Week 6 Report: Hogs Heating Up, Winners of Five of Last Six

BACON BITS

The IceHogs won two of three games last week, including dealing Toronto its first regulation loss of the 2019-20 season. Rockford has won five of the last six games and is 7-3-0-0 over its last 10 contests. The Hogs' seven wins over their last 10 games are tied for the second-most in the AHL behind only Tucson (8-2-0-0).

Rockford tied its franchise record for the longest win streak against the Chicago Wolves after winning a fourth straight game in the series on Sunday. The only other time the Hogs have won four straight in the series was Nov. 20 - Dec. 27, 2009.

Kevin Lankinen notched his third consecutive win with 19 saves on 20 shots against Toronto. Lankinen has allowed two or fewer goals in three straight games and limited opponents to three or fewer goals in each of his last eight starts dating to last season. He boasts a 2.25 GAA and .920 save percentage (206 saves on 224 shots) over those eight games.

Matthew Highmore scored an empty-net goal against Chicago on Sunday to reach the 30-goal plateau for his AHL career. He is averaging better than one goal every three games with his 30 career markers in 89 total contests. He has scored at least one goal against six of the seven Central Division opponents (except Manitoba) and against nine total AHL teams during his career.

Philip Holm notched the longest point streak for an IceHogs skater this season with assists in four straight games from Oct. 30 - Nov. 6. His six assists over the last six games since Oct. 30 are the second-most in the AHL behind only Jansen Harkins (10a in 5 games).

Rockford scored a pair of shorthanded goals Sunday against the Wolves, pushing their total to five SHG in 13 games this season. The IceHogs share the league lead in shorthanded goals entering the week (also Cleveland) and the five total SHG are one more than their total of four power-play goals.

Reese Johnson posted a +1 rating with six penalty minutes over the Hogs' three games last week. With the effort, he is now first among AHL rookie forwards in PIMs (29) and tied for second in plus/minus on the season (+4).

UPCOMING GAMES

Friday, Nov. 15 | Rockford at Grand Rapids (6 p.m.) The IceHogs travel to Grand Rapids seeking their first road win streak of the 2019-20 season. The Hogs open the 2019-20 series with the Griffins boasting a 7-3-0-0 clip against Grand Rapids last season.

Saturday, Nov. 16 | Rockford vs Grand Rapids (6 p.m.) Rockford caps a two-game week with Military Appreciation Night at the BMO Harris Bank Center. Veterans and active military members will receive a free ticket for the contest and the first 1,500 fans in attendance will take home a free pair of IceHogs camo socks, courtesy of Rose Pest Solutions.

BUD LIGHT MONTHLY MONDAY HOG TALK AT SKYBOX

Bud Light Hog Talk returns Tuesday, Nov. 12 at Skybox. The new venue is located inside the Indoor Sports Center at Mercyhealth Sportscore Two at 8800 E Riverside Blvd, Loves Park. Fans can join broadcaster Joseph Zakrzewski from 6-7 p.m. once per month throughout the season as he chats with IceHogs players, coaches and front office members. For those unable to attend the show in-person, the show will be streaming live on IceHogs.com. “Bud Light Hog Talk” will also be available on www.icehogs.com following the live show. The expected guests are Dylan and Tyler Sikura.

ICEHOGS BROADCASTING NETWORK

Catch the IceHogs this season on WIFR’s 23.2 Antenna TV. The games can also be viewed on Comcast Cable channel 434, Charter Cable channel 194, Dish Network channel 252 or Mediacom 102 in the Rockford market and online through watchtheAHL.com. Each TV broadcast will start with “IceHogs Warm Up” 30 minutes prior to puck drop. Fans can also listen to the action for free at sportsfanradio1330.com, facebook.com/rockfordicehogs and IceHogs.com. For a complete listing of TV stations carrying IceHogs games, visit IceHogs.com, and for the complete schedule of radio broadcasts, visit sportsfanradio1330.com.

TICKETS ON SALE FOR 2019-20!

IceHogs individual game tickets can be purchased by calling (815) 968-5222 to reserve your seats for any regular season home game during the 2019-20 season. Tickets can also be purchased online at IceHogs.com, in person at the BMO Harris Bank Center Box Office in downtown Rockford or at any Ticketmaster outlet, including Walmart.