Trio of First AHL Goals Lifts IceHogs Over Rampage

Rockford, Ill. – Adam Boqvist, MacKenzie Entwistle and Reese Johnson each scored their first AHL goal on Wednesday as the IceHogs defeated the San Antonio Rampage 6-2 at the BMO Harris Bank Center.

The Rampage opened scoring 7:56 into the first period when Jordan Nolan redirected a shot in the slot to beat IceHogs goaltender, Kevin Lankinen. The IceHogs bounced back in a big way, though, scoring five straight to run away with the contest.

Tyler Sikura jammed home his own rebound 12:07 into the opening frame for his fourth of the season after MacKenzie Entwistle jumped around a defender to set up the shot. With the goal, Sikura is now tied for the team lead in goals alongside his younger brother, Dylan.

Just over two minutes later, Nick Moutrey one-touched a cross-crease pass past Rampage netminder, Ville Husso, to give Rockford the 2-1 lead. Matthew Highmore entered the middle of the zone and slid the puck to Reese Johnson on the right wing, who then delivered the pass to Moutrey for his first of the season.

The next shift, Entwistle stripped a Rampage defender and poked a loose puck into the cage to join the goal column and put the Hogs up 3-1.

Rockford picked up where it left off 11:36 into the middle stanza when Reese Johnson spun around and ripped a wrist shot under Husso’s blocker to make it 4-1. Moutrey and Highmore earned their second points of the evening with assists on the goal.

Five minutes later, Nicolas Beaudin pinched in at the blue line and delivered a pass to Brandon Hagel, who sent a pass across the slot to Adam Boqvist. Boqvist fired a heavy shot to add on to the lead and give the IceHogs their first power-play goal of the season.

Derrick Pouliot narrowed the gap and made it 5-2 early in the third period, but Jacob Nilsson’s shorthanded, empty-net goal put the game out of reach. The goal also served as Nilsson’s first of the campaign.

Lankinen finished the night with 28 saves on 30 in his first game since returning from injury. The IceHogs move to 3-5-0-0 and play again on Saturday, Nov. 2 at home against the Iowa Wild.

Next Home Game: Saturday, Nov. 2 vs. Iowa Wild | 6 p.m.
The Rockford IceHogs are inviting fans to the team’s first-ever Day of the Dead event for their game against the Iowa Wild on Saturday, Nov. 2 at the BMO Harris Bank Center. This themed night will feature Folklorico dancers during intermission, a Día de los Muertos altar built by Rock Valley College’s Association of Latin American Students (ALAS) and a Hammy Sugar Skull backdrop for photo opportunities for fans.