IceHogs Fall to Moose; Head Home for Opening Weekend Festivities at BMO
October 16, 2022 – American Hockey League (AHL) – Rockford IceHogs News Release
While scoreless for nearly two full periods, the Rockford IceHogs (1-1-0-0) fell to the Manitoba Moose (1-0-1-0), 0-4, after a short-handed tally in the final two minutes of the second frame lit up a charged Manitoba offense in the final period on Sunday afternoon at the Canada Life Centre. Goaltender Arvid Soderblom made 27 saves in the setback.
The first stanza was home to back-and-forth action between the IceHogs and Moose. Both goalies, Soderblom and Manitoba netminder Oskari Salminen (W, 32 saves), were working their angles against the onslaught of chances from both teams. The IceHogs had 15 shots on goal compared to Manitoba’s nine in the first period. Each club saw two power plays, and the IceHogs were 2-for-2 on the penalty kill after the initial 20 minutes of the game.
Unable to capitalize with 1:04 of power play left to start the second frame, the IceHogs couldn’t connect after chipping away with shots from forwards D.J. Busdeker and Evan Barratt. Similar to the first period, the up-and-down action continued on the ice for the majority of the stanza until Barratt and Manitoba’s defenseman Leon Gawanke dropped the gloves at 5:33. Barratt landed lefts and rights to Gawanke in the first scrap of the season for both players. Going on the fourth IceHogs power play after forward Brett Seney was popped in the face on a Moose high stick penalty, forward David Gust attempted a tricky between-the-legs shot before the Moose and forward Jansen Harkins struck the first tally of the game shorthanded on a turnover from forward Lukas Reichel at 1:27.
Unfortunately, the IceHogs couldn’t copy Saturday’s third-period comeback. While the IceHogs fell to 0-for-6 on the power play, the Moose controlled the frame with three more goals on the board. Forward Brad Lambert launched out of the penalty box to end the Hogs’ sixth power play and score at 10:57; forward Kevin Stenlund made a low shot just to the side of Soderblom’s stick at 12:47, and forward Evan Polei walked the puck into an empty IceHogs goal immediately after Soderblom reached the bench at 17:31 to give the Moose a 4-0 victory in the opening weekend rematch.
Join the IceHogs’ Opening Act with Hard Rock Casino-Rockford on Oct. 22!
The IceHogs celebrate Opening Night at the BMO on Saturday, Oct. 22 vs. Chicago Wolves at 7 p.m. Start the celebration with the IceHogs and the Hard Rock Casino – Rockford for The IceHogsOpening Act with a block party from 4:30-6:30 p.m. outside the BMO featuring Rockford band, Miles Nielsen and the Rusted Hearts.
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