ROCKFORD, IL – Forward Dylan McLaughlin registered a goal and two assists for three points to help the Rockford IceHogs (14-11-1-1) over the Cleveland Monsters (11-10-4-1) with 5-2 win at BMO Harris Bank Center Friday evening to open a season-long, six-game homestand.
IceHogs defenseman Wyatt Kalynuk opened the scoring 6:13 into the contest on the power play, blasting in his fourth goal of the season past the left leg pad of Monsters goalie Jet Greaves (L, 4 saves on 9 shots). The Monsters responded with a quick snapshot off a faceoff at 11:47 from the stick of forward Carson Meyer. As the period wound down, IceHogs forward Mike Hardman forced a turnover while on the penalty kill and capitalized at 17:19 with a shorthanded marker for a 2-1 lead.
In a highly physical second period, the IceHogs continued to find scoring chances and grabbed a 4-1 lead off with goals 15 seconds apart on the sticks of McLaughlin (5:14) and Michal Teply (5:29). Teply’s tally spelled the end of the night for Graves and was replaced by Cam Johnson (11 saves on 11 shots). Forward Kevin Stenlund snared a goal back for the Monsters while on a 5-on-3 power play at 7:39, beating IceHogs netminder Arvid Soderblom (33 saves on 35 shots) on a one-time shot from the left faceoff circle.
With the Monsters pushing for a comeback in the third period, IceHogs defenseman Isaak Phillips sealed the victory with an empty-net goal at 17:27. The IceHogs went 1-for-6 on the power play while the Monsters went 1-for-5.
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