Rockford finishes season on five-game winning streak
Week 27 Recap:
The Rockford IceHogs finished the 2010-11 season strong, winning all four contests in Week 27 and 10 of their final 11 games on the campaign. The IceHogs tied a season best five-game winning streak and improved to a season best five games over .500. Despite missing out on the postseason for the first time in six seasons, Rockford finished with a record of 38-33-4-5.
Week 27 Results:
Tuesday, Apr. 5: Rockford 4 at San Antonio 2
Friday, Apr. 8: Lake Erie 2 vs. Rockford 4
Saturday, Apr. 9: Grand Rapids 2 vs. Rockford 4
Sunday, Apr. 10: Rockford 5 at Chicago 4 OT
Bacon Bits:
The IceHogs finished the campaign on a five-game winning streak, matching the season-best mark set from March 23 to March 30
Rockford finished the season winning 10 of the club’s 11 games
Since Feb. 26, Rockford compiled a record of 17-5-1-1 over their final 24 games
Rockford finished the season a season-high, five-games over .500 (38-33-4-5)
Rockford ended three Lake Erie franchise record eight-game winning streaks in the last month
On Friday, the IceHogs ended the Monsters eight-game road winning streak, on March 30 Rockford stopped their eight-game overall winning streak and on March 5 ended the Monsters eight-game home winning streak
The IceHogs tallied nine shorthanded goals in 2010-11, two of which came in Rockford’s second to last game
Center Mathis Olimb notched Rockford’s first goal on Saturday with the IceHogs down a man, and Jeff Taffe added an empty net goal to seal the game when the Griffins had the extra attacker
In his sixth professional game, center David Gilbert registered two goals in the IceHogs 5-4 overtime win over the Wolves, including his first professional goal
Gilbert became the 12th IceHogs skater on the season to record two goals in one game
Defenseman Joe Lavin assisted on Gilbert’s second tally, the point was Lavin’s first professional point in his second professional game
Winger Philippe Paradis notched his first professional goal in the IceHogs 4-2 win against Grand Rapids on Saturday, the game-winning marker
Taffe was named the IceHogs Most Valuable Player, leading the club in goals (30) and points (67)
Winger Kyle Hagel finished the campaign with an IceHogs single-season AHL record 245 penalty minutes
Defenseman Brian Connelly was the only IceHogs skater to appear in all 80 games this season
Connelly also set a single season IceHogs record for points (53), goals (11) and assists (42) by a blue-liner
Rockford set a single season attendance record in 2010-11, drawing 174,418 fans, an average of 4,360
The IceHogs previous attendance mark was 159,132, an increase of 9.6%
Hot Hog: Week 26:
Jeff Taffe Right Wing
Veteran forward Jeff Taffe capped off the 2010-11 season perfectly, helping Rockford win all four contests in Week 27 and recording at least a point in each game. Taffe ended the week with three-straight multi-point games to give him a team-high 14 on the season. The Hastings, Minn. native began the week scoring Rockford’s first goal in the IceHogs 4-2 win over San Antonio on April 5. Rockford’s most valuable player added two helpers on Friday night against Lake Erie. Then, the 30 year-old tallied a goal and assist in Rockford 4-2 win on Saturday against Grand Rapids and again on Sunday at Chicago. The marker on Sunday came after the IceHogs battled back from a three goal deficit to send the game into overtime, where Taffe fired in the game-winner, his career-best 30th goal on the campaign.
The IceHogs Broadcasting Network:
Rockford IceHogs fans can catch all of the IceHogs regular-and post-season games on the Hogs’ flagship radio station, Rockford’s Voice, WNTA-AM 1330 and 30 regular season games on ESPN Radio 1380-AM, WTJK. Fans can also watch and listen to the Hogs on the World Wide Web with AHL Live! Visit the IceHogs Web site (icehogs.com) and click on the “click here to watch the AHL Live” icon, and for just $7 you can catch all of the IceHogs action on your computer. Also, fans with Comcast Cable television in Rockford can tune in to Channel 57 for all the IceHogs hockey action at the MetroCentre this season. All Saturday home game will also be televised on My Network TV digital subchannel 17.2 along with Comcast and Charter Cable channel 16. The broadcast begins with the U.S. Cellular Pregame Show 30 minutes before the puck drops. Make sure to give your opinion during the Comcast Post-Game Call-In Show following each game at (815) 874-8255.
Tickets On Sale For 2011-2012!
It'll be a long summer without IceHogs hockey and season ticket packages for the 2011-12 season are now on sale. To find a ticket package that quenches your hockey thirst, call (815) 847-6399.