IceHogs Clinch 2022 Calder Cup Playoffs with 5-3 Win Over Moose

Rockford, IL- The IceHogs (36-27-4-1) have officially clinched a spot in the 2022 Calder Cup Playoffs with a 5-3 win over the Manitoba Moose (38-23-5-2) Saturday night at BMO Harris Bank Center. It was an entire team effort as 11 different IceHogs tallied a point in the victory.

The IceHogs jumped out to an early lead when Dmitri Osipov battled to get it under the pad of Manitoba goaltender Mikhail Berdin to give Rockford a 1-0 lead 4:05 into the game. Defensemen Jakub Galvas and Ryan Stanton picked up the assists.

Forward Andrei Altybarmakian then struck for the fourth game in a row when he fired a wrist shot low to extend the Hogs lead to 2-0 at 16:28 in the first period. Forward Michal Teply and defenseman Wyatt Kalynuk earned the assists as Kalynuk is now riding a four-game assist streak.

Shortly after that forward Josiah Slavin forced a turnover in the offensive zone and blasted in an unassisted goal to make it a 3-0 game at 17:40 in the opening frame.

The Moose struck early in the second frame when forward C.J. Suess was able to get the rebound and flip it in on the backhand to make it a 3-1 contest at 3:28 in the period.

Later in the frame defenseman Simon Lundmark put the Moose within one when he found the back of the net on a wrist shot at 10:37 in the second period.

But IceHogs forward Carson Gicewicz delivered for Rockford when he knocked down a shot and spun around to fire it home and extend the IceHogs lead 4-2 at 17:31 in the period. It was Gicewicz's fifth goal of the season and first one since Feb. 12.

Rockford continued to tack on in the third when defenseman Ian Mitchell capitalized on the power play to give Rockford a 5-2 lead 2:14 into the third period. Forwards Dylan McLaughlin and Lukas Reichel notched assists on the goal. With the assist, Reichel earned his 51^st point of the season and is tied with Vinnie Hinostroza for most points by an IceHogs rookie.

Manitoba continued to battle though. Forward Kristian Vesalainen found the back of the net to make it 5-3 at 10:31 in the closing frame. But that’s all the Moose would get as Rockford netminder Arvid Soderblom made 43 saves to pick up the win.

Watch and listen to the action on the IceHogs Broadcast Network presented by BMO Harris Bank! Tune in from your favorite device, at home or on the road at IceHogs.com and on the IceHogs app! Fans can also watch every IceHogs home game and select road games this season on 23.3 Circle TV and every game on AHLTV and listen in on all of Mid-West Family’s local stations including 104.9 The X, B103, 95.3 The Bull, and Rockford Greatest Hits 100.5 and featured on Rock River Current.