The Rockford IceHogs, the Chicago Blackhawks’ AHL affiliate, will face the Texas Stars, Dallas’ minor league team, in the Western Conference Final in the Calder Cup playoffs.
Rockford swept the Chicago Wolves and the Manitoba Moose to reach its first conference final since joining the AHL in 2007. Texas ousted the Ontario Reign in four games and Tucson Roadrunners in five games for its trip back to the WCF since it won the 2014 Calder Cup.
It’ll be the third time the IceHogs and Stars will meet in the playoffs. Texas swept Rockford in 2010, but the IceHogs returned the favor five years later.