RECAP: Late Push by Hogs Falls Short in 3-2 Loss to Griffins

Game Recap Presented by IBEW

ROCKFORD, Ill. – The Rockford IceHogs dropped their final game in a nine-game homestand, 3-2 against the Grand Rapids Griffins. Goals from Rem Pitlick and Brett Seney, as well as 33 saves from Drew Commesso, kept Rockford in the game. Two goals from Amadeus Lombardi and Austin Czarnik put Grand Rapids ahead late in the third period.

The Griffins snagged an early 1-0 lead in the first frame when Simon Edvinsson fired a shot from the blue line that bounced through traffic in front of the net, and Tim Gettinger tipped the skittering puck over Rockford goaltender Commesso’s right pad from the low slot (3:18).

Evening the score 1-1 with less than two minutes left in the first period, Pitlick netted his first goal as an IceHog. As Cole Guttman and Seney skated into the Griffins’ zone 2-on-1, Seney dropped Guttman’s pass from the right circle back to the slot where Pitlick buried a wrister past Grand Rapids netminder Michael Hutchinson (18:25).

Neither team scored through the second period as Commesso and Michael Hutchinson defended their creases well.

In the third period, Grand Rapids took the lead with a goal scored by Amadeus Lombardi (7:40). Shortly after, Taro Hirose tipped a shot into the net from William Wallinder’s shot at the blue line to take a 3-1 lead (10:55).

Seney cut into the lead with a breakaway goal on a lead pass from Wyatt Kaiser in Rockford’s defensive end. Seney sent a wrist shot past Hutchinson’s blocker to put Rockford within one goal (13:19).

With under three minutes left to play in regulation, Rockford pulled Commesso from the net. The IceHogs managed to get multiple shots on net, but were unsuccessful in scoring the game-tying goal.

Rockford travels to Well Fargo Arena on Monday, Feb. 19 to face off against the Iowa Wild in their first road game since Jan. 26th. Puck drop is set for 5 p.m. CST.

FRIDAY, FEB. 27 AT 7 PM: MILITARY APPRECIATION NIGHT & $2 BEER FRIDAY
Benchmark Exteriors presents Military Appreciation Night to honor active and veteran military personnel with a free ticket to the game and a discounted offer for any guests! It's also a Friday which means $2 beer (cans of Bud Light, Budweiser, and Busch Light) and $2 soft drinks!

SATURDAY, FEB. 24 AT 7PM: LUKAS REICHEL BOBBLEHEAD GIVEAWAY
The first 2,500 fans will receive a bobblehead of former IceHog and current Blackhawk Lukas Reichel!

Tune In LIVE on the Icehogs Broadcast Network Presented by BMO
Watch and listen to every game this season on the IceHogs Broadcast Network presented by BMO! Listen from your favorite device, at home, or on the road at IceHogs.com and on the IceHogs app, and watch LIVE on AHLTV and selected games in High Definition on The365! Fans can also tune 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, the Stateline’s premiere source for local events, news, and culture.