MILESTONES, FIRSTS HIGHLIGHT WEEK 9

Bacon Bits:
-The IceHogs are currently tied for the longest winless streak in franchise history with a record of 0-5-1-3 over their last nine games since Nov. 23. The skid matches a nine-game winless stretch during UHL affiliation from Nov. 7-24, 2001 (0-9-0).

-The Hogs boast two of the AHL's top-five shot totals among league defensemen in Erik Gustafsson and Ville Pokka. Gustafsson ranks fourth among league blueliners with 73 shots on the year, while Pokka is fifth with 63 total shots.

-Rockford has fired 30+ shots in six straight games and in 18 of 25 total contests on the year. Through Dec. 12, the IceHogs have totaled 799 shots and rank fifth in the AHL with 31.96 shots/game.

-Captain Jake Dowell registered his 100th IceHogs point with an assist Friday at Texas. Through 297 career games with the Hogs, Dowell has collected 32 goals and 68 assists for 100 total points.

-During Friday's contest at Texas, Mark McNeill overtook Brandon Pirri (238 games) for fifth in all-time games played in IceHogs franchise history. McNeill has skated in 240 career games with Rockford and is currently just two games shy of tying Rob Klinkhammer (242 games) for the fourth-most appearances in franchise history (AHL and UHL).

-2014 first-rounder Nick Schmaltz scored two goals on his first two shots during his AHL debut Wednesday vs. San Antonio. Schmaltz has three points (2g, 1a) and 11 shots in his first three games with the IceHogs.

-Both Luke Johnson and Robin Norell scored their first career AHL goal Friday at Texas. Johnson scored 6:06 into the second period and Norell followed just 67 seconds later at 7:13 into the second frame.

-Rockford is eighth in the Central division with a record of 7-13-2-3.

Upcoming Games:
Saturday, December 17 vs. Manitoba Moose: Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. The IceHogs (7-13-2-3) welcome the Manitoba Moose (11-9-1-2) for the second meeting of the 2016-17 campaign. The Moose took the season opener, 5-4, in a shootout on Nov. 30. Rockford will also be hosting Red Kettle Night on Saturday at the BMO Harris Bank Center.

Sunday, December 18 at Chicago Wolves: Face-off is set for 4 p.m. The IceHogs face their Illinois Lottery Cup rival in the fifth meeting of the season at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont. The Wolves (13-9-2-1) lead the season series on Rockford 3-1.

Bud Light Monthly Monday Hog Talk At Vintage 501:
Bud Light Hog Talk’s fourth segment at Vintage 501 will be Jan. 2 from 6-7 p.m. The fourth show will feature two IceHogs players and head coach Ted Dent. Vintage 501 is located in downtown Rockford at 501 E. State St. Fans can join broadcaster Bob Mills and Kevin Peters from 6-7 p.m. on the first Monday of every month throughout the season as the duo chats with IceHogs players, coaches and front office members. For those unable to attend the show in-person, Monday’s show will be streaming live on WXRX.com. “Bud Light Hog Talk” will also be available on www.icehogs.com following the live show. Fans can access the podcast through the “Audio Highlights” link in the “Multimedia” menu.

The IceHogs Broadcasting Network:
Catch every IceHogs game, home and road, in 2016-17 on WIFR’s “Justice Network” on 23.3. The games can also be viewed on Comcast Cable channel 434, Charter Cable channel 194 or Mediacom 102 in the Rockford market and online through AHLLive.com. Every TV broadcast will start with “IceHogs Warm Up” 30 minutes prior to puck drop. Fans can also listen to the action for free at WXRX.com and sportsfanradio1330.com. A select number of games will be aired on Sports Fan 1330 AM throughout the season, including Saturday’s home game and Sunday’s matchup in Chicago. For a complete listing of TV stations carrying IceHogs games, visit IceHogs.com, and for the complete schedule of radio broadcasts, visit sportsfanradio1330.com.

Tickets On Sale for 2016-2017!
IceHogs individual game tickets are now on sale! Call (815) 968-5222 to reserve your seats for any IceHogs regular season game during the 2016-17 season. Tickets can also be purchased online at IceHogs.com, in person at the BMO Harris Bank Center Box Office in downtown Rockford or at any Ticketmaster outlet, including Walmart.