HOGS GRAB EARLY LEAD, FALTER DOWN STRETCH AGAINST GRIFFINS

Rockford, Ill. - William Pelletier got Rockford on the board first, but Wade Megan scored twice and Harri Sateri made 29 saves as the Grand Rapids Griffins downed the IceHogs 3-1 Friday night at the BMO Harris Bank Center.

The loss snapped Rockford's eight-game home winning streak against Grand Rapids.

Pelletier netted the game’s first goal with 2:18 remaining in the opening frame. The forward converted on the rebound of a shot from Victor Ejdsell off of Sateri’s right pad.

Jake Chelios responded for Grand Rapids 2:00 into the second stanza, firing a wrister from the right side high past the glove of IceHogs goaltender Kevin Lankinen.

The teams skated even for the remainder of the second, then Megan tallied the deciding goal at the 10:33 mark of the third period on a shot from the slot after a centering pass from Matt Puempel. In net, Sateri stymied the Rockford comeback effort with 10 saves in the third, before Megan added an empty-netter with three seconds remaining.

Lankinen answered Sateri’s performance with 21 saves of his own. The rookie netminder has allowed two or fewer goals in six of his last eight games and has posted a 2.25 GAA and a .924 save percentage over that span.

Next home game: Fri. Jan. 25, 7 p.m. vs. Manitoba Moose
The IceHogs take on the Manitoba Moose this Friday at the BMO Harris Bank Center. The first 2,500 fans in attendance will receive a free T-shirt, courtesy of Toyota.