Weeks Blanks Griffins 2-0 in First Professional Shutout
January 12, 2024 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Rockford IceHogs News Release
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Rookie goaltender Mitchell Weeks earned his first AHL shutout on Friday night at Van Andel Arena to give the Rockford IceHogs a 2-0 win over the Grand Rapids Griffins. Weeks stopped all 22 of Grand Rapids' shots in just his third start of the season and his 15th in the AHL with the IceHogs.
Prior to his call-up to Rockford on Dec. 30, Weeks posted shutouts in two of his last three games with the ECHL's Indy Fuel. The 22-year-old now has shutouts in three of his last five professional games.
The low-scoring physical contest featured 12 penalties totaling 22 minutes. Despite five opportunities, the IceHogs went 0-for-5 on the power play. Rockford's penalty kill was a perfect 4-for-4 to hold off Grand Rapids on the man advantage. Rockford also came up with two crucial penalty kills in the third period to preserve the shutout.
Rockford outshot Grand Rapids 22-4 in the first period-the IceHogs' most shots on goal in a period this season. The Griffins' four shots against is tied for the fewest allowed in a period this season, and the last time the IceHogs allowed only four shots in a period was on Dec. 16 against the Iowa Wild.
After a scoreless first period, Mike Hardman, the IceHogs' BMO December Player of the Month, netted his eighth goal of the season just 20 seconds into the second frame. David Gust collected the puck below the goal line and fed the puck to the crease, and Hardman fired a shot over the blocker of Griffins netminder Sebastian Cossa, scoring the only goal of the stanza and taking a 1-0 lead (0:20).
Trailing 1-0 late in the third period, the Griffins pulled Cossa in favor of the extra skater (18:21). Brett Seney stole the puck at center ice and Albert Johansson was charged for hooking from behind, Seney was awarded the empty-net goal to seal the IceHogs' 2-0 win.
Rockford and Grand Rapids meet again on Saturday night at Van Andel Arena with puck drop at 6 p.m. CT.
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