IceHogs Host Griffins for Game 1 of Division Semifinals
April 27, 2024 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Rockford IceHogs News Release
ROCKFORD, Ill.-The Central Division Semifinals begins tonight at the BMO Center between the two-seed Grand Rapids Griffins and the three-seed Rockford IceHogs. After Game 1 tonight in Rockford, Games 2 & 3 will be held on Wednesday and Friday in Grand Rapids before the series returns to the Stateline on Sunday, May 5 if necessary. If need be, Game 5 of this best-of-five series will be in Grand Rapids on Friday, May 10.
The IceHogs finished just one point behind the Griffins in the standings, and the regular season series between the clubs ended with each team winning six of the 12 encounters. The IceHogs finished the season as one of the hottest teams in the AHL and won 20 of their last 25 games. The third-place finish by Rockford is the best since the 2015-16 campaign, and the 39 wins are the most since the 2017-18 group won 40 and reached the Western Conference Finals. The Hogs have now reached the postseason in three consecutive seasons.
Like Rockford, Grand Rapids put together an outstanding second half of the season. The Griffins went 28-10-5-3 since Dec. 27 and recorded a 19-game home point streak (14-0-3-2) from Jan. 13 to Apr. 5 that helped them solidify second place in the division standings.
3. Rockford: 39-26-5-2, 85 points (3rd, Central Division)
2. Grand Rapids: 37-23-8-4, 86 points (2nd, Central Division)
Series Notes vs. Grand Rapids
Through 12 matchups, each side has six wins (RFD: 6-5-0-1).
Rockford has outscored Grand Rapids by just one goal (25-24, RFD: 2.08 GF/GM...GR: 2.00 GF/GM).
There have been four shutouts so far in the season series- the Hogs have shut out the Griffins three times and been shut out once.
Five of the 12 encounters have been separated by one goal, and nine have been decided by two or less.
In 24 opportunities (12 for both sides), only four times has a team scored four or more goals.
Jaxson Stauber owns a 3-0-0-0 record, 1.63 GAA, and .930 SV% against the Griffins.
Sebastian Cossa has a .920 SV% against the Hogs.
Brett Seney leads all scorers in the series with 13 points (5G, 8A) in 12 games.
No skater for Grand Rapids has more than seven points against Rockford this season.
One for the History Books
Rockford's 25th season of IceHogs hockey was filled with new records and accomplishments. The team won 14 out of 16 games for the first time ever from Feb. 21 at Iowa to Apr. 2 at Milwaukee, and the Hogs' seven-game win streak from Feb. 21 to Mar. 12 at Texas was the second longest in the team's AHL history. The team's third place finish was the best in the last eight seasons, and attendance soared to 4,516 per game, also the highest in the last eight campaigns.
Goalie Cradle
The IceHogs relied on rookie goaltenders exclusively for the first time in the team's AHL history with Drew Commesso, Jaxson Stauber, and Mitchell Weeks. On Oct. 28, Commesso became the youngest IceHogs goaltender to ever record a shutout when he blanked Grand Rapids. Stauber set a new IceHogs franchise record with a 13-game win streak spanning from Feb. 10 against Chicago to Apr. 14 against Milwaukee. Stauber also set a new IceHogs record with five points (1G, 4A).
Second Playoff Meeting with Grand Rapids
The IceHogs and Griffins are meeting for just the second time in the Calder Cup Playoffs. Their previous rendezvous came in 2015 in the West Division Semifinals. Grand Rapids won the series four games to one, with Rockford's only win in the series coming in Game 3 at home in a 4-1 decision. The Hogs entered the series as the higher seed and surrendered three home losses to the Griffins. Current Toronto Maple Leaf and former Detroit Red Wing Tyler Bertuzzi scored the game-winner in Games 4 & 5.
Sensational Seney
Brett Seney assembled a historic season with 63 points (23G, 40A) in 2023-24. With an assist on Apr. 12, he became just the sixth player in the IceHogs AHL era to reach 60 points, and his 63 points are the most by a winger in Rockford's AHL history. Seney's 63 points tied for eighth in the AHL, and his 11 power-play goals tied for sixth. Seney is the first IceHogs player to finish in the top 20 of league scoring since Brandon Pirri lead the league with 75 points (22G, 53A) in 76 games. Seney's point total this season is a new career high.
Killin' Time
Rockford has featured a robust penalty kill over the last few weeks of the regular season and has allowed a power-play goal in just two of the last 12 contests. The Hogs have killed off 39 of 42 (92.3%) shorthanded chances in the nine games since Mar. 29 against Milwaukee. Until Chicago scored a power-play goal on Apr. 21, Rockford had not allowed a power-play goal in seven straight games and was 24-for-24 on the kill in that stretch. The Hogs rank seventh on the kill at 84.0%.
Rem. Rinse. Repeat.
Rem Pitlick has proven to be one of the most dynamic players in the AHL since he joined Rockford in mid-February. Since his debut with the Hogs on Feb. 16, Pitlick is tied for the AHL lead with 33 points in that span (14G, 19A). By no coincidence, Pitlick's linemate, Brett Seney, tied for fourth in league scoring with 32 points (12G, 20A) since that date. With Pitlick in the lineup, Rockford averages 3.37 goals for per game and 2.33 goals against per game. Before Pitlick the Hogs averaged 2.61 goals for per game and 3.20 goals against.
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)
Oct. 28 vs. Grand Rapids - W 3-0 - Recap, Highlights
Dec. 27 vs. Grand Rapids - L 4-2 - Recap, Highlights
Jan. 12 @ Grand Rapids - W 2-0 - Recap, Highlights
Jan. 13 @ Grand Rapids - OTW 3-2 - Recap, Highlights
Jan. 24 @ Grand Rapids - L 3-1 - Recap, Highlights
Feb. 2 vs. Grand Rapids - SOL 3-2 - Recap, Highlights
Feb. 17 vs. Grand Rapids - L 3-2 - Recap, Highlights
Mar. 2 @ Grand Rapids - OTW 5-4 - Recap, Highlights
Mar. 23 vs. Grand Rapids - L 4-3 - Recap, Highlights
Apr. 5 @ Grand Rapids - L 3-0 - Recap, Highlights
Apr. 6 vs. Grand Rapids - W 3-1 - Recap, Highlights
Apr. 12 @ Grand Rapids - W 2-0 - Recap, Highlights
IceHogs vs Griffins, All-time
69-56-6-5
American Hockey League Stories from April 27, 2024
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