Coming out of the AHL All-Star break, the Rockford IceHogs had a great opportunity to create separation in the Central Division with back-to-back games against Division opponents over the weekend. However, Rockford was only able to earn one point out of a possible four with an overtime loss to the Manitoba Moose on Friday night and a regulation loss to the Chicago Wolves on Saturday night.
Friday: Manitoba Moose def. Rockford IceHogs, 4-3 (ot)
The first game back from the AHL All-Star break saw the IceHogs play host to the top team in the Central Division, the Manitoba Moose. Friday night’s game would be the second of four meetings between the teams this season with the Moose having won the first meeting back on November 28, 8-1.
Collin Delia would get the start for the IceHogs in net, having been unbeaten in regulation over his last six appearances (5-0-1). He would face his biggest test to date this season as the Moose put 50 shots on Delia over the near 62 minutes of play between regulation and overtime.
The Moose got on the board first with a powerplay goal just over 13 minutes into the game, but the IceHogs would be able to tie it shortly after with a goal from Anthony Louis to knot it up at 1-1 after the first period. In the second period, the IceHogs were able to get out to a 2-1 lead just over four minutes in when Tyler Sikura scored his 13th goal of the season. Rockford held the lead until late in the period when the Moose would tie it up at 2-2 as Jan Kostalek scored his first goal of the season.
Rockford v. Manitoba HIGHLIGHTS
Brendan Lemieux would give the Moose the lead just over the mid-way point of the third period, but with under two minutes to play, Luke Johnson scored the equalizer and sent the game into overtime. In regulation, the IceHogs and Moose would combine for 88 shots on goal as Delia made 46 saves on 49 shots and Manitoba goaltender Eric Comrie made 36 saves on 39 shots. Both goaltenders saw just one shot on goal in the extra period, but it would be Nic Petan getting the winner for the Moose. Delia would extend his point-streak for the IceHogs, but a major opportunity to gain ground in the Division was missed.
Saturday: Chicago Wolves def. Rockford IceHogs, 7-4
One night after giving up 50 shots on goal, the IceHogs would keep the shot total down against the Chicago Wolves, but Delia and Matt Tomkins would have a rough night, giving up seven combined goals. The Wolves came into Saturday night’s contest as one of the hottest teams in the AHL with an 18-5-5 record since December 1, including a 2-0-2 record against the IceHogs over that time.
Kevin Lough would get the Wolves on the board first with his eighth goal of the season just over eight minutes into the game. Rockford would answer back though, scoring two goals in two minutes as Tyler Sikura and Anthony Louis gave the IceHogs the 2-1 lead after the first period. That would be as good as it would get for Rockford as the Wolves would have their own scoring barrage in the second period, with three unanswered goals in the first five minutes of the second period. Chicago would add a fourth goal with under a minute left in the period to take a 5-2 lead into the third period.
Rockford v. Chicago HIGHLIGHTS
Tomkins would relieve Delia in net for the third period, but allowed two goals in the first six minutes of the period to give the Wolves six unanswered goals and a 7-2 lead. The IceHogs would add two goals in a semi-comeback effort as Cody Franson would score his first goal with Rockford this season and Andreas Martinsen would tally his ninth of the year. It wouldn’t be enough in the end as the Wolves came away 7-4 winners.
Missing out on three of four possible points in the standings, the IceHogs fell slightly further behind the log-jam in the AHL Central Division. With a 24-18-6 record, Rockford holds fourth-place in the Division with 54 points and a .563 point-percentage, trailing the Moose, Wolves, and Iowa Wild. The separation between the Wolves in second-place and the IceHogs is only .033 percentage points, but with opportunities against in-division opponents, Rockford can’t afford to drop points as the season comes to the final two months.
Hot Hogs
Despite taking the loss on Saturday, Collin Delia has made huge strides since the beginning of his tenure as the IceHogs starter in December. Over his last eight starts, Delia is 6-1-2 with a 2.99 GAA and a .884 save-percentage (2.34 GAA and .927 save-percentage prior to Saturday’s loss).
Also continuing a hot-streak with two goals over the weekend, Anthony Louis extended his goal-streak to three-straight games and now has 10 points over his last 14 games. Louis has been one of the most under-the-radar players for the IceHogs this season, even with being second on the team in scoring with 28 points (9G, 19A) in 43 games.
Along with Louis scoring in both games over the weekend, Tyler Sikura added to his hot-streak since December 28. With goals in both games against the Moose and Wolves, Sikura has 14 points over his last 18 games. In his first full season in the AHL, Sikura has 20 points over 46 games and is second on the team with 14 goals.
Since joining the IceHogs on January 10, defenseman Adam Clendening has been a point per game player for Rockford. With 10 points (G, 9A) in 10 games, Clendening has been a welcome addition to the IceHogs’ already highly talented blue-line group.
What’s Next?
The IceHogs are back in action on Wednesday night as they host the San Antonio Rampage at the BMO Harris Bank Center for a 7pm Central Time puck drop. In three previous meetings, the IceHogs have an 0-2-1 record against San Antonio being outscored 11-2 in regulation.
Rockford follows up their game against the Rampage with a Friday-Saturday slate next weekend against a pair of Central Division opponents with the Milwaukee Admirals coming to Rockford on Friday night and the IceHogs heading to Iowa to take on the Wild on Saturday night.