Loveland, CO - The Rockford IceHogs head west to begin a two-game series against the Colorado Eagles. The IceHogs and Eagles have only met one time before, meeting in the 2022-23 season where they split the four-game season series. The IceHogs enter the weekend series with their best start since the 2017-18 season where they also posted a 4-1 record in their first five games. Rockford comes into the weekend with three players in the top ten in the league in points. The IceHogs and Eagles open the weekend series tonight with an 8 p.m. CST puck drop from the Blue FCU Arena. 

Three Things To Know:

Red Hot Start: With the quick start to the season, the IceHogs have a handful of players on the league leaderboard. Rockford's top line of Brett Seney, Oliver Moore and Nick Lardis are all in the top-ten in points entering the third week of the season. Lardis, 20, was named the AHL Player of The Week and currently sits atop the league with eight points (2G, 6A). Seney is tied for 2nd with seven points (2G, 5A) and Moore is behind the IceHogs captain with six points (4G, 2A). Moore's four goals has him tied with Borya Valis (TOR) for the league lead among rookies. Rookie goalie Stanislav Berezhnoy ranks in the top-ten with a 1.67 GAA and only trails Isak Posch (COL) for the best goals against average among rookie goaltenders. 

Lardis Leads The Pack: Chicago Blackhawks 2023 3rd round selection Nick Lardis put up a seven point weekend to earn AHL Player of The Week honors. Lardis scored his first AHL goal in Rockford's 3-2 overtime win over the Chicago Wolves Saturday night. The Ontario native posted a four-point performance Sunday afternoon with a goal and three assists which has him leading all rookies in points, two points ahead of teammate Oliver Moore. The IceHogs rookie enters the series with Colorado riding a four-game point streak, notching eight points over the four games. Lardis' 71 goals last season with the Brantford Bulldogs was most goals scored in a single season since the 2006-07 campaign when John Tavares tallied 72 goals. 

Cardiac Hogs: The IceHogs have shown a flair for the dramatic to begin the season with four of their first five games being decided by one goal. This is the most one-goal games to begin a season since the 2016-17 season where four of the first six games were decided by one goal. The most one-goal games to begin a season came back in 2012-13 where the IceHogs had six of their first seven games decided by one goal which included a shootout and overtime win. Rockford's three overtime wins to begin the year has surpassed their overtime win total from last season. The IceHogs have twice had three wins in extra time (overtime and shootout) in the first ten games back in the 2008-09 and 2010-11 season.

Heard It Here First:

Nightingale on Lardis, Seney, Moore: 

Three players that can make plays and they all have different strengths. Moore with his speed and competitiveness. Nick has grown a lot on me with his defensive game and he's dangerous. And Seney can compliment both of them, 

Lardis on his play away from the puck:

I take pride in that, especially at this level. It's important to be a good two-way player, I'm making sure I'm good in the defensive zone so I can be trusted by Nighty and all the coaches so I can be put out there in situations whether it's a pulled goalie, overtime or four-on-four,

The Matchup:

Tale of the Tape: The IceHogs and Eagles meet for the first time since 2022-23 season where both teams took two games of the four-game season series. The IceHogs split the two game set at Blue FCU Arena, picking up a 2-1 overtime win on 1/14/23 during their first trip to Loveland, CO. The Eagles finished last season claiming the regular season Western Conference crown with a    43-32-5-3 record. The Eagles fell in the Division Final to the eventual Calder Cup champion Abbotsford Canucks. Colorado took down the San Diego Gulls on the road Wednesday night with a 2-0 victory. Posch made 26 saves to record his second shutout of the season. The Eagles are led by Danil Gushchin who has seven points on the season as he leads the AHL with six goals through five games. The 2020 3rd round pick enters tonight's game with Rockford riding a three-game point streak. The teams enter the weekend series tied with Grand Rapids with eight points at the top of the Western Conference through five games. Rockford and Colorado are also tied on the penalty kill, both posting am 86.4% mark while shorthanded. 

2025-26 Matchups:

Up next, Rockford is in action on Saturday, October 25 with a 8:05 pm puck drop at Blue Arena against the Eagles in Colorado. The Hogs are back on home ice on Saturday, November 1 at 7:00 pm for Dia De Los Muertos Night against the Griffins inside the BMO Center. The first 2,500 fans will receive a Hammy Sugar Skull Bobblehead and can bid on the IceHogs specialty Day of the Dead jerseys. Buy tickets here.