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December 23
ROCKFORD ROLLS INTO SCRANTON FOR FIRST-EVER MATCHUP WITH PENGUINS
ROCKFORD, Ill. – The Rockford IceHogs snapped a four-game skid on Sunday and now return to action for the franchise’s first-ever meeting with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Puck drop is at 6:05 p.m. and fans can tune in to all the action on Cozi TV 23.3 or Dish Network Channel 252, beginning with IceHogs Warmup at 5:35 p.m. IceHogs fans can also listen to the game at sportsfanradio1330.com or watch live at AHLlive.com (subscription required).
Matchup: The IceHogs (26-22-3-3, 6th Central) are looking to string together consecutive wins for the first time since downing Bakersfield and Ontario in late January. Tonight’s contest is the front end of a two-game road trip which begins with a Friday showdown at Mohegan Sun Arena against the Penguins.
Forward Henrik Samuelsson made his Hogs debut on Feb. 13 and has scored a goal in each of his first three contests with the team. Samuelsson’s linemate, Matthew Highmore, has assisted on two of those three goals and now leads the team with 34 total points (20g, 14a) this season. Highmore takes the ice with helpers in a season-high three straight games since Feb. 13.
In net, goaltender Jeff Glass faces a familiar foe tonight from his tenure with the Binghamton Senators. Glass has played against the Penguins 19 times during his AHL career and combined for a record of 4-12-1 with a 3.16 GAA.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (30-15-4-1, 2nd Atlantic) hosts the IceHogs boasting the second-best record in the Atlantic Division thus far this season. The Penguins, despite their overall success, have dropped three straight games and are just 5-4-1-0 over their last 10 tilts.
Rookie standout Daniel Sprong leads Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in scoring and ranks third overall among AHL rookies with 40 points (20g, 20a) in 40 games this year. The 20-year-old forward has tallied points in 11 of his last 13 games with five multi-point efforts and 18 total points (5g, 13a) in that span.
Netminder Casey DeSmith enters Friday’s game with a record of 14-8-3, 2.75 GAA and .911 save percentage in 25 appearances in 2017-18. The goaltender takes the ice winless over his last three outings with 12 goals allowed and just 73 saves in that time.
Next Home Game: Wednesday, Feb. 28 | Rockford vs Texas Stars (7 p.m.)
The IceHogs welcome the Texas Stars to the BMO Harris Bank Center for a Fas Fuel Winning Weekday at 7 p.m. Fans can enjoy discounted hot dogs, select beer and companion tickets. If the Hogs win, tickets from Wednesday’s game can be redeemed for a ticket of equal or lesser value to the following Fas Fuel Winning Weekdays game on Tuesday, March 13. Former Chicago Blackhawks defenseman and Stanley Cup champion Brian Campbell will also be in attendance, and a select number of fans will have the chance to get an autograph. Tickets can be purchased at IceHogs.com, by calling (815) 968-5222 or in-person at the BMO Harris Bank Center Box Office.
