IceHogs' depth to get tested in Elmira
Published on February 23, 2007 under International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Rockford IceHogs News Release
Rockford, Ill.- Most teams couldn't survive without the services of three of its top four point scorers. The Rockford IceHogs have and now they will be without one its grittiest players as Hogs Head Coach Steve Martinson announced on Friday that the United Hockey League club has loaned winger Chaz Johnson to the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League.
Johnson joins forwards Jesse Bennefield (Iowa), Nicolas Corbeil (Milwaukee), and Preston Mizzi (Milwaukee) on AHL call-up as the Hogs ready themselves for a three-game weekend in Elmira, New York against the Jackals. For Johnson, the call-up is the second of the season to the AHL as he played in a game earlier this campaign with the Milwaukee Admirals. Overall this season, the Montreal, Quebec native has 13g-11-24pts in 44 games. Last season, Johnson spent eight overall games with Milwaukee, netting a goal.
Martinson loaning a player to Rochester marks the first time that the Hogs have loaned a player to the Americans. Johnson's opportunity in Rochester comes on the heels of a line brawl in the Buffalo Sabers-Ottawa Senators National Hockey League game on Thursday night. Americans winger Mark Mancari was called-up to Buffalo from Rochester, the Sabers AHL affiliate.
"It's an excellent opportunity for another one of our young players," said Martinson. "I'm more than happy to help out a former teammate, Lindy Ruff, and show the IceHogs support in his decision to meet out instant retribution on the hit on Chris Drury last night in Buffalo."
Johnson is one of nine current IceHogs skaters to see playing time in the AHL this season and one of seven to get a call-up. Rochester is home on Friday night against the Manitoba Moose and in Toronto on Saturday afternoon to play the Marlies. Johnson is expected to remain with the Americans for both contests.
Next Homestand: Friday, March 2 vs. Port Huron Flags. Game time is 7:30 p.m. The Flags and Hogs hook up for the final time this season when they meet at the MetroCentre. The first 1,000 fans to the game will receive IceHogs Poster #6 from Pepsi, Medicine Man, Johnson Press and the Rockford Register Star.
Saturday, March 3 vs. Quad City Mallards. The puck is slated to drop at 7:05 p.m. The IceHogs host its Eighth Annual Jersey Auction for charity as the archrival Mallards return to Rockford. The Hogs will don commemorative jersey's that will get auctioned off immediately following the game. The first 1,000 fans to the game will pick-up an IceHogs T-shirt featuring Hammysaurus Rex courtesy of Axberg Heating, Saturn of Rockford, Ameriprise Financial and Dental Dimensions.
Also, before both games, the IceHogs will host a United States Hockey League game between the Chicago Steel and Sioux City Musketeers. The game on Friday, March 2 starts at 3:30 p.m. and the contest on Saturday, March 3 will begin at 3 p.m. Tickets purchased for either game is good for both the IceHogs and Steel contests.
International Hockey League 2 Stories from February 23, 2007
- Flags Nab Win #20 in 2-0 Blanking of Komets - Port Huron Flags
- Countdown to Face-Off - Kalamazoo Wings
- IceHogs Shutout Jackals 3-0 In Series Opener - Elmira Jackals
- Hogs blank Jackals in first of three-game set - Rockford IceHogs
- IceHogs' depth to get tested in Elmira - Rockford IceHogs
- Countdown to Face-Off - Kalamazoo Wings
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