Dec. 7, 2018

ROCKFORD, Ill. — With 37 seconds left in overtime, the Rockford IceHogs’ Dylan Sikura staked his second goal of the game to sentence the Grand Rapids Griffins to a 3-2 overtime loss at BMO Harris Bank Center on Friday.

The contest snapped a six-game win streak for the Griffins (14-7-1-2), who managed to extend their point streak to nine games despite the loss. Rockford (11-9-1-4) now rides a seven-game win streak against Grand Rapids while playing at BMO Harris Bank Center.

Friday’s matchup was the first of a three-game stretch on the road, which continues Saturday against the Iowa Wild at 8 p.m. EST before the Griffins close out the series with the Milwaukee Admirals on Tuesday.

Grand Rapids’ penalty kill unit was tested early in the first frame after David Pope was called for hooking 2:15 into the contest. But even with the man-advantage, Rockford was unable to sneak a puck past goaltender Harri Sateri, who finished the scoreless first period with 10 saves.

Another hooking minor to Derek Hulak gave the IceHogs a ladle of chances midway through the frame, including one moments after the penalty expired. After a Graham Knott shot clanged off the crossbar, Nathan Noel flung the rebound at Sateri, but the goaltender swallowed the chance to keep Rockford off the board.

The empty nets didn't last, as the IceHogs notched a goal early in the second. Nick Moutrey chucked the puck against the boards to put it in the Griffins’ zone 2:54 into the period, and Noel beat defender Libor Sulak to rip off a shot from the slot and put Rockford in the lead.

Less than a minute later, Givani Smith evened up the score with his first pro goal at 3:45. Matthew Ford let a shot fly from the right-wing circle, and Smith deflected it into the net from the doorstep to make it 1-1.

In the third period, during his first game as a Griffin, Hulak scored the would-be tie-breaker 4:18 in. After a Rockford defender pressured Matt Puempel to lose the puck behind goaltender Anton Forsberg’s net, he rolled it out front to Hulak, who fired a shot into the net to give Grand Rapids a one-goal edge.

The Griffins’ penalty kill unit finally struck out after polishing off an eight-game streak that thwarted 27 opposing power play chances. During a slashing minor to Ford, Jordan Schroeder passed the puck to Sikura near the blue line, who beat Sateri five-hole and tie the game at 2-2.

Sikura scored his late overtime goal with a cut on Joni Tuulola’s shot from the high slot to turn it into Sateri’s net, handing the Griffins a 3-2 loss.

Forsberg took the win with 41 saves, while Sateri stopped 35 shots on the night.

Notes: With their streak snapped, the Griffins’ penalty killers went 3-for-4, while the power play tallied an 0-for-3 finish on the night...Hronek’s secondary assist on Smith’s goal marked the eighth consecutive game he has notched an assist, tying the franchise record...Hulak played in eight games with the AHL’s Hershey Bears to start the season before heading to Grand Rapids...Former Griffin Derek King (1991-01, 2002-04) is serving as the IceHogs’ interim head coach after Jeremy Colliton’s departure for the Blackhawks on Nov. 6.

Three Stars: 1. RFD Sikura (game-winning goal, goal); 2. RFD Forsberg (W, 41 saves); 3. RFD Noel (goal)

Photo by Nathan Vestal/Rockford IceHogs