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Rockford IceHogs

Preview: IceHogs Ready to Face Griffins and Induct Steve Martinson into Ring of Honor

March 22, 2024 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Rockford IceHogs News Release


ROCKFORD, Ill.-The Rockford IceHogs seek their fourth straight win tonight against the Grand Rapids Griffins at the BMO Center. The Hogs have won 10 of their last 11 games and have jumped to third in the Central Division. Rockford's recent run marks just the second time in the team's AHL history that the IceHogs have won 10 of 11 games (the 2010-11 team did so to end the season).

In third place, the Hogs are six points behind the second-place Griffins. Tonight is the ninth of 12 meetings between Rockford and Grand Rapids, and the Hogs are 4-3-0-1 against the Griffins through the previous eight encounters.

STEVE MARTINSON RING OF HONOR INDUCTION

Former IceHogs Coach Steve Martinson will be on hand at the BMO Center to be honored as the third inductee into the IceHogs Ring of Honor, presented by BMO with media partner 13 WREX. Martinson led the IceHogs to the team's one and only league title in 2007 when he coached Rockford to a Colonial Cup Championship in the UHL. Martinson manned the IceHogs bench from 2004 to 2007 and finished his Rockford coaching career with all-time IceHogs franchise (AHL or UHL) coaching records for career win percentage (.660), most wins a single season (48-twice), and most playoff games coached (39).

HUSKIES & HOGS NIGHT

We're also partnering with Northern Illinois University for Huskies & Hogs Night with media partner 94.9 WDKB! NIU alum, current students and staff can get a discounted ticket and have the option of adding $15 per ticket to receive a limited edition co-branded IceHogs/NIU alumni hat!

Rockford: 29-22-5-2, 65 points (3rd, Central Division)

Grand Rapids: 30-18-7-4, 71 points (2nd, Central Division)

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Tickets to Tonight's Game!

Last Game: 4-3 Overtime Win vs. Chicago (Mar. 20)

The IceHogs came back to win their third straight game on Wednesday with a 4-3 overtime victory over the Chicago Wolves. Brett Seney scored to tie the game with just over three-and-a-half minutes left in the third, and he also scored the game-winner in OT.

Rockford trailed 3-1 heading into the third when Isaak Phillips scored his second of the game to cut Chicago's lead to 3-2. Phillips also scored in the first period and recorded the first career multi-goal contest with the effort.

Jaxson Stauber saved 21 of 24 Wolves shots and won his eighth straight contest to set a new IceHogs record.

Last Game vs. Grand Rapids: 5-4 Overtime Win (Mar. 2)

The IceHogs completed an improbable comeback on Mar. 2 against the Griffins when they scored three goals in 1:28 during the third period to erase a deficit and take a lead in the third. After Joel L'Esperance tied the game later in the third, Ethan Del Mastro scored the game-winner for Rockford.

March Madness

After scoring two goals in the third period against Chicago on Wednesday to tie the game, Rockford completed its fifth third-period comeback of the season when Ethan Del Mastro won the game in overtime. Rockford has erased a third-period deficit five times this season and is 4-18-1-2 when trailing after two frames. The four wins when trailing after two are the ninth most in the AHL. The Hogs are also 8-3-4-0 when tied after two frames. Three of the Hogs' third-period comebacks have come in the month of March.

Guttman's Goals

Cole Guttman has found a grove recently and has nine goals in his last 10 games for the IceHogs. Guttman was assigned from the Chicago Blackhawks on Jan. 27 and did not find the back of the net in his first 10 games back down with Rockford. After that, the Northridge, California native ripped off nine tallies in the next 10 contests, including multi-goal games on Mar. 2 at Grand Rapids and on Mar. 17 against San Jose. He now has three multi-goal efforts in his career after he scored 16 goals with the Hogs last season. Guttman scored four goals in 27 games with the Blackhawks this season, including Chicago's first goal of the season. He is the team's +/- leader with a +15 rating so far this season. Instead of finding the back of the net on Wednesday against Chicago, Guttman dished out three assists for his second multi-point night in as many games. The second-year IceHog rides a four-game point streak (4G, 3A) into tonight and has 15 total points in his last 10 games (9G, 6A).

Recent Run

Last Tuesday's win over Texas gave Rockford seven straight victories. The last time that an IceHogs team won seven straight games was the 2014-15 club won eight straight between Oct. 25 and Nov. 8, 2014. Rockford is also 13-3-0-0 since the start of February and prior to last Wednesday had points in 13 of 15 games. The last IceHogs' group to earn points in 13 of 15 games was the 2017-18 team that did so over multiple 15-game spans late in the season. That IceHogs squad advanced to the Western Conference Finals; the farthest a Rockford AHL team has gone in the playoffs. The Hogs are also 10-1-0-0 in their last 11 games and are the only current AHL team to have done so in their last 11.

Four or More

The IceHogs have scored four or more goals in nine of their last 10 games after a 4-3 win over Chicago on Wednesday. Rockford scored four or more goals in just 13 of the team's first 48 games, but the recent offensive outburst has moved the Hogs up to 26th in league scoring with 2.90 goals-for per game. Rockford owns a 20-0-1-1 record this season when scoring four or more times.

Hog Talk - The Official IceHogs Podcast

Check out the latest stories and interviews on Hog Talk, the official podcast of the Rockford IceHogs. Watch on YouTube, or listen in on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Listen on Apple - Listen on Spotify - Watch on YouTube

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 7 p.m.

Apr. 12 @ Grand Rapids 6 p.m.

IceHogs vs Griffins, All-time

67-54-6-5

Check out the Rockford IceHogs Statistics

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