RECAP: Rockford Falls 4-1 to First-Place Texas

CEDAR PARK, Texas—The Rockford IceHogs dropped a 4-1 loss to the top-seeded Texas Stars on Friday night at H-E-B Center. Antti Saarela scored Rockford’s lone goal in the first period—his fourth professional goal.

Despite Texas having the best power play in the AHL at home, the IceHogs suffered only one penalty, and the Stars never had an opportunity to go on the man advantage. Mike Hardman was tangled up with Michael Karow at 17:39 in the middle stanza with a pair of roughing minors.

The Stars struck first on Friday night halfway through the first period. After a Rockford pass was broken up in the Texas zone, Matej Blumel went on a clean breakaway to take a 1-0 lead (11:48).

Evening the score 1-1 to start the second frame, rookie Antti Saarela netted his fourth goal of the season. Stealing the puck back from the Stars in their defensive zone, Jalen Luypen angled the disc to Saarela in the slot, and the rookie blasted a wrister bar down on Texas netminder Remi Poirier (6:02).

Texas quickly retook the lead in the third period with a pair of back-to-back goals in the first five minutes of the frame. As Antonio Stranges lifted the puck over the stick of a Rockford defender in the slot, Riley Damiani buried a shot from the slot behind Drew Commesso to take a 2-1 lead (2:23).

Not two minutes later as the puck skittered across the blue line into Rockford’s zone, Mavrik Bourque tallied a wrister from the edge of the left circle, extending the Stars’ lead to 3-1 (4:07).

Taking a 4-1 lead, the Stars tacked on their third unanswered goal of the final frame with less than five minutes left to play. After Commesso made a sprawling pad save, Curtis McKenzie flicked the disc into the back of the empty net (15:37).

Commesso stopped 24 of 28 Texas shots and was tagged with the loss, but Poirier marked 31 saves on 32 Rockford shots to earn the win.

Next Home Game
The IceHogs’ next home game is Friday, Jan. 19 at 7 p.m. against the Chicago Wolves on another $2 Beer Friday! Every Friday home game is a $2 Beer Friday, featuring $2 cans of Bud Light, Budweiser, and Busch Light available at numerous concession areas through the end of the second intermission. Not a beer drinker? You can get a 12-oz soft drink for just $2 every Friday as well!

13th Annual Autism Awareness Night & Jersey Auction
The Rockford IceHogs are proud to host their 13th annual Autism Awareness Night, presented by LawnCare By Walter, Inc., on Saturday, Jan. 20 against the Iowa Wild at 7 p.m. at the BMO Center. The IceHogs will wear specialty “Blackout” jerseys featuring a neon version of the IceHogs primary logo on the crest of an all black jersey adorned with blue and red Autism Awareness-themed puzzle pieces across the front and the sleeves. For more information, visit icehogs.com

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 select games in High Definition on 19.2 Circle TV (Changing from 19.2 to The 365 starting on Dec. 31)! 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.