Griffins Score Seven, Hold IceHogs to Nine Shots in 7-3 Win

The Grand Rapids Griffins erupted offensively in front of their home fans at Van Andel Arena on March 4, pouring in seven goals to defeat the Rockford IceHogs 7-3. Sheldon Dries scored 1:08 into the game to give Grand Rapids an immediate edge, and captain Jeff Hoggan supplied a backhand insurance marker after a feed from Anthony Mantha.

Sheldon Dries’ early strike set the tempo; later in the game Hoggan capped a skillful sequence. “Picking up a neutral zone feed from linemate Anthony Mantha, Hoggan hit the blue line with speed and danced around a Rockford defender before flipping a backhand past Leighton’s blocker.” That finish was described in the recap as Hoggan’s second goal in as many games against the IceHogs and was called both an “insurance marker” and a “back-breaker.”

There is a discrepancy in the available recaps over the exact score-state after Hoggan’s backhand. One passage notes Hoggan’s goal “gave the Griffins a 3-1 lead with just over five minutes to play in regulation,” while other lines characterize the same strike as pushing Grand Rapids’ margin further and label it an insurance goal. The official box score and play-by-play should clarify whether that strike made it 3-1 or 4-1 at the time it was scored.

Defensively, Grand Rapids tightened in the third period and denied Rockford any real momentum. “The defensively-sound Griffins were able to prevent Rockford from mounting a third-period comeback,” and the home team “held the IceHogs to nine shots in the final 20 - many of the unthreatening variety - while adding an insurance marker courtesy of captain Jeff Hoggan.” Rockford mustered pressure but the shot quality late was described as limited, and the Griffins closed the game without surrendering a decisive rally.

The loss leaves Rockford at 73 points and three back of the San Antonio Rampage for fourth place in the Western Conference. Rockford now travels to Rosemont for their final visit to Allstate Arena of the season; a Sunday 3 p.m. matinee with the Chicago Wolves. At stake is the Illinois Lottery Cup, which the IceHogs can clinch with a victory.

Rockford’s next home game is listed as Wednesday, March 18 vs. the Adirondack Flames, with puck drop at 7 p.m. The March 18 contest is promoted as a WXRX Dollar Day at the BMO — fans can enjoy one dollar hot dogs, sodas, beers and companion tickets — and is the first of three meetings in 10 days between Rockford and Adirondack. Related coverage referenced alongside the game recap includes “IceHogs Sign Brayden Hislop to PTO” and “IceHogs, Blackhawks Announce Transactions.”

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