Week 17 Report: Hogs Stumble Before All-Star Break

BACON BITS

MAKE IT COUNT
The IceHogs buried three power-play goals on eight attempts in Friday's loss at Milwaukee after having gone five games without one. The last time Rockford scored thrice on the man-advantage in a single game was Oct. 18, 2018, when the Hogs defeated the Tuscon Roadrunners 5-3 and potted three power-play goals on six chances.

FOUR SCORE...
The IceHogs netted four goals in a contest for the 11th time in the 2019-20 season on Friday. However, this was the club's first regulation loss when scoring more than three goals; they are now 9-1-0-1 when producing four tallies.

DYL PICKLE
Dylan Sikura found the scoresheet for the first time in four games since being reassigned from the Blackhawks when he scored a goal and added two assists on Friday. It marked only his second multi-point effort of the campaign despite leading the roster in points per game this season (.78). His first multi-point game came in the form of a three-goal, one-assist performance against the Chicago Wolves on Nov. 3.

THREE FOR ME
The IceHogs have only managed to score three goals in a game three times in the last 17 contests. The club holds a record of 16-2-0-1 record when scoring more than two goals this year and are 4-21-1-0 when tallying two or fewer goals. Dating to last season, the Hogs have won 46 of 53 games when scoring more than two goals (46-4-1-2).

TOMMER HAWK
Matt Tomkins kicked away 30 of 31 shots in the IceHogs' loss Wednesday and then signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Blackhawks on Thursday that carries an AAV of $700,000 and runs through the 2020-21 season. Tomkins is 5-4 with the IceHogs in the 2019-20 season and leads the team in both goals-against average (2.45) and save percentage (.916). Also, the Ohio State University-alum recently won gold at the Spengler Cup with Team Canada.

UPCOMING GAMES

Next Home Game: Friday, Jan. 31 vs. Manitoba Moose | 7 p.m.
The Rockford IceHogs kick off their player designer hat giveaway series presented by BMO Harris Bank on Friday with the giveaway of Kris Versteeg's designer hat to the first 1,500 fans at the BMO Harris Bank Center.

Upcoming Home Game: Saturday, Feb. 1 vs. Milwaukee Admirals | 6 p.m.
The IceHogs follow up Kris Versteeg Hat Night with Fleece Blanket Giveaway Night, where the first 2,500 fans in the building will receive a fleece blanket designed to look like the ice surface at the BMO.