Morning Chirps: IceHogs Lose in Shootout, Mrazek Injured

The Chicago Blackhawks will play the New Jersey Devils later tonight. We’ll have a full game preview this morning and postgame thoughts when the game is done. The Rockford IceHogs still can’t figure out their biggest rivals, while a former friend will miss some time with his new team.

Blackhawks Chirps

• In case you missed it yesterday, Blackhawks forward Jason Dickinson will miss the remainder of the season due to a wrist injury.
• Gail Kauchak of The Hockey Writers wrote about recent personal milestones in the Blackhawks locker room.
• Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff thinks Sam Rinzel can be to the Blackhawks what Brock Faber is for the Minnesota Wild.

• On this date in 1961, Murray Balfour scored the eighth power-play overtime goal in NHL playoff history as the Blackhawks beat the Montreal Canadiens 2-1 in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Semifinals. Goaltender Glenn Hall was the star of the night with 53 saves in the winning effort.
• On March 26. In 1970, goaltender Tony Esposito broke Harry Lumley’s modern single-season shutout record with his 14th of the season, blanking the Detroit Red Wings. A decade later, Esposito led the Blackhawks to a 7-2 win over the Quebec Nordiques, marking the team’s first-ever victory in Quebec City. He became the first goaltender in NHL history to have eight 30-win seasons with the victory.
• Happy 32^nd Birthday to Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy!

IceHogs Chirps

• The IceHogs blew a pair of two-goal leads and lost 5-4 in a shootout to the Chicago Wolves, falling to 3-7-1 against their interstate rivals. Jackson Cates was the offensive hero for the IceHogs, scoring a hat trick after Zach Sanford opened the scoring. Kevin Korchinski and recently acquired Aku Raty each had two assists. After stopping a Justin Robidas penalty shot in overtime, goaltender Drew Commesso gave up goals on both shootout attempts he faced.

• The Wolves increased their lead to three points over the IceHogs for fourth place in the Central Division. These two teams are essentially locked into a best-of-three play-in series; it’s just a matter of who will have home-ice advantage. The IceHogs will host the Manitoba Moose on Friday and Saturday.

NHL Chirps

• According to a report from Marco D’Amico of RG Media, Montreal Canadiens 2024 first-round pick Michael Hage will return to the University of Michigan for his sophