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Rockford IceHogs

Regular Season Home Finale Features Dance with Wolves

April 19, 2024 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Rockford IceHogs News Release


ROCKFORD, Ill. - The final weekend of the regular season begins tonight with a rivalry game between the Rockford IceHogs and the Chicago Wolves at the BMO Center. The IceHogs are locked into a playoff matchup with the Grand Rapids Griffins to start next week, and the Wolves have been eliminated from postseason contention. Rockford and Chicago will meet again on Sunday in the 2023-24 regular season finale. Tonight is the final home game of the campaign for the Hogs.

Rockford has won 18 of its last 22 games and won two out of three games last weekend. Rem Pitlick is one of the headliners for the Hogs and leads the AHL in scoring since he debuted with Rockford on Feb. 16 against the Wolves. Pitlick has 31 points (13G, 18A) in 25 games in that span, and is trailed closely by Chicago's Rocco Grimaldi with 30 points (12G, 18A) in 26 games during that stretch.

FRIDAY, APRIL 19: $2 BEER FRIDAY & TEAM PHOTO GIVEAWAY

It's another $2 Beer Friday presented by Bud Light with media partner 104.9 The X. Fans can enjoy $2 Budweiser, Bud Light, or Busch Light cans or $2 soft drinks, plus the first 2,500 fans will receive an IceHogs team photo.

Rockford: 37-25-5-2, 81 points (3rd, Central Division)

Chicago: 23-33-6-7, 59 points (6th, Central Division)

Last Game: 4-2 Win over Milwaukee (Apr. 14)

The IceHogs picked up their second win of the weekend on Sunday at the BMO Center with a 4-2 victory over the Milwaukee Admirals. After a sleepy first period in which Rockford and Milwaukee combined for only 11 shots, the IceHogs took a 2-1 lead in the second frame with tallies from Mike Hardman and David Gust.

Rockford jumped out to a 3-1 lead when Rem Pitlick buried his 21st goal of the season during a power play in the third period. Four minutes later, Milwaukee's Alex Campbell scored his second pro goal to bring the Ads back within one.

Milwaukee threw everything at Jaxson Stauber in net during the third period, and the second-year Hog had to stop 15 of 16 shots in the frame to extend his win streak to 13 games.

Last Game vs. Chicago: 6-0 Win (Mar. 30)

Drew Commesso and the IceHogs blanked the Wolves in a 6-0 drubbing on Mar. 30 at Allstate Arena. Zach Sanford picked up a pair of goals and an assist for the Hogs to lead the way, and Commesso claimed his second pro shutout with 34 saves against the Wolves. Rockford scored twice on the power play.

Hold!

In conjunction with the penalty kill, Rockford has been stout defensively overall in the last nine games and have not allowed the opposition to reach four goals in that span. Since a 5-1 win over Milwaukee on Mar. 29, the Hogs have allowed an average of just 1.56 goals-against per game (14 goals in nine games). Goaltending has been a large part of the equation with Drew Commesso and Jaxson Stauber combining for a .944 SV% during the span.

Killin' Time

Rockford has featured a ruddy penalty kill over the last several weeks and has allowed a power-play goal in just one of its last nine games. The Hogs have killed off 29 of 31 (93.5%) shorthanded chances in the nine games since Mar. 29 against Milwaukee. Rockford has not allowed a power-play goal in its last five games and is 18-for-18 on the kill in that stretch. The Hogs rank ninth on the kill at 83.5% this season.

Postseason Party

With two points against Milwaukee in a 2-1 shootout win on Apr. 2, Rockford clinched a berth in the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs with nine games left in the regular season. Last season, Rockford's playoff fate was uncertain, and there were 27 outcomes that could've unfolded as the IceHogs battled for the postseason with the Iowa Wild and Chicago Wolves until the last game of the regular campaign. Eight of the 27 combinations resulted in Rockford missing the playoffs. 2024 marks the third straight season that the Hogs have reached the postseason, and a third-place finish or better this season is the highest Rockford has finished in the division table since 2015-16.

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)

Sat., Oct. 21 vs Chicago: L 5-2 - Recap, Highlights

Sun., Nov. 12 at Chicago: L 5-0 - Recap, Highlights

Sun., Dec. 17 at Chicago: OTL 4-3 - Re cap, Highlights

Fri., Jan. 19 vs Chicago: L 4-1 - Recap, Highlights

Sat., Feb. 10 vs Chicago: W 2-1 - Recap, Highlights

Fri., Feb. 16 vs Chicago: W 4-0 - Recap, Highlights

Sat., Mar. 9 at Chicago: W 4-1 - Recap, Highlights

Wed., Mar. 20 vs Chicago: OTW 4-3 - Recap, Highlights

Wed., Mar. 27 at Chicago: SOW 5-4 - Recap, Highlights

Sat., Mar. 30 at Chicago: W 6-0 - Recap, Highlights

Fri., Apr. 19 vs Chicago, 7 p.m.

Sun., Apr. 21 at Chicago, 3 p.m.

IceHogs vs Wolves, All Time

96-76-12-5

Check out the Rockford IceHogs Statistics

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American Hockey League Stories from April 19, 2024


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