Hockey Headlines to Know Before Kickoff: Olympic Shakeups, AHL Battles, and Blackhawks Buzz
Sure, it’s Super Bowl Sunday-but before you dive into wings, nachos, and commercial debates, there’s a full slate of hockey news worth catching up on. From Olympic roster moves to a gritty AHL win that’s keeping playoff hopes alive, here’s what’s happening around the rink.
Blackhawks Corner: Prospects Shine, History Echoes
Let’s start in Rockford, where the IceHogs picked up a crucial 3-1 win over the Milwaukee Admirals. That W brings them within four points of the fifth and final playoff spot in the AHL’s Central Division-exactly the kind of push you want to see coming out of the Olympic break.
The win wasn’t just big in the standings. It was a showcase of the Blackhawks’ future.
Gavin Hayes opened the scoring, with Aidan Thompson picking up the secondary assist. Martin Misiak helped set up Kevin Lombardi’s game-winner, and the insurance goal?
That came off a beautiful setup from Kevin Korchinski and Sam Rinzel to Nick Lardis-three names the Blackhawks would love to see clicking at the NHL level down the line. Between the pipes, Drew Commesso was sharp, stopping 28 of 29 shots to seal the win.
Oh, and in classic Admirals-IceHogs fashion, it got spicy. The two teams combined for 136 penalty minutes. Old-school hockey fans, that one was for you.
Meanwhile, the Olympic break gave us a chance to hand out some midseason hardware. The Hart, Norris, Calder, and Vezina frontrunners were recognized, and while there’s still plenty of hockey left, the early favorites are starting to separate themselves.
Not everyone’s Olympic journey is going as planned. Connor Bedard, once again, was left off Team Canada’s roster in favor of Seth Jarvis, who’s stepping in for the injured Brayden Point. It’s another tough break for Bedard, whose elite talent continues to be overlooked on the international stage.
And speaking of tough breaks, Frank Nazar’s season was finally starting to trend in the right direction before the Olympic pause. It’s been a frustrating campaign for the young forward, but there’s still time for him to flip the script.
On This Day in Blackhawks History
February 8 has seen its fair share of Blackhawks milestones:
- 1942: Bill Mosienko made his NHL debut and wasted no time making noise, scoring two goals in just 21 seconds during a 4-3 loss to the Rangers.
- 1981: Tom Lysiak hit the 200-goal mark and added four assists in a 9-1 rout of the Winnipeg Jets.
- 1990: Dirk Graham recorded the only hat trick of his career and picked up an assist for his 300th NHL point in an 8-6 win over the Red Wings.
- 1992: Steve Larmer tied Craig Ramsay’s record for most consecutive games played with one team (776) and celebrated with a 3-1 win while skating for the St.
Louis Blues.
Around the NHL and Olympics
The Los Angeles Kings made a splash earlier this week by acquiring Artemi Panarin, and now they’ve got some roster juggling to do. GM Ken Holland mentioned Warren Foegele as a player they’re actively shopping. For teams looking to solidify their bottom six ahead of the postseason grind, Foegele could be a solid fit.
In Olympic news, the Czech national team is making adjustments. Bruins forward Pavel Zacha won’t be heading to Milan due to a lower-body injury.
His replacement? Filip Chlapik, who had a stint with the Ottawa Senators before returning to play in Czechia in 2021.
The St. Louis Blues added some size and youth by claiming forward Jack Finley off waivers from the Lightning.
The 6-foot-6 center won’t officially join the Blues until Feb. 17 due to the roster freeze, but he brings potential. A second-round pick in 2020, Finley has two goals and three points in 23 career NHL games.
On the women’s side of the Olympic tournament, Team USA is rolling. They improved to 2-0 with a dominant 5-0 win over Finland.
Hilary Knight scored her 14th Olympic goal, tying Katie King and Natalie Darwitz for the most in U.S. history. Abbey Murphy, a native of Evergreen Park, Illinois, chipped in with a goal and an assist.
Next up: Switzerland on Monday, who fell 4-0 to Canada in their last outing.
Birthday Roll Call - February 8
A tip of the cap to some notable names celebrating today: Alec Connell, Larry Aurie, Gary Sargent, Dino Ciccarelli, Kirk Muller, Yvon Corriveau, Andre Roy, Sean Bergenheim, Brendan Smith, Thomas Hickey, Patrik Nemeth, Rocco Grimaldi, and Robert Hagg.
So before the Super Bowl takes over your Sunday, there’s plenty of puck to appreciate. From rising stars making noise in Rockford to Olympic legends adding to their legacies, the hockey world is far from quiet.