The Chicago Blackhawks are taking a breather today before embarking on a four-game road trip out east. Keep an eye out for Sacha Boisvert and Anton Frondell, who are expected to make their NHL debuts during this stretch, possibly as soon as Tuesday. Exciting times ahead for Blackhawks fans!
Blackhawks Buzz
After yesterday’s nail-biting overtime loss to the Nashville Predators, there's plenty to unpack. From the penalty kill struggles to Andre Burakovsky's recent challenges and Matt Grzelczyk’s injury, there's a lot to discuss. These topics were also hot on the CHGO Blackhawks Postgame Show with Jay and Mario.
Meanwhile, the Rockford IceHogs are riding high after their second consecutive win, defeating the Grand Rapids Griffins 4-1. Kevin Lombardi was the standout performer, netting two goals in the first period, including a lightning-fast one just 11 seconds into the game.
Joey Anderson and Jamie Engelbert added to the tally, while Samuel Savoie extended his assist streak to three games. Owen Flores was stellar in goal, stopping 31 of 32 shots, narrowly missing his first AHL shutout.
The IceHogs face a tough road to the Calder Cup Playoffs, trailing the Milwaukee Admirals by six points with ten games left. They’ll need to capitalize on their five remaining matchups against the Iowa Wild, the only team below them in the Central Division.
On the playoff front, Blackhawks prospects in the Canadian Hockey League are gearing up for postseason action. In the Ontario Hockey League, Marek Vanacker, Parker Holmes, and the Brantford Bulldogs have secured the top seed and will face the Sudbury Wolves, who trailed them by 50 points in the regular season.
Jack Pridham and the Kitchener Rangers lead the Western Conference and will take on the Saginaw Spirit. A.J.
Spellacy and the Windsor Spitfires, second seed winners of the West Division, will battle the Guelph Storm. Over in the Western Hockey League, Nathan Behm and the Kamloops Blazers finished fifth in the Western Conference and will face the Kelowna Rockets.
All series are best-of-seven, promising thrilling action.
Historical Highlights
On this day in 1952, Bill Mosienko set an NHL record by scoring a hat trick in just 21 seconds against the New York Rangers. Fast forward to 1965, and Stan Mikita made history with his 59th assist of the season, breaking the previous league record. In 1999, the Blackhawks traded Chris Chelios to the Detroit Red Wings, a move that still stings for many fans, as Chelios went on to win two Stanley Cups with Detroit.
Birthday Shoutouts
Celebrating birthdays today are former Blackhawks John Tonelli, Wayne Presley, Nolan Baumgartner, and Laurent Brossoit.
Around the NHL
Florida Panthers forward A.J. Greer is facing a three-game suspension for a hit from behind on Calgary Flames forward Connor Zary, who is now day-to-day with an upper-body injury.
The New Jersey Devils have been plagued by injuries, with head coach Sheldon Keefe confirming that Stefan Noesen is out for the season post-knee surgery, and Brett Pesce remains questionable with a lower-body injury.
Big news on the development front: Elliotte Friedman reports an agreement that could allow 19-year-old first-round CHL draftees to play in the AHL next year, a significant shift from the current rules.
Alex Ovechkin continues to make history, scoring in the Capitals’ 3-2 OT loss to the Avalanche, joining Wayne Gretzky as the only players to reach 1,000 combined goals in regular season and playoffs.
The Columbus Blue Jackets’ impressive 12-game points streak ended with a 1-0 loss to the New York Islanders, who leapfrogged the Red Wings for the Eastern Conference’s second wild card spot.
The Buffalo Sabres extended their road points streak to 15 games in a 6-5 OT loss to the Anaheim Ducks. Both teams are looking strong as the Stanley Cup Playoffs approach.