SEVEN GAME ROAD SWING ENDS IN SAN ANTONIO

By: Mike Peck

01/14/2012 8:29 AM - Hogs try for second straight win to close out trip San Antonio, Tex.- Through the first six-games of their season-long seven-game road swing, the Rockford IceHogs have alternated wins and losses. To finish the trip with a winning record, the IceHogs will have to buck that trend in San Antonio against the Rampage at the AT&T Center at 7 p.m. Tonight’s game can be heard on 100.5 NTA FM, nta.fm or on Comcast Cable channel 57 beginning at 6:35 p.m. with the U.S. Cellular Pregame Show. To watch the contest, visit AHLlive.com. Rockford is coming off of a 2-1 overtime win over the Oklahoma City Barons on Friday night and is looking for back-to-back wins for the first time on the trip. Through six games, Rockford is 3-3-0-0. The return of Ben Smith helped jolt Rockford to the win last night as the winger notched the overtime game-winning goal for the IceHogs. Back-to-back wins have been rare for the IceHogs overall this season as the team has picked up victories in two-straight tilts just three times. The IceHogs begin the second half of their regular season schedule tonight and hope for a better run than the first half of the 2011-12 slate. Over their past 19 games, Rockford compiled a record of 6-10-0-3, but has already matched their December win total (three) in five January games. In their only other meeting with San Antonio this season, Rockford doubled up the Rampage 6-3 at the BMO Harris Bank Center on Nov. 23.  These two clubs will meet four total times this season. Next Home Game: Monday, Jan. 16 vs. Texas Stars. Game time is 1:05 p.m. The IceHogs return home for the first time in more than two weeks for the annual Martin Luther King Jr. matinee game to take on the Stars for the second and final time at the BMO Harris Bank Center. The first 1,500 kids 14 and under will pick up an IceHogs Drawstring Bag courtesy of Frito Lay. For every goal that the Rockford IceHogs score in 2011-12, IceHogs head coach Ted Dent will make a donation to children’s cancer research. BMO Harris Bank will also make a donation for every goal to the “BMO Harris Bank Goals For Grades”