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Chicago Blackhawks organization and prospects experience heartbreak in thrilling fashion


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Joshua Deeds
May 11, 2025  (10:35 PM)
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Rockford IceHogs v Milwaukee Admirals
Photo credit: Inside The Rink

The Chicago Blackhawks AHL affiliate, Rockford IceHogs, will have to do better next season after suffering a heartwrenching overtime loss to the Milwaukee Admirals in the Calder Cup playoffs.

The Rockford IceHogs weren't destined to defeat their Central Division rivals, the Milwaukee Admirals, this year in the Calder Cup playoffs. Despite their best efforts, they'd lose control of the series to the Admirals, who initially lost the first two games.
They'd turn the series around in their favor after losing at home, and win 6-2 in Game 3, and win 3-2 in Game 4.
The IceHogs would suffer the same fate in Game 5, but with a 4-3 loss in OT, and would oddly be the second year in a row they'd come from behind in the Central Division semifinals to win the series.
The Chicago Blackhawks' prospects, including Kevin Korchinski, will have to perform better to find themselves deep in the postseason.
IceHogs coach Mark Eaton wouldn't be happy with the team's efforts in Game 4.
«We let off the gas in the second period,» he said. «That's a good learning lesson for us; you can't play two out of three periods and come out on top. So, we'll learn from that and put 60 full minutes together on Sunday.»

Despite the Predators being a terrible team, their minor-league affiliates are Central Division champions. It wasn't going to be an easy series either way, and the IceHogs paid for their lack of consistency down the stretch.
Zach Sanford and Brett Seney combined for the team's first goal of the game. While new arrival Aidan Thompson was unable to convert on his penalty shot early as the team would trail behind in the 1st-period after the Admirals' Chase De Leo scored at 14:47.

Sanford would convert on a power-play goal later to take the lead, and Cole Guttman would follow with a shot over Matt Murray's glove.
The collapse would begin, however, when Kevin Korchinski turned over the puck to Fedor Svechkov, and he'd take advantage of the lack of defense and score on Drew Commesso.
Mark Eaton and the IceHogs will have to figure out systems of control in order to maintain leads for an entire 60 minutes.
Even with Joey Anderson's help, the IceHogs wouldn't be able to overcome Jesse Ylonen, and Fedor Svechkov who put a stake in the hopes for the IceHogs season.
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Chicago Blackhawks organization and prospects experience heartbreak in thrilling fashion

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