GrandRapidsGriffins Archives - The Rink https://www.the-rink.com/tag/grandrapidsgriffins/ Chicago Blackhawks and NHL Salary Cap Information Sun, 05 May 2024 18:25:35 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.2 https://i0.wp.com/www.the-rink.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/cropped-FavIcon_v3.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 GrandRapidsGriffins Archives - The Rink https://www.the-rink.com/tag/grandrapidsgriffins/ 32 32 136660061 RECAP: IceHogs win over Grand Rapids 5–1 in Game 2, fall 4–3 in Game 3 https://www.the-rink.com/recap-icehogs-win-over-grand-rapids-5-1-in-game-2-fall-4-3-in-game-3/ https://www.the-rink.com/recap-icehogs-win-over-grand-rapids-5-1-in-game-2-fall-4-3-in-game-3/#respond Sun, 05 May 2024 18:25:35 +0000 https://www.the-rink.com/?p=30720 After losing in heartbreaking fashion, the Rockford IceHogs responded in a big way against the Grand Rapids Griffins on Wednesday night. After going down 1–0 early, the Hogs responded with... Read more »

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]]> After losing in heartbreaking fashion, the Rockford IceHogs responded in a big way against the Grand Rapids Griffins on Wednesday night. After going down 1–0 early, the Hogs responded with five unanswered goals to secure the victory and guarantee themselves another home game.

Here were the lines in Game 2:

The biggest change from Game 1 to Game 2 was Drew Commesso getting the start over Jaxson Stauber. The IceHogs had alternated goalies during the regular season and continued to do in the playoffs.

First period

Grand Rapids got on the board early with a goal to lead 1–0. Commesso made a pad save that kicked out to Austin Czarnik, who went five hole for the games first goal. The Hogs tied the game on blast from AHL all star Ethan Del Mastro.

With less than a minute remaining in the first, Grand Rapids’ Dominik Shine was called for tripping leading to the IceHogs’ first power play. On the power play, Mike Hardman blasted a shot past Sebastian Cossa for the goal.

The first period ended with the score 2–1 in favor of Rockford.

Second period

In the second period, Michael Teply got the IceHogs on the board early.

The second period ended with the score 3–1 in favor of Rockford.

Third period

In the third period, the IceHogs put the game out of reach, as Hardman found the back of the net again making the score 4–1.

Luke Philp potted a slap shot for the final goal of the game, as Rockford won 5–1.

Analysis

The Hogs were dominating on offense and a stellar performance in net and give them another home game on Sunday. The three stars of the game were Hardman with two goals and one assist, Commesso with 27 of 28 saves and Philp with one goal and one assist. Teply has been on fire with five goals in his last four games.

This game was also a lot of firsts for the IceHogs. These were the first AHL playoff goals for Hardman and Del Mastro. It was the first time scoring five goals in a playoff game and their first win in playoff game since 2018.

In the broader sense of the Blackhawks’ organization, this game gave big-game experience to both Commesso and Del Mastro. Both guys were pivotal in the IceHogs’ victory and will be huge for the IceHogs going forward.

Game 3

In the pivotal Game 3, the IceHogs fell behind early in the third and rallied late to force overtime. The IceHogs ultimately fell 4–3 in overtime.

First period

The first period was scoreless for both teams. Commesso fended off 19 shots while the Hogs were only able to must seven of their own. Commesso’s 19 saves in the first period set an AHL record.

Second period

In the second period, the Griffins jumped out to the early 1–0 lead. The goal was scored by Marco Kasper, who netted Shine’s assist.

The IceHogs answered very late in the second period. Rem Pitlick tied the game up with less than 30 seconds to go in the frame.

Third period

At the start of the third period, Czarnik snuck a puck past Commesso glove side for the 2–1 Grand Rapids lead. Elmer Soderblom increased the Griffins’ lead to 3–1 with a goal of his own.

Rockford’s Zach Sanford wired a wrist shot past Cossa for the Hogs’ second goal of the game to make the score 3–2. The equalizer was scored by Jackson Cates. The AHL veteran scored with 2:39 left in regulation.

Sadly, the Hogs fell in overtime, as Jonatan Berggren potted the game winner.

Analysis

Commesso continued to get valuable playoff experience in his first season as a professional. The young netminder might be ready to get some NHL playing time next season. Del Mastro, Wyatt Kaiser and Nolan Allan also continue to get valuable playoff experience. As Alex Vlasic has shown the Blackhawks, it might take a full season at Rockford before a young defenseman makes the jump to being an NHL regular.

It is do or die for the IceHogs in Game 4 at home at 4 p.m. CDT on Sunday.

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]]> https://www.the-rink.com/recap-icehogs-win-over-grand-rapids-5-1-in-game-2-fall-4-3-in-game-3/feed/ 0 30720 RECAP: IceHogs fall to Griffins 3–2 in OT in Game 1 https://www.the-rink.com/recap-icehogs-fall-to-griffins-3-2-in-ot-in-game-1/ https://www.the-rink.com/recap-icehogs-fall-to-griffins-3-2-in-ot-in-game-1/#respond Sun, 28 Apr 2024 15:41:55 +0000 https://www.the-rink.com/?p=30420 The Rockford IceHogs hosted the Grand Rapid Griffins for Game 1 of the best-of-five playoff series. After being up for two periods, the Hogs gave up the lead and fell... Read more »

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]]> The Rockford IceHogs hosted the Grand Rapid Griffins for Game 1 of the best-of-five playoff series. After being up for two periods, the Hogs gave up the lead and fell in overtime. The Hogs’ loss did have some controversy at the end.

The Hogs rolled out these lines to start the game

Jaxson Stauber got the start in net on his 25th birthday. The current plan is to alternate goalies in this playoff series, similar to the regular season.

