After getting shut down Friday night, the Rockford IceHogs flipped the script 24 hours later with a 4-0 victory over the Colorado Eagles at Blue Arena.
The win capped a tough road trip with a split series (1-1) and pushed Rockford’s record to 5-2-0 after seven games — still holding 2nd place in their division.
Stanislav Berezhnoy is listed as day-to-day and did not play this weekend. The IceHogs called up goaltender Mitchell Weeks from the Indy Fuel (ECHL) as reinforcement.
Friday Night: IceHogs Special Teams Struggles
Friday just wasn’t Rockford’s night. The IceHogs couldn’t get anything going on special teams — going 0-for-6 on the power play, while the penalty kill gave up three goals on three attempts. That was the story of the game. Additionally, defending AHL player of the week Nick Lardis had a quiet game.
The offense had chances — Oliver Moore and Dominic Toninato led the way with four shots each, and Rockford finished with 25 shots overall — but Colorado goalie Kyle Keyser stood tall, earning the shutout in a convincing 4-0 Eagles win.
Saturday Night: Total Reversal for the IceHogs
One night later, everything changed. The IceHogs came out determined, disciplined, and dangerous — and this time it was Rockford’s turn to earn the shutout win, 4-0.
Drew Commesso was outstanding between the pipes, stopping all 38 shots he faced. With that performance, he moved into 2nd place all-time in IceHogs history with seven career shutouts.
How It Happened
After surviving a quick push from Colorado early on, the IceHogs struck first. At 8:29 of the opening period, Joey Anderson converted on a two-on-one rush with Aidan Thompson, sniping from the right circle to give Rockford a 1-0 lead.
In the second period, the same duo reversed roles. Anderson fed Thompson, and the Colorado native buried it over the shoulder of Isak Posch to double the advantage.
The IceHogs kept pressing. Midway through the third, Kevin Korchinski entered the zone with speed and set up Dominic Toninato, who fired home his first of the night to make it 3-0.
Late in the game, with the Eagles pulling their goalie, Oliver Moore sealed it with an empty-net goal — his 5th of the season.
Standout IceHogs Performances
- Drew Commesso: 38-save shutout, calm and composed all night.
- Joey Anderson: 1G, 1A — 2 Points
- Aidan Thompson: 1G, 1A — 2 Points
- Dominic Toninato: 1G, 1A — 2 Points
- Oliver Moore: 1G — continues his strong start with 5 goals in 7 games.
Final Thoughts
That’s the kind of response you want to see from a young team. The Hogs cleaned up their special teams, tightened up defensively, and showed character after a tough loss.
Commesso set the tone in net, while the Anderson-Thompson line gave Rockford the offensive spark it needed.
The road split keeps Rockford in a strong position early in the season — 5-2-0 and trending upward.
Next Game: Tuesday, October 28 – 11:00 AM vs Chicago Wolves at Allstate Arena
