Morning Chirps: Roman Kantserov Stays Hot, First Michigan Goal in PWHL

The Chicago Blackhawks are back in action this afternoon and will try to end their seven-game losing streak against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Rockford IceHogs capped off a successful weekend with another victory. Today’s Chirps will even take to the PWHL for an electric play!

Blackhawks Chirps

• Pat Maroon announced his retirement before what turned out to be his final game in his hometown of St. Louis. He got his licks in, but the Blackhawks dropped their seventh straight game in a 3-1 loss to the Blues.
• Speaking of Maroon, the Blues named him the First Star of the Game and let him have a final wave to the crowd.

• On Saturday, Roman Kantserov picked up an assist in Metallurg Magnitogorsk’s 3-2 loss to Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg. The Blackhawks’ second-round pick in 2023 has a goal and eight points in his last seven games. In 47 KHL games, he has 13 goals and 38 points. Kantserov is second on the team in scoring behind defenseman Robin Press, a seventh-round pick of the Blackhawks in 2013, who split time between the IceHogs and Indy Fuel between 2016 and 2018.  
• It looked like Denver and Aidan Thompson were on their way to winning the NCHC tournament as they took a 3-0 lead into the third period. However, Western Michigan had different plans and stormed back with three third-period goals before winning 4-3 in double overtime. This was the Broncos’ first NCHC tournament championship as they earned their fourth straight NCAA tournament appearance and 10^th in program history. Denver will get an at-large bid and look to win their second straight National Championship and third in the last four years. They have won more titles than any other school, with 10.
• Now for our history portion of the Chirps! On March 23, 1952, Bill Mosienko set an NHL record for the fastest three goals by one player by scoring a hat trick in 21 seconds during the Blackhawks’ 7-6 win against the New York Rangers. This was the fifth and final hat trick of his career.
• On March 23, 1965, Stan Mikita broke the NHL single-season record for assists when he picked up his 59^th helper in a 3-2 loss to the Rangers. To put that into perspective, there are currently six players in the NHL right now who have more than 59 assists.
• On this date in 2021, Patrick Kane moved ahead of Keith Tkachuk for fourth place on the all-time scoring list among U.S.-born players with 1,066 points. His two assists led the Blackhawks past the Florida Panthers, 3-2.
• Happy 32^nd Birthday to injured Blackhawks goaltender Laurent Brossoit.

IceHogs Chirps

• The IceHogs swept their weekend series at the Grand Rapids Griffins with a 2-1 win on Saturday. Paul Ludwinski opened the scoring in the second period with his fifth goal of the season. Samuel Savoie scored the eventual game-winning goal three minutes later with a coast-to-coast shorthanded tally. Drew Commesso improved to 6-1-1 since returning from a sprained ankle by making 26 saves.

• The IceHogs will return home to host the Chicago Wolves on Tuesday. This will be a huge game, as Rockford is just two points behind the Wolves for fourth place in the Central Division. Whoever finishes in fourth will have home-ice advantage for the best-of-three play-in series.

NHL Chirps

• According to Panthers head coach Paul Maurice, Brad Marchand should be ready to make his team debut within a week.
• Tomas Hertl netted a hat trick to lead the Vegas Golden Knights to a 6-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings yesterday. It was the third straight home game in which a Golden Knight scored a hat trick. Vegas became the third team since the start of the 1989-90 with a hat trick in three straight home games, joining the 2023-24 Toronto Maple Leafs and 1991-92 Calgary Flames.
• Let’s head to the PWHL for this Chirp. On Saturday, Michigan native Abby Roque of the New York Sirens scored the first “Michigan” goal in league history.

• Finally, on this date in 1994, Wayne Gretzky scored the 802^nd goal of his incredible career, breaking Gordie Howe’s all-time record, which stood since 1980. Gretzky went on to score 92 more goals before retiring in 1999. Alex Ovechkin is seven goals away from breaking his record.