March 30, 2019

ROCKFORD, Ill. — In the final game of their season series with Grand Rapids, the Rockford IceHogs scored three unanswered third-period goals for a 4-1 win over the Griffins at BMO Harris Bank Center on Saturday.

Dennis Gilbert’s wrister at 5:44 of the third period would prove to be the game-winning goal for the IceHogs, while Jordan Schroeder contributed two assists in the same frame for first-star honors. The win for Rockford (32-27-4-6) marked its 12th victory through the last 16 games in the venue and allowed the IceHogs to finish their series against Grand Rapids with a 7-3-0-0 record.

Despite a loss to Milwaukee, Chicago remains leading the Central Division with 90 points while the Griffins (38-21-6-4) hold a six-point lead over the third-ranked Iowa Wild with 86 points. Grand Rapids closes its three-in-three weekend tomorrow afternoon, when it hosts the Admirals at 4 p.m. EDT for the Jake Engel Memorial Dog Game at Van Andel Arena.

Patrik Rybar turned away 12 of Rockford’s 34 total shots in the first period, which included a pair of big saves while the IceHogs were on the only power play of the frame. Soon after Vili Saarijarvi was whistled for slashing at 14:29, Schroeder heaved the puck at Rybar point-blank, but the goaltender knocked it away to keep Rockford off the board.

Less than 10 seconds later, a centering pass from IceHogs forward Victor Ejdsell put Schroeder back in similar position to lay on another shot. Still, Rybar turned away Schroeder's attempt to capitalize on the power play, pushing the period to a scoreless finish.

Soon after Rockford’s second power play of the game was killed off early in the middle frame, Colin Campbell put the Griffins on the board at 4:41 with his seventh goal of the year. Skating up the left wing, Campbell dropped the puck to Saarijarvi in the slot to draw out Delia. Saarijarvi fed the puck back to Campbell near the goal line, and he threaded it behind the goaltender’s extended leg to put Grand Rapids up, 1-0.

Later in the same period, the IceHogs knotted the score on their third power play of the game to finish the night 1-for-4. A pass from Lucas Carlsson left the puck in the control of Henri Jokiharju at the right point, and the ensuing wrist shot found its way past Rybar at 10:44.

With the assistance of Schroeder at 5:44 of the third period, Gilbert scored the game-winning goal and kicked off Rockford's scoring streak. From the left-wing boards, Schroeder passed the puck across the ice to Gilbert at the right point, who lofted it into the upper left-hand corner of Rybar’s net to make it 2-1.

The Griffins found themselves down by a pair of goals when the IceHogs’ Peter Holland netted his 25th goal of the year off Schroeder’s second assist of the night. Stealing the puck from Matthew Ford along the left boards, Schroeder swept the puck into the center of the left-wing circle for Holland to finish off with 8:01 left on the clock.

At 15:41, Grand Rapids opted to pull Rybar for an extra attacker, though none of the following chances would break past Delia. A shot from Dennis Cholowski rang off the crossbar with less than three minutes remaining, while multiple rebound attempts were turned away in Delia's effort to keep the IceHogs’ lead intact.

Luke Johnson tacked on Rockford’s fourth goal of the night when he intercepted a pass in the IceHogs’ zone and fired off a shot from the blue line that crossed the ice and slid into an empty net at 17:46.

Campbell’s goal in the second period was the only attempt to beat Delia, who finished the night with 26 saves for the win.

Notes: Grand Rapids finished 0-for-3 on the power play...Kaden Fulcher was reassigned from the Toledo Walleye to the Griffins for his third appearance this season as a backup to Rybar (previously on Feb. 22 vs. Texas and Feb. 23 at Chicago)...Grand Rapids was without six members of its potential playoff roster, who are are currently on recall with the Detroit Red Wings.

Three Stars: 1. RFD Schroeder (two assists); 2. RFD Holland (goal, assist); 3. RFD Gilbert (game-winning goal)

Photo by Todd Reicher/Rockford IceHogs