Team History 20 YEARS OF ICEHOGS HOCKEY MARCH 3, 19 98: United OCT. 15, 1999: Eighteen DEC. 1, 1999: The awards FEB. 6, 2000: Defenseman Sports Venture launches a months after the first an - continue for Rockford as Derek Landmesser scores the ticket drive to gauge interest nouncement, the IceHogs win Jason Firth is named the fastest goal in IceHogs his - in professional hockey in their inaugural game 6-2 over Sher-Wood UHL Player of tory when he lights the lamp Rockford. the Knoxville Speed in front the Month for November. six seconds into the game in of 6,324 fans at the Metro - Firth racked up 24 points in Rockford’s 3-2 shootout win AUG. 9, 1998: USV and the Centre. 12 games. at Madison. MetroCentre announce an agreement to bring hockey to OCT. 20, 1999: J.F. Rivard DEC. 10, 1999: Rockford al - MARCH 15, 2000: Scott Rockford. turns away 32 Madison shots lows 10 goals for the first Burfoot ends retirement and in recording Rockford’s first time in franchise history in a joins the IceHogs to help NOV. 30, 1998: Kevin Cum - ever shutout, a 3-0 win. 10-5 loss at Quad City. boost the team into the play - mings is named the fran - offs. chise’s first General Manager. NOV. 1, 1999: IceHogs com - DEC. 21, 1999: Jason Firth plete the first trade in team becomes the first IceHogs MARCH 22, 2000: Rock- DEC. 17, 1998: The team history, acquiring defense - player to receive the Sher- ford suffers its worst loss in name is narrowed to 10 names man David Mayes from the Wood UHL Player of the franchise history in Flint, during a name the team con - Port Huron Border Cats for Week award. The center had falling 10-0 to the Flint Gen - test, including the Rhinos, winger Bruce Watson and a 4 goals and 3 assists in three erals. The IceHogs also failed Rockets, Ice Rangers, Mighty player to be named later. Jeff games. to record a shot on goal in the Oaks and Roughnecks. Blum was later sent to Port first period, the only shot less Huron to complete the deal. JAN. 4, 2000: Wayne Stra - period in franchise history. MARCH 25, 1999: IceHogs chen, the UHL’s leading goal is chosen as the team name NOV. 9, 1999: Goaltender scorer from 1998-99, joins the APRIL 4, 2000: Pat Thom- and the logo is unveiled. J.F. Rivard notches the first Hogs after pursuing a job out - ason is named the UHL’s IceHogs award when he is side of hockey. Merchandise Director of the named UHL’s Goaltender of Year. the Week. Rivard locked up FEB. 2, 2000: Jason Firth and his 100th career win and Mike Figliomeni are the first added to his UHL record two IceHogs named to the APRIL 7, 2000: The Ice- shutout count during the UHL All-Star Game in Hogs win their first-ever week. Muskegon, Mich. playoff game 5-2 over the Madison Kodiaks at the NOV. 16, 1999: J.F. Rivard is FEB. 5, 200 0: Rockford MetroCentre. JUNE 7, 1999: USV pur - named the UHL’s Goaltender scores a franchise-record 10 chases the rights to the Thun - of the Week for the second goals in Muskegon, a 10-7 APRIL 9, 2000: Madison der Bay Thunder Cats of the straight week after finishing win over the Fury. The com - eliminates the IceHogs from United Hockey League. Upon 2-0-0 with a 2.00 GAA. bined 17 goals scored is also the playoffs 2-1 in a best-of- the sale, the UHL Board of a franchise mark. three first round, with a 5-2 Governors approves the relo - win at the Dane County Col - cation to Rockford. iseum. JULY 22, 1999: The IceHogs sign their first three players: WAGON WHEEL CARDINALS, 1958-1967 Jason Firth, J.F. Rivard, and In 1959, the Rock Valley Junior Asso - dinals played in the Illinois Ice Hockey Wayne Strachan. ciation formed, giving kids a chance to League from 1958-1963, winning the play hockey in a more organized man - league championship five times. They AUG. 9, 1999: Hamilton E. ner. What was started by the RVJA is also played the U.S. National team Hog is selected from Ken Es - continued today by such organizations twice in 1962 along with the British Na - sington’s Hog Farm and intro - as the Rockford Hockey tional team. duced as the IceHogs official Academy and the Rockford After their success - mascot. Road Runners Hockey ful run in the IIHL, the Car - Club. dinals moved up to the AUG. 30, 1999: Dale Hockey in Rockford more competitive North DeGray is named the first took on more of a profes - Central Hockey League in head coach and Scott Burfoot sional air with the formation 1964, playing one sea - is hired as his assistant. of the Wagon Wheel Cardi - son. They took the next nals. The team was named two years off and reorgan - OCT. 5, 1999: The IceHogs after the Wagon Wheel Ice ized in 1967 before finally open their first training camp. Palace in Rockton, which was part of a hanging it up a year later. resort built in 1936. For years, the Ice -- From “Far Side of the Pond” OCT. 7, 1999: Fans get their Palace was home to collegiate hockey column on icehogs.com, Chad Hubner first look at the IceHogs dur - teams including Notre Dame, Air ing an intra-squad game at Force, and Northern Illinois. The Car - Riverview Icehouse. 