BLACKHAWKS ASSIGN KONTIOLA AND DOWELL TO ROCKFORD

Chicago, Ill.- Chicago Blackhawks General Manager Dale Tallon announced on Monday that the National Hockey League club has assigned forwards Petri Kontiola and Jake Dowell to the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League.

With the Blackhawks this season, Dowell has played in 19 games scoring two goals and three points with 10 penalty minutes. Dowell played in his first career NHL game at Calgary on November 22nd and scored his first NHL goal, a shorthanded tally, in a 2-1 win.

The recall was Dowell’s second of the season as he was summoned on Sunday and skated in Chicago’s 4-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks that afternoon. With Rockford this season Dowell has appeared in 32 games accumulating five goals and six assists.

Kontiola had played in three games for the Blackhawks since his recall posting two assists. So far this season, he has played in 12 games for the Blackhawks with five assists and six penalty minutes. He played in his first career NHL game on November 25th at Vancouver and recorded his first NHL point with an assist against Nashville on December 19th.

The Seinajoki, Finland native has been recalled three times overall to the Blackhawks during his first professional season in North America. With Rockford in ’07-08, Kontiola has 13 goals and 33 assists in 49 games. His 46 points are second most on the club.