Stage Set for Rematch Between Rockford and Texas
January 6, 2024 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Rockford IceHogs News Release
CEDAR PARK, Texas. - The Rockford IceHogs meet the Texas Stars again for the second time in as many nights at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park. The IceHogs are looking for their first win of the season against the Stars and avenge last night's 4-1 loss to their division rivals from the Lone Star State.
2023-24 Season Records
Rockford: 12-14-3-1, 28 points (4th, Central)
Texas: 19-8-2-1, 41 points (1st, Central)
Despite being held in check last night, Rockford's power play has been lethal since just before Christmas, and the IceHogs have multiple power-play goals in three of their last five games.
Texas leads the AHL in scoring with an average of 4.00 goals-for per game. The Stars also own the two leading scorers in the league with Logan Stankoven (15G, 24A) and Mavrik Borque (14G, 25A) both posting 39 points each to top the AHL. Both registered a point last night against Rockford.
The IceHogs have been making do without contributors from earlier in the season. Currently, the Chicago Blackhawks have six players on their roster who have spent time at some point this season with Rockford. The IceHogs are also missing the services of Colton Dach, the team's second-highest scoring rookie, who is out while in concussion protocol.
Last Night: 4-1 Loss to Texas
Friday night's tilt at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park had the feel of a playoff atmosphere through the first two periods. Matej Blumel scored on a breakaway to give Texas a 1-0 lead in the first, but Rockford tied the game 1-1 in the second after Jalen Luypen stole the puck and found Antti Saarela in the high slot.
The IceHogs failed to capitalize on the three power-plays they received in the second frame, and Texas answered with two goals of their own from Riley Damiani and Mavrik Borque just 1:44 apart early in the third period. Rockford as given another power play late in the game after fans threw items onto the ice, but the Hogs couldn't convert, and Remi Poirier claimed the win with 32 saves for Texas.
Ready, Aim, Antti!
Rockford rookie forward Antti Saarela scored the IceHogs' only goal last night against Texas and his fourth of the season. Saarela, 22, now has goals in each of his last two games (did not see action in Dec. 31 contest in between games with goals). Part of a crowded and young forward group, he has not played more than two consecutive games since the start of the season. Saarela had seven goals last season playing with Lukko Rauma in Finland's top professional league.
Luypen Catching On
Another rookie forward, Jalen Luypen, has begun to amp up his offensive output recently. The former seventh-round pick by the Blackhawks posted two points in his first 20 games with the IceHogs (both in the first game of the season on Oct. 13 at San Jose), and now has four points in his last seven contests, including the lone assist on Saarela's goal last night. Luypen has picked up either a goal or an assist in every other game since he scored his first pro goal on Dec. 17 at Chicago. Luypen now has six points (1G, 5A) on the season).
Offense from the (opposite) Goal Line?
The IceHogs' crease features three rookie goaltenders in Drew Commesso, Jaxson Stauber, and Mitchell Weeks. In one of the odd statistical quirks of the season so far, all three goaltenders have recorded an assist this season. After Weeks picked up an assist on Gust's game-winner on Dec. 31 against Milwaukee, the IceHogs became the only team in the AHL to have three goaltenders who have recorded a point. This season's Rockford club is also the first-ever IceHogs AHL team to have three goaltenders who have recorded a point. The current trio is tied for the second-most productive goaltending group with the 2019-20 squad that featured Collin Delia and Matt Tomkins.
Howarth, Maksimovich Called Up
On Dec. 31, the IceHogs recalled Kale Howarth from the Indy Fuel of the ECHL. In five games with Indy, Howarth posted four points (3G, 1A) including three power-play goals. The forward was removed from concussion protocol on Dec. 17 and was subsequently loaned to Indy. Howarth was placed in concussion protocol after he took a hit in Rockford's first game of the season on Oct. 13 in San Jose. On Jan. 1, Kyle Maksimovich was recalled from loan to Indy. Maksimovich, 25, is tied for the Fuel lead in goals with 10 at the time of his call-up, and his 19 points ranked second on the team. The winger is in his first full professional season out of the University of Prince Edward Island.
World Junior Championship
The IIHF World Junior Championship just wrapped up in Sweden, and several of Rockford's players are watching their old national teams intently. Eight current IceHogs played for their countries at the U20 World Junior Championship at some point, including two for the Czech Republic (Marcel Marcel in 2023, Teply in 2020 and 2021), one for Finland (Saarela in 2020), three for Canada (Allan in 2023, Colton Dach in 2023, Ethan Del Mastro in 2022 and 2023), and two played for the United States (Anders Bjork in 2016, Wyatt Kaiser in 2022). Allan, Dach, and Del Mastro all captured a gold medal with Team Canada in last year's U20 tournament, and Del Mastro also won gold in 2022. Bjork won a bronze medal with Team USA's U20 team in 2016 and also won a gold medal with the U18 squad in 2014. Marcel's U20 Czechia group won silver in the 2023 tournament.
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 Circle TV (Changing from 19.2 to The 365 starting on Dec. 31)! 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.
2023-23 Head-To-Head Schedule (All Times Central)
Wed., Nov. 8 vs Texas - L 5-1 - Recap, Highlights
Fri., Jan. 5 at Texas - L 4-1 - Recap, Highlights
Sat., Jan. 6 at Texas, 7 p.m.
Fri., Feb. 9 vs Texas, 7 p.m.
Tue., Feb. 13 vs Texas, 7 p.m.
Fri., Feb. 23 vs Texas, 7 p.m.
Tue., Mar. 12 at Texas, 7 p.m.
Wed., Mar. 13 at Texas, 7 p.m.
IceHogs vs Stars, All-Time
37-26-4-4
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