First period

In the first period, the IceHogs jumped out to the early lead. Michal Teply got Rockford on the board first.

Teply was a fourth-round pick of the Blackhawks in 2019. He is appearing in this third straight AHL playoff.

The first period ended with the Hogs leading 1–0 despite being outshot.

Second period

In the second period, Zach Sanford doubled the lead to 2–0.

Sanford was claimed off waivers from Arizona by the Blackhawks earlier this season. Sanford appeared in 18 games for the Hawks and 13 games for the Hogs in the regular season.

The second period ended with the Hogs leading 2–0.

Third period

In the third period, the Griffins finally got on the score sheet. The Griffins had been outshooting the Hogs and came out hard to start the third period. Dominik Shine got Grand Rapids on the board with a goal. The AHL veteran has been with Grand Rapids since 2016–17.

The Griffins were not done scoring as they tied the game with a goal from Amadeus Lombardi. The fourth-round pick of the Wings in 2022 was appearing his first AHL playoff game.

Stauber was able to settle down and send the game to overtime with the score deadlocked at 2–2.

Overtime

With less than seven minutes gone by, Brett Seney was crushed against the boards on what looked to an illegal hit. IceHogs teammate Filip Roos went after the player who hit Seney. While Seney was on the ice, Jonatan Berggren able to slip a shot past Stauber on the short side for the game winner for the Griffins.

Analysis

Despite the loss, it was a strong showing for the IceHogs. Lukas Reichel was able to use his speed to create scoring chances for his teammates. The young defensemen of the Hogs were generally solid, and Isaak Phillips stood up for Stauber when the Griffins took whacks at him after the whistle.

The Hogs now have to regroup after a tough loss and come back in Game 2.

The next game is on the road Wednesday in Grand Rapids at 6 p.m. CDT.

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]]> https://www.the-rink.com/recap-icehogs-fall-to-griffins-3-2-in-ot-in-game-1/feed/ 0 30420 Kirby Dach makes pro debut in IceHogs loss https://www.the-rink.com/kirby-dach-makes-pro-debut-in-icehogs-loss/ https://www.the-rink.com/kirby-dach-makes-pro-debut-in-icehogs-loss/#respond Sun, 13 Oct 2019 03:30:49 +0000 https://www.the-rink.com/?p=14727 It was an eventful night in Rockford as the IceHogs opened their home portion of the 2019–20 season with a 4–2 loss against the Grand Rapids Griffins Saturday night. Prior... Read more »

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]]> It was an eventful night in Rockford as the IceHogs opened their home portion of the 2019–20 season with a 4–2 loss against the Grand Rapids Griffins Saturday night. Prior to the puck dropping, the Chicago Blackhawks activated and assigned 2019 NHL Entry Draft third overall pick Kirby Dach to the IceHogs for a conditioning assignment. Dach made his professional debut with the IceHogs a few hours later.

Dach’s conditioning stint can only last a maximum of 14 days with the IceHogs, per the NHL CBA. He has a chance to play up to five games with Rockford over that 14-day period and it began on Saturday night against the Griffins.

Dach makes pro debut with IceHogs

In a game where 10 former first-round picks were dressed between the two teams, Dach was predictably noticeable very early on in his debut game, nearly getting his first goal as a pro on his second shift of the night. The IceHogs would get on the board first with a rebound goal coming from Anton Wedin midway through the first period, his first goal in his first game with Rockford.

While the start to the first period was ideal for the IceHogs, the final five minutes saw the Griffins turn the momentum back in their favor, ending up with a game-tying goal coming from a scrum in front of Collin Delia. The period would end 1–1.

The Griffins took the momentum fully back just a minute into the second period as Delia was pulled from his net by a collision with Lucas Carlsson and Givani Smith, leaving Michael Rasmussen with an empty-net rebound goal to make it 2–1. Just two minutes later, Filip Zadina would make it 3–1 with a power play goal.

Needing a spark, Dylan Sikura fired a shot from between the circles with heavy traffic in front of Griffins goaltender Filip Larsson and it found the back of the net to make it a 3–2 game. Sikura’s second goal of the season, picking up where he left off last season as one of the top point-producers for Rockford.

The IceHogs used the Sikura goal to build some pressure on the Griffins in the second period and had some decent looks on their first power play of the game, but nothing came of it. Grand Rapids would capitalize on a chance off a face off late in the second period to make it a 4–2 game heading into the third.

Not helping their own cause, the IceHogs took two early penalties to begin the third period, putting themselves on a five-on-three penalty kill, but were able to kill both off. Rockford would have their own power play chance near the midway point of the third, but would not get a quality chance on it, even giving up a chance against for the Griffins off an Adam Boqvist turnover.

Rockford was unable to get much momentum back in the remainder of the final frame and would fall 4–2 to the Griffins. Delia made 24 saves on 28 shots, Sikura and Wedin were named third and first stars of the game, respectively.

Final score aside, the main attraction of the night was the debut of Dach. He played with a decent pace, given this was his first game action since playing in the Traverse City rookie tournament. IceHogs head coach Derek King gave him the opportunities to have an impact on the game, playing him on the power play and giving his line with Brandon Hagel and Nick Moutrey a hefty amount of ice time. Dach will have a few more games to play with the IceHogs before Chicago needs to make another move regarding his playing status.

To sum up his game in one sentence would be to say he is not afraid to mix things up right away and has the speed and skill to play at the pro level. But, those things were already evident. He will need to build over the next two weeks, but it is a start.

What’s next?

The Rockford IceHogs are back in action on Monday afternoon as they host Laval Rocket. Puck drop for Monday’s Columbus Day matinee is set for 1 p.m. CDT. It is the first-ever meeting between the teams.

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