HARTMAN LIFTS HOGS IN OVERTIME

Hartman lights the lamp twice in a thrilling 4-3 overtime victory

Rockford, Ill. – At the end of 40 minutes of play on Friday night at the BMO Harris Bank Center, the Rockford IceHogs (12-4-0-1) were on the wrong end of a 3-2 score to the Iowa Wild (4-11-1-0). Good thing the game went 60 minutes and more for the IceHogs as they came back to knock off the Wild 4-3 in overtime.

Down by a goal with 11:08 left in the final frame, Ryan Schnell ripped a shot at the Iowa net that Johan Gustafsson kicked right to the stick of Ryan Hartman and he fired it to the back of the net to tie the score at 3-3. The assist for Schnell was his second point (1g-1a) of the night, and along with a fighting major he completed a Gordie Howe hat trick.

Then, it was Hartman again that sent the home crowd happy after he beat Gustafsson 3:14 into the extra session. T.J Brennan raced around the Iowa cage before slipping a pass for Hartman, who was parked in front of Gustafsson, to deliver the game-winner.

Things did not start out well for the Hogs as the Wild took a lead just 91 seconds into the first period when the IceHog were on the wrong end of a 5-4 man advantage. Seven seconds into the Wild power play, Tyler Graovac picked up his team leading 12th point (5g-7a) of the season and gave the visitors an early 1-0 lead. Michael Keranen notched an assist on the goal.

With the IceHogs trailing by a goal to the start the middle frame, Schnell picked up his first marker of the season and first goal since Dec. 10, 2013 when he was a member of the St. Johns IceCaps. Alex Broadhurst and Pierre-Cedric Labrie each factored in on the Schnell goal with 16:28 remaining in the second period.

A Justin Falk marker with 6:03 left in the second period broke the 1-1 tie and the Wild regained the lead. Less than a minute later, Viktor Svedberg fired a shot from the point that snuck through traffic and tied the game at two. Garret Ross and T.J. Brennan each helped set up Svedberg with 5:20 remaining in the second period.

Iowa wasted little time to regain the lead as Kurtis Gabriel picked up a loose puck in front of Scott Darling and delivered the go ahead goal just 22 seconds after the IceHogs tied the contest at two. Stephane Veilleux and Falk scored an assist on the goal with 4:58 left in the sandwich stanza.

Schnell registered his first multi-point game since Dec. 7, 2012 when he was a member of the ECHL’s Colorado Eagles.

Darling made 22 saves in a winning effort and improved his record to 6-2-0-0 for Rockford, while Gustafsson was handed a loss despite turning away 37 chances.

NEXT HOME GAME: Saturday, Nov. 22, vs. Milwaukee Admirals. Face off is set for 7 p.m. The IceHogs try to break their eight-game skid against Milwaukee when they meet for the third time in eight days. Fans can stick around after the game to take a shot from center ice for a chance to win pizza and prizes, courtesy of Papa John’s.