Collin Delia made 37 saves in his first start since Nov. 15 to help the Rockford IceHogs defeat the Manitoba Moose 4-2 on Tuesday night at the BMO Harris Bank Center.
Delia allowed at least four goals in his previous four outings. He’s 3-5 this season with a 3.95 goals-against average and .871 save percentage.
MacKenzie Entwistle, Joni Tuulola, Brandon Hagel and Nick Moutrey scored for Rockford (12-8-0-1), which won its third straight and ninth of their last 10 at home.
Seth Griffith and Skyler McKenzie both scored for the Moose (12-12), who had won their last two games. Mikhail Berdin stopped 23 of 25 shots.
Entwistle put the IceHogs up 1-0 with his first AHL power-play goal at 4:15 of the first period. Dylan Sikura split two Moose defenders at the blue line then sent a pass to the top of the right face-off circle for Entwistle, who walked in and sent a backhanded shot by Berdin.
Griffith tied it 1-1 for the Moose just 34 seconds. Jansen Harkins found Griffith all alone at the right post for a tap-in goal.
Tuulola scored in his second straight game with a blast from the blue line to give Rockford a 2-1 lead at 8:53.
Delia made a few stops in close on the penalty kill that led to Ian McCoshen and Andrei Chibisov scrapping after the whistle near the net. McKenzie tied it 2-2 just 38 seconds into the 4-on-3 with a one-timer from the slot on his knees.
Hagel scored the go-ahead goal to make it 3-2 at 16:48 of the second period. He rushed out of the penalty box and down the left side around Leon Gawanke then sent a backhand shot past Berdin’s glove side for a 3-2 lead at 16:48 of the second period. Hagel leads all IceHogs rookies with six goals and 11 points.
Moutrey added an empty-net goal with 32 seconds remaining for the 4-2 final.
What’s next
The IceHogs visit the Grand Rapids Griffins on Friday at Van Andel Arena.