ALL-STAR GAME FOR ABBOTT IN ALLENTOWN

Rockford, Ill. – The AHL announced today Spencer Abbott will represent the Rockford IceHogs at the 2017 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Capital BlueCross January 29-30 at the PPL Center, the home of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, in Allentown, Pa.

Abbott will be making his first All-Star appearance, although he was added to the 2014 AHL All-Star Classic but did not play in the game. The native of Hamilton, Ontario, posted a team-high 21 points (8G, 13A) before he was recalled by the Chicago Blackhawks on Jan. 3. He has collected 42 points on 20G-22A in 49 games with Rockford between the 2014-15 and 2016-17 seasons. Abbott has posted 57G-112A-169pts in 217 career AHL games. The center has appeared in one NHL contest with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. 5, 2013, and is scheduled to make his Blackhawks debut tonight against the Buffalo Sabres.

The game and skills competition will be televised live locally in the Rockford market on WIFR’s Justice Network on 23.3, where all the IceHogs regular season and playoff games are aired.

The AHL All-Star Skills Competition presented by Giant Food Stores and Velaspan between the Western Conference and Eastern Conference All-Stars is set for Sunday, Jan. 29 at 6:30 p.m. CT, followed by the game on Monday at 6 p.m. CT.

The 2017 AHL All-Star Challenge will feature a fun and exciting 3-on-3 tournament with each of the league’s four divisions — Atlantic, North, Central and Pacific — being represented. Rosters for each team will be comprised of 10 skaters and two goaltenders each, and each of the 30 AHL teams will be represented by at least one All-Star player.

The teams will participate in a round-robin tournament featuring six games of 10 minutes each, played entirely at 3-on-3. The two teams with the best records at the end of the round-robin will face off for the championship, a six-minute game also played at 3-on-3.

Next Home Game: Sunday, January 8 vs. Chicago Wolves: Game time is 4 p.m. at the BMO Harris Bank Center. The first 2,500 fans to enter the arena will receive a copy of the 2016-17 IceHogs team card set, compliments of the Rockford Register Star. The Major League Baseball’s Commissioner’s trophy, presented to the 2016 World Series Champion Chicago Cubs, will also be at the game on the BMO Harris Bank Center concourse. After the game, fans have the opportunity to participate in Skate with the Hogs on the BMO Harris Bank Center ice. Fans are required to bring their own skates as there are no rentals available.