FOUR GAMES, FOUR VICTORIES, EIGHT POINTS

Rockford sweeps Milwaukee, Peoria during Week 26

Week 26 Results:
Tuesday, April 2: Milwaukee 1 vs. Rockford 2
Friday, April 5: Rockford 4 at Milwaukee 3
Saturday, April 6: Rockford 5 at Peoria 4
Sunday, April 7: Peoria 1 vs. Rockford 4

Week 27 Schedule:
Wednesday, April 10 at Peoria, 7:05 p.m.
Friday, April 12 vs. Chicago, 7:05 p.m. (Buy Tickets)
Saturday, April 13 at Milwaukee, 7:30 p.m.

Week 26 Recap:
With their most games scheduled in a given week during the 2012-13 campaign and high demand to keep pace in the Western Conference playoff race, the Rockford IceHogs garnered eight points by sweeping the Milwaukee Admirals and Peoria Rivermen. Rockford first defeated Milwaukee in a pair of home-and-away tilts, and then swept Peoria in back-to-back home-and-away contests on Saturday and Sunday. The Hogs bring their momentum into Week 27 with games slated against Peoria, Chicago and Milwaukee. Entering Week 27 of the 2012-13 season, Rockford and Milwaukee are in a tie for the eighth and final playoff position in the Western Conference at 79 points, while Chicago is right on their tails with 77 points.

Bacon Bits:
- Rockford won all four games during Week 26

- The IceHogs at 38-30-2-1 are eight games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 2009-10 season

- Rockford notched their league-leading tenth third-period come-from-behind victory on Saturday and are now 10-23-2-0 this season when trailing after the second period

- The next closest team in the AHL has seven wins when trailing after two periods (Oklahoma City)

- Since returning from injury on March 22, Rostislav Olesz has 6g-7a-13pts in his nine games this season

- Olesz notched the game-winning goal on both Friday and Saturday in the third period and was named the #1 Star of the Game in both contests

- In four games in Week 26, Brandon Pirri totaled 1g-6a-7pts and is now second in the AHL in points, totaling 63 points this season

- In 25 games since Feb. 8, Pirri has 7g-23a-30pts with a plus/minus rating of +9

- Pirri scored his 20th goal of the season on Saturday in Peoria, joining Jeremy Morin (28), Martin St. Pierre (25) and Jimmy Hayes (23) as 20-goal scorers this season for Rockford

- Goalie Henrik Karlsson is 6-0-1-0 over his last seven starts dating back to March 9

- Rockford is 11-3-0-0 over their last 14 games against Midwest Division foes

- Joakim Nordstrom recorded his first career AHL point on Sunday with an assist

- Center Martin St. Pierre has goals in three straight games and has 3g-2a-5pts with a +4 during his three-game hot stretch

- Since returning from recall to the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday, winger Jimmy Hayes has 1g-3a-4pts in four games

- The IceHogs have outscored their opposition 78-58 in the third period this season, including 7-1 during a three game weekend

- Rockford played their fifth and final three-in-three in Week 26 and finished with a 3-2-0-0 record in the third game after their 4-1 win on Sunday over Peoria

Hot Hog: Week 26
Rostislav Olesz Right Wing
Winger Rostislav Olesz continued his tear since returning from nearly a year layoff due to injury. After getting held off the score sheet for the first time this season on Tuesday, Olesz came back and notched two goals in Milwaukee on Friday. Both of Olesz’s goals on Friday came in the third period, including the game-winning tally at 13:52 of the third to break a 3-3 tie. On Saturday, Olesz recorded his first three-point game of the season and again notched the game winner. Saturday’s game winner came with just 2:31 left in the final frame, breaking a 4-4 tie. Olesz was named the #1 Star of the Game both Friday and Saturday. The winger completed the four-game week with an assist on Sunday in Rockford’s 4-1 win over Peoria and now has 6g-6a-12pts in nine games this season.

Upcoming Games:
Wednesday, April 10 at Peoria: Game time is set for 7:05 p.m. as the IceHogs travel to the Carver Arena for the series finale with the Peoria Rivermen in an Illinois Lottery Cup contest. It marks the third-straight contest between the two Midwest Division foes. Overall on the campaign, Rockford holds a 7-4-0-0 record against their interstate rivals.

Friday, April 12 vs. Chicago Wolves: Puck drops at 7:05 p.m. It’s Fan Appreciation Night as Rockford hosts the Chicago Wolves in an Illinois Lottery Cup matchup and the final home game of the regular season. The first 2,500 fans through the turnstiles will pick-up an IceHogs team photo and prizes will be handed out at every whistle.

Saturday, April 13 at Milwaukee Admirals: A 7:30 p.m. start time, the IceHogs travel to the BMO Harris Bradley Center for the final time on the campaign to take on the Milwaukee Admirals. Thus far on the season, the IceHogs are 6-4-1-0 against their Midwest Divisional rivals.

Bud Light Hog Talk Returns Tonight:
Bud Light Hog Talk returns tonight to District Bar and Grill from 6-7 p.m. District is located at 205 West State St., one block north of the BMO Harris Bank Center. Fans can join Mike Peck from 6-7 p.m. most Mondays as they chat with IceHogs players, coaches and front office members. This week’s guests include forwards Phillip Danault and Maxime Sauve and assistant coach Ben Simon. Take advantage of food and Bud Light specials at District. The show will be re-aired on Tuesdays from 7-8 p.m. on 23.2 Antenna TV.

The IceHogs Broadcasting Network:
Catch every IceHogs game, home and road, in 2012-13 on 23.2 Antenna TV. The games can also be viewed on Comcast cable channel-436, Charter cable channel-970 or Mediacom-101 in the Rockford market and online through AHLlive.com. Every game will be streamed through IceHogs.com as well and inside the BMO Harris Bank Center on 104.3 FM. For a complete listing of TV stations carrying IceHogs games, visit IceHogs.com. Every broadcast will start with the U.S. Cellular Pregame before Mike Peck calls the action.

lllinois Lottery Cup Series Standings
Teams Record Points
Rockford 12-9-0-1 25
Peoria 10-9-2-0 22
Chicago 10-9-1-0 21

Rockford vs. Chicago 5-5-0-1
Rockford vs. Peoria 7-4-0-0

Upcoming Illinois Lottery Cup Games:
April 10: Rockford at Peoria, 7:05 p.m.
April 12: Chicago vs. Rockford, 7:05 p.m.