The Rockford IceHogs broke a seven-game losing streak and picked up valuable standings points over the weekend. However, the IceHogs are far from out of the woods. It’s been a long December for Rockford, who have a 1-7-1 record so far this month.
The IceHogs have struggled to find the back of the net in this stretch, averaging a paltry 1.50 goals per contest. Not surprisingly, they now sit 29th in the AHL in team offense at 2.72 goals per game. The power play has plummeted to 22nd in the league with a 16.7% success rate.
The Lone Bright Spot
The IceHogs found themselves back in the win column on Saturday night, breaking out in the third period against the Iowa Wild on the way to a 6-2 victory. Rockford had built a 2-0 lead early in the second period on goals by Mike Hardman and Boris Katchouk. However, the Wild drew even in the last five minutes of the frame on goals by Nic Petan and Caedan Bankier.
The turning point may have come after the horn sounded to end the second. Rockford’s Josh Healey dropped the gloves with Iowa’s Kale Kessy. The Wild defensemen, who had battled with former Iowa forward Brandon Baddock earlier in the game, played to the BMO Center fans after getting the best of Healey. However, Kessy was done for the night and the IceHogs were just getting started.
“We’re really happy with the guys, how they responded,” IceHogs coach Anders Sorensen told team broadcaster Mike Folta following the game. “After they tied it up 2-2, it was easy to get down on ourselves. Their guy challenged our guy. Our guy stood up and took the fight and kind of built some momentum in our locker room after that, for sure.”
Rockford out shot the Wild 12-3 in the third period, building another two-goal advantage midway through the frame. Colton Dach was the recipient of a terrific backhand pass from behind the Iowa net by Jackson Cates. Dach’s one-timer from the left post proved to be the game-winner at 7:03 of the third.
David Gust came up with a power-play goal just 1:29 later to put Rockford up 4-2. This time, there would be no Iowa rally. Katchouk and Cates would pot empty-netters to seal the fate of the Wild.
New Kids On The Block
All three new additions to the Rockford lineup have contributed since arriving last week.
Cates signed a PTO with the IceHogs December 10. He has four points (2 G, 2 A) in his first four games with the team. Katchouk was assigned to Rockford by the Chicago Blackhawks on December 12. He followed up a pair of goals in Saturday’s win with a helper in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Chicago Wolves on Sunday.
Austin Strand, who came to the IceHogs via a trade with the Wolves, picked up an assist against his former team Sunday afternoon. The 6’3″ defenseman is coming in handy with so much of the Rockford blueline up with the Blackhawks at the moment.
Roster News
Kale Howarth, who was injured in Rockford’s first game of the season in San Jose, has finally been taken out of the AHL’s concussion protocol. The IceHogs assigned Howarth to the ECHL’s Indy Fuel on Sunday, along with goalie Mitchell Weeks.
Gust returned from a strained wrist over the weekend, chipping in with a goal and a helper. This has Gust on top of the IceHogs scoresheet with seven goals and eleven assists.
Return Engagement
Rockford flew out to San Diego for the first of two games with the Gulls. On Wednesday, the IceHogs kept it close, only to be burned on a late power play goal. Cates had tied the game early in the third period before Carrick’s game-winner put the Hogs on the short end of a 2-1 finish.
Rockford has lost all three matchups with the Gulls this season. However, they can finish the season series with a win in the rematch between the teams on Friday night. The action gets underway at 7:00 p.m. PDT.