65 20 YEARS OF ICEHOGS HOCKEY APRIL 11, 2000: Jason Firth MAY 8, 2001: Head Coach FEB. 19, 2002: The First An - JUNE 17, 2002: GM Kevin and Mike Figliomeni are Dale DeGray’s contract is not nual Guns N’ Hoses Cup Cummings resigns after tak - named second-team UHL renewed following two sea - takes place at the MetroCen - ing a job with the Worcester All-Stars . sons in the Forest City. tre between Rockford area IceCats (AHL). Assistant firefighters and police offi - General Manager Ryan OCT. 3, 2000: The IceHogs JUNE 19, 2001: The Ice- cers. Washatka is named the in - open their second training Hogs appoint Scott Bell as terim general manager. camp at the Riverview Ice - the second head coach in MARCH 27, 2002: The Ice - house with seven returning team history . Hogs and the Kalamazoo JUNE 25, 2002: The IceHogs players and second-year Wings are not whistled for a corporate offices move from coach Dale Degray. JULY 25, 2001: The original single penalty in the IceHogs’ the Hog Barn on East River - “Voice of the Hogs” and UHL 4-3 shootout loss at the side to the Rockford Trust OCT. 13, 2000: The Ice- 2000-01 Broadcaster of the MetroCentre, the only time in Building in downtown Rock - Hogs start the 2000-01 sea - Year, Kevin Bartl, leaves after IceHogs history that neither ford. son with a 2-0 loss to the two years in Rockford to take team has spent time in the Quad City Mallards in front a job with the Bakersfield penalty box. AUG. 2, 2002: The IceHogs of a franchise record 7,389 Condors (WCHL). Mike drop the “interim” from Ryan fans. Kalinowski is later named to MARCH 29, 2002: In the Washatka’s role as general replace him. final home game of the regu - manager and name Brian DEC. 31, 2000: Rockford lar season, Rockford falls 5-4 Hayes as assistant general and the Kalamazoo Wings OCT. 1, 2001: The IceHogs to the Quad City Mallards in manager. combine for 101 shots on open their training camp at front of a franchise-record goal, an IceHogs record, in a the Carlson Ice Arena. crowd of 7,420 at the Metro - AUG. 6, 2002: The IceHogs 7-3 loss. Centre. announce “Blockbuster OCT 12,. 2001: The Ice- Hockey” as the 2002-03 mar - MARCH 26, 2001: Team Hogs begin their third season MARCH 30, 2002: The sea - keting campaign. MVP Nick Checco, alternate with a 3-2 loss to Missouri at son comes to a close with a captain Steve Dumonski, the Rockford MetroCentre. 6-3 loss to Missouri in St. SEPT. 30, 2002: The fourth Curtis Bois and Justin Kerns But a night later the IceHogs Charles. Rockford’s strong season gets under way with miss the final four games of get revenge with a 5-3 win in finish to the season is over - the start of training camp at the 2001-02 season after Missouri’s home opener. shadowed by a slow start. the MetroCentre. being injured in an automo - NOV. 16, 2001: Rockford The Hogs win nine of their bile accident. falls 9-0 at the MetroCentre final 12 games but complete OCT. 11, 2002: For the sec - to the Quad City Mallards, the season with a franchise- ond straight year, the Ice - APRIL 1, 2001: Despite the worst home loss in team worst 27-41-6 record and Hogs open the season with a making a 4-2-0 run to finish history. miss the playoffs for the sec - 3-2 home loss to the Missouri the season, including a 4-1 ond straight season. River Otters at the Metro - win over the Muskegon Fury JAN. 5, 2002: The IceHogs Centre . in the final regular season end a 15-game road losing game, Rockford misses the streak, the longest in fran - OCT. 23, 2002: The IceHogs playoffs in its second season. chise history, with a 6-5 win announce the franchise has at Knoxville. been acquired by Tri-Vision Sports, LLC, a local group comprised of Rockford busi - ness leaders Jim McIlroy, ROCKFORD ICEHOGS OWNERS Jeff Smith and Dr.