ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO/WQRF)–The IceHogs have moved into the final four weeks of the AHL’s regular season, and their final push for the playoffs. This is a time when games become more intense, more physical. The Hogs have just the guy for that, and he’s already answering that bell.

Morgan Adams-Moisan had IceHogs fans on their feet twice last week. First on Wednesday night when he got into a fight in a game against Manitoba, and then again Saturday night in a game against Colorado. Both incidents seemed to energize the rest of the IceHogs. They went on to win both games.

“In the last couple weeks he’s really elevated his game.” said defenseman Isaak Phillips. “It’s been a big spark plug for us. Then when he drops it, everyone gets excited. He’s a big boy.”

He’s big, but not monstrous. Adams-Moisan is 6’2, 216 pounds, but the fight in him is even bigger. He knows getting physical is part of the reason he’s playing hockey at this level.

“For sure it’s a big part of my game. I’m there mostly to be physical, to defend the guys that play defensively. So, for sure I take pride in all three aspects of the game, and if I get some offensive stats on top of that for sure I’ll be happy with it, but I’m going to focus on my main game and bring what I can to the team.”

Head coach Anders Sorensen wants his guys to, as he says, raise their ‘battle level,’ this time of the season. That’s not to say he wants them on the ice brawling wildly, but there are times when a little pushback is called for when an opponent gets rough, so Sorensen won’t knock Adams-Moisan for throwing down the gloves.

“That’s a big part of his game right? I thought the game at home against Manitoba that was the difference in the game. One of our guys got kind of hit a little blindsided, and he stepped up for his teammates, and it changed the momentum of the game. I think the last game as well we weren’t happy with our pushback on Friday, and Saturday we showed that we weren’t going to tolerate it, and he was a big part of that.”

With the Hogs battling for playoff position now, games will only become more intense, more physical, more of a Morgan Adams-Moisan type of game.

NOTE: In 17 games played with the IceHogs this season Adams-Moisan hasn’t scored a point, but he has 59 penalty minutes. Those are the most on the team outside of Hunter Drew who has 106 penalty minutes, and those have come in 54 games, most of those with San Diego where Drew played until the IceHogs got him a couple weeks ago at the trade deadline.