside Dental. Today's meeting is the seventh head-to-head contest between the division rivals, and the IceHogs are 3-2-1 against the Griffins this season.
Admission is $5 per dog, and the first 1500 fans (with or without pets) will receive a dog bowl courtesy of Riverside Dental Center. It's also the last Postgame Skate of the season with IceHogs players after Sunday's game at the BMO Center! Fans need to bring their own skates to participate on the ice.
The Rockford IceHogs will help kick off the Rockford Hockey Club's 50th Anniversary Season, and the Hogs will wear special jerseys based on the original designs of the Rockford Hockey Club's jerseys that debuted nearly 50 years ago. A select number of the limited edition game-worn jerseys will be available on the DASH auction app with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Rockford Hockey Club. Click here for more information.
2022-23 Season Records
Rockford: 30-26-5-4, 69 points (5th, Central Division)
Grand Rapids: 27-31-4-4, 62 points (7th, Central Division)
Players to Watch
Forward Bobby Lynch (10G, 8A) has registered three goals and three assists against the Griffins this season. With 18 points on the campaign, the winger is three points away from tying his career point record set with the Manitoba Moose in the 2021-22 season.
Grand Rapids is led by forward Taro Hirose (15G, 39A) who paces the Griffins with 54 points and leads the club in assists. Forward Joel L'Esperance (24G, 22A) ranks second for the Griffins with 46 points and leads the team in scoring.
Last Game Highlights
The IceHogs were shut out 3-0 by the Chicago Wolves on Saturday night at Allstate Arena. Jaxson Stauber turned away 35 of Chicago's 38 shots but was hit with his fifth loss in six games when Chicago netminder Pyotr Kochetkov kept Rockford off the board. The rivalry game featured 47 combined penalty minutes.
Series vs. Grand Rapids
The IceHogs are 3-2-1 against the Griffins this season. Jared McIssac scored an overtime winner for Grand Rapids to give his club a 2-1 victory over Rockford the last time the two teams met on Mar. 11 at Van Andel Arena. The IceHogs won the first three engagements of the season by a combined score of 13-3, but the Griffins have come out on top in each of the last three meetings. So far, Rockford's penalty kill has dominated the Grand Rapids power play, holding the Griffins to just two conversions in 23 attempts.
Robinson Approaching Milestone
On Saturday against Chicago, forward Buddy Robinson skated in his 598th professional game. The 10-year pro is just two appearances away from the 600-game plateau and could reach the mark as soon as Friday in Milwaukee. Robinson has 287 points (132G, 155A) in his 598 games spanning across the ECHL, AHL and NHL. The IceHogs are the 11th team that the well-respected veteran has appeared for as a professional.
Running Dry
After back-to-back shutout losses to Laval on Friday and Chicago on Saturday, the IceHogs have now been shut out four times during the 2022-23 season. The last time Rockford was shutout in back-to-back games was when the Hogs lost a pair of 4-0 contests to the Iowa Wild on Mar. 25 and Mar. 28 of 2017.
Two Rookie Forwards Waiting to Contribute
The IceHogs released a medical update on Friday stating that rookie forward Paul Ludwinski is out indefinitely with a left ankle sprain that he sustained while playing for the OHL's Kingston Frontenacs. Ludwinski, 18, registered 34 points (9G, 25A) in 47 games with the Frontenacs this season. On Mar. 25, the forward signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Chicago Blackhawks that begins next season and runs through the 2025-26 campaign. On Wednesday, Ludwinski signed an amateur tryout contract with the IceHogs. Rookie forward Ryder Rolston has been skating with Rockford ever since joining the team on a PTO on Mar. 14. Rolston signed a three-year entry-level deal with the Blackhawks that will begin next season. This season at Notre Dame, the forward registered 20 points (7G, 13A) before a collarbone injury ended his collegiate campaign.
Postseason Tracker
The IceHogs rank 5th in the Central Division with 69 points. Despite a 30-26-5-4 record this season, Rockford has played 24 overtime contests and only has 15 wins in regulation. Trailing the Iowa Wild's 74 points, the Hogs' magic number to clinch a playoff berth is 13.
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 Head-to-Head Schedule (All Times Central):
Sat., Nov. 5 vs. Grand Rapids, 4-1 W Recap & Highlights
Wed., Nov. 16 at Grand Rapids, 5-1 W Recap & Highlights
Wed., Dec. 28 vs. Grand Rapids, 4-1 W Recap & Highlights
Wed., Jan. 18 vs. Grand Rapids, 2-5 L Recap & Highlights
Wed., Feb. 15 at Grand Rapids, 4-5 L Recap & Highlights
Fri., Mar. 10 at Grand Rapids, 1-2 OTL Recap & Highlights
Sun., Apr. 2 vs. Grand Rapids, 4 p.m.
Fri., Apr. 14 at Grand Rapids, 6 p.m.
IceHogs vs. Griffins, All-Time
61-51-6-4
• Discuss this story on the American Hockey League message board...
American Hockey League Stories from April 2, 2023
- Reign Edged by Eagles, 2-1 - Ontario Reign
- Kinkaid Backstops Eagles to 2-1 Victory over Reign - Colorado Eagles
- Seney Scores Twice in 5-1 Hogs Win - Rockford IceHogs
- Griffins Limited to One Goal by Soderblom in 5-1 Loss - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Gulls Double up Iowa on Sunday - San Diego Gulls
- Gulls Hold off Wild, Iowa Falls 4-2 - Iowa Wild
- Admirals Drop Matinee to Wolves - Milwaukee Admirals
- Wolves Top Admirals 5-2 to Extend Win Streak to Four - Chicago Wolves
- Maier Steals the Show in Road Win - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Anaheim Ducks Sign Judd Caulfield to Two-Year Entry-Level Contract - San Diego Gulls
- Comets Victorious in Shootout Against Crunch, 5-4 - Utica Comets
- Crunch Edged by Comets, 5-4, in Shootout - Syracuse Crunch
- Bears Sweep Week With 3-0 Win Over Monsters - Hershey Bears
- Monsters Shut Out 3-0 By Bears - Cleveland Monsters
- Roadrunners Launch #CarconeMVP - Tucson Roadrunners
- Dallas Recalls Wedgewood, Loans Murray to Texas - Texas Stars
- Game Preview: Iowa Wild vs. San Diego Gulls - Iowa Wild
- Blues Recall D Matt Kessel Under Emergency Conditions - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Game Preview: Bears at Monsters, 12 p.m. - Hershey Bears
- Toronto Marlies Host Belleville Senators in Second Half of Back-To-Back - Toronto Marlies
- IceHogs Battle Griffins on Pucks and Paws Night at the BMO Center - Rockford IceHogs
- Lind's OT Winner Puts Firebirds Over Eagles - Coachella Valley Firebirds
- Roadrunners' Four-Game Unbeaten Streak Ends with 2-1 Loss to Bakersfield Condors - Tucson Roadrunners
- Eagles Snag Point in 3-2 OT Loss at Coachella Valley - Colorado Eagles
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
