IceHogs Alums Reach Stanley Cup Playoffs Semifinals

ROCKFORD, Ill. – With the NHL’s “Frozen Four” is now set, a flurry of IceHogs alums take the ice seeking eight more wins to capture hockey’s ultimate prize, the Stanley Cup. The Vegas Golden Knights and Montreal Canadiens battle in the third-round best-of-seven semifinals while the New York Islanders clash with the defending Stanley Cup champs in the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Stanley Cup Semifinals features IceHogs alumni on all four remaining teams. Forward Dylan Sikura and defenseman Carl Dahlstrom look to support another strong postseason performance for the Golden Knights and line up against forwards Phillip Danault, defenseman Erik Gustafsson and the Canadiens.

Out East, defenseman and Chicago Blackhawks 2013 Stanley Cup champ Nick Leddy collides with 2020 Stanley Cup winner Jan Rutta.

Vegas Golden Knights (1) vs. Montreal Canadiens (4)

Monday, June 14, 9 p.m.: Canadiens at Golden Knights | NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVAS

Wednesday, June 16, 9 p.m.: Canadiens at Golden Knights | NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVAS

Friday, June 18, 8 p.m.: Golden Knights at Canadiens | USA, SN, CBC, TVAS

Sunday, June 20, 8 p.m.: Golden Knights at Canadiens | NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVAS

*Tuesday, June 22, 9 p.m.: Canadiens at Golden Knights | NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVAS

*Thursday, June 24, 8 p.m.: Golden Knights at Canadiens | USA, SN, CBC, TVAS

*Saturday, June 26, 8 p.m.: Canadiens at Golden Knights | NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVAS

Tampa Bay Lightning (2) vs. New York Islanders (3)

Sunday, June 13, 3 p.m.: Islanders at Lightning | NBC, SN, CBC, TVAS

Tuesday, June 15, 8 p.m.: Islanders at Lightning | NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVAS

Thursday, June 17, 8 p.m.: Lightning at Islanders | NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVAS

Saturday, June 19, 8 p.m.: Lightning at Islanders | USA, SN, CBC, TVAS

*Monday, June 21, 8 p.m.: Islanders at Lightning | USA, SN, CBC, TVAS

*Wednesday, June 23, 8 p.m.: Lightning at Islanders | NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVAS

*Friday, June 25, 8 p.m.: Islanders at Lightning | NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVAS

Vegas Golden Knights
Sikura skated with the IceHogs from 2018-20 in 91 games totaling 31 goals and 37 assists for 68 points and finished second in team scoring in both seasons (35 points in 2018-19, 33 points in 2019-20). He has appeared in two Stanley Cup Playoff games with the Golden Knights during this run, Game 2 and Game 3 of their second-round series vs. Colorado. He had two goals in six games in the regular season.

Dahlstrom, who skated in parts of five seasons with the IceHogs (2014-19) and totaled 48 points (10 goals, 38 assists) in 162 games, has not appeared in a game for the Golden Knights this season. He grabbed 10 points (one goal, nine assists) in 17 games with their AHL club, the Henderson Silver Knights.

Montreal Canadiens
It has been a few campaigns since the IceHogs have seen Danault in the black and red, having skated with the team from 2011-16 adding 70 points (20 goals, 50 assists) in 160 games. He has spent the last six seasons with Montreal after 32 games with Chicago from 2014-16 and placed sixth on the team this year with 24 points (five goals, 19 assists). He currently has two assists in 11 Stanley Cup Playoff games this year.

Gustafsson picked up 58 points (11 goals, 47 assists) in 120 games along the IceHogs blueline from 2015-18. He began this season with Philadelphia (24 games, nine assists and 10 points) and joined the Canadiens at the NHL Trade Deadline on Apr. 12. He has three points (one goal, two assists) in seven Stanley Cup Playoff Games.

Also worth noting, former IceHogs forward Laurent Dauphin is in the Montreal system and skated with their AHL club, Laval Rocket, this season.

New York Islanders
Leddy split time between the IceHogs and the Blackhawks during the 2010-11 and 2012-13 seasons, scooping up 26 total points (five goals, 21 assists) in 52 games in the AHL and became a permanent fixture on the Islanders blueline since the 2014-15 campaign. He has five assists in 12 NHL playoff games this year after leading the Islanders with 29 assists and team defensemen with 31 points.

Tampa Bay Lightning
Rutta appeared in eight games with the IceHogs during the 2018-19 campaign, adding a goal and three assists for four points before being acquired by Tampa Bay in January of that season. He has appeared in 11 Stanley Cup Playoff games this season after posting eight assists in 35 regular-season contests for the Lightning.