Before last night's game, we talked about what had to change for Icehogs success: The Power Play. Ask and you shall receive as the Icehogs scored two of their three goals on the power play. It was a sight to see.
The first period brought us not too much action, however the Icehogs were finally able to hold off the Gulls in the first period, something they have not been able to do the previous three games against San Diego this season. The penalty kill was a sucess, coming up 3 for 3, including a little over a minute on a 5 on 3. Shots were 12-8 in favor of the Gulls heading into the second.
Our player to watch heading into tonights game for the Hogs, was none other than newcomer Jackson Cates. Get used to that name. 3:49 into the period it was Cates getting what was his 4th goal in 5 games for the Icehogs. His goal can be found below. Minutes later, it was Katchouk's 3rd of the year, a wrist shot through traffic which Dach helped screen. Both Icehogs goals were on the power play, which we pointed out pregame, had to step it up. They did just that. The power play ended the night 2/6. However, 13 seconds after Katchouk's goal, it was Nesterenko, who had an assist Wednesday night, firing the puck past the short side glove of Commesso. Shots going into the final frame were 24-18 in favor of San Diego.
It was a quiet third in terms of scoring, with no goals on either side of the ice. The Hogs had some great penalty kills, with two shorthanded breakaways, both denied by the Gulls puck stopper Calle Clang. Icehogs Drew Commesso was occupied must of the second half of the period, where it seemed as if the Icehogs could not clear the puck. It was a matter of time before the Gulls scored, you could feel it with the Gulls intensity. In need of a late-tying goal, with 20 seconds left in the game, it was Trevor Karrik, who scored Wednesday night too, shooting the puck up from the point glove side that managed to sneak through all bodies in front of the net, and past Commesso. The goal went in similar fashion to the second goal Stauber allowed Wednesday vs the Gulls. This meant, extra hockey for the Icehogs. Shots going into overtime were 31-23 in the Gulls advantage.
About a minute and a half into overtime, we saw none other than David Gust on a breakaway that could've been a 2-0 if he opted to pass to the trailing Jaylen Luypen. However all he needed was himself, dekeing out Clang blocker side, and putting the puck over his glove to secure the first ever Icehogs victory over the San Diego Gulls. Drew Commesso finally got back on track, with a .935 SV%, his best outing since November 24th. He looked excellent tonight, getting his first win in almost a month.
Rockford get's to enjoy a Christmas coming off a win. One may say that the Hogs Christmas present is getting back Wyatt Kasier and Filip Roos, on their way back from a stint with the Blackhawks. A quick turnaround though, as the 27th, we're back at it vs Milwaukee. Stay tuned for an article on the 26th, covering Jaxson Stauber, and his case for a NHL call-up. To all you Icehogs fans that are getting this platform off the ground, I cannot thank you guys enough. For Icehogs Network I'm Anthony Pellegrino, enjoy your Christmas Icehogs fans.
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