Pitlick Scores in Last Second, Hogs Come Back to Win Shootout
March 28, 2024 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Rockford IceHogs News Release
ROCKFORD, Ill. - A buzzer-beater goal by Rem Pitlick helped the Rockford IceHogs pull off their 5-4 shootout win over the Chicago Wolves on Wednesday at Allstate Arena. Pitlick snuck in a last-second goal to tie the game with less than a second left in regulation and keep Rockford's hopes alive before Mike Hardman and Zach Sanford converted in the shoot-out to secure the victory for the IceHogs.
Goaltender Jaxson Stauber stopped both of Chicago's shootout attempts in order to secure his IceHogs record ninth straight victory, and the victory marked Anders Sorensen's 100th head coaching win.
Both teams battled back in fourth in the first period with Pitlick and Seney scoring on power-play opportunities before Chicago took control in the middle frame of action scoring a pair of goals and taking a 4-3 lead.
The first period featured a classic back-and-forth between the state rivals. Rockford started first with Nolan Allan scoring from the left faceoff circle. Michal Teply sent a shot off of Scheel's blocker that fell in front of Allan to give Rockford the early lead (2:27).
Nearly a minute later, Chicago responded with Rocco Grimaldi scoring his 30th season goal (3:30).
Chicago's Matt Donovan received a hooking penalty to give Rockford their first power play of the afternoon. With 12 minutes left in the period, Rem Pitlick received a pass from Brett Seney from the left side of the ice and snapped a shot into the net from the right side of the goal to retake the lead on the power play (7:59).
Up 2-1, Rockford incurred a hooking penalty giving Chicago their first power-play opportunity. Rocco Grimaldi scored on the man-advantage for his second goal and tied the game 2-2 (13:39).
Kyle Marino of Chicago was called on an interference penalty giving Rockford their second power-play opportunity of the period. From behind Chicago's net, Hardman started the scoring chance with a quick pass to Cole Guttman in front of the net. Guttman quickly passed the puck to Seney, who was open on the left side of the net. Seney attempted a shot at the net and missed. Hardman played the shot off the wall and swept a pass to Seney again, where he buried a goal into the back of the net for a 3-2 lead heading into the first intermission (17:02).
Early in the second period, Chicago tied the game, for the third time, off the stick of Josh Melnick (5:07). At the end of the period, Rockford incurred a slashing penalty giving Chicago their third power play opportunity. Max Comtois scored the go-ahead goal for Chicago to give the Wolves their first lead of the game (17:34).
Later in the third and in the final seconds of regulation, Guttman corralled the puck near the blue line after a faceoff and snapped a pass across to Pitlick. Pitlick sent a one-timer off the left post and in with one-tenth of a second left in regulation (19:59).
The two teams headed into a five-minute overtime. Neither team could add the game-winning tallie; sending the game into a shoot-out.
Chicago sent Nathan Sucese and Rocco Grimaldi in the first two rounds of the shootout and neither skater could sneak the puck past Stauber. Rockford sent Hardman in round one - where he scored on Adam Scheel. Sanford closed the game out with his goal in the second round resulting in the fifth straight win over the Chicago Wolves.
Rockford travels to Milwaukee on Friday, March 29 for their second of three road games this week. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m.
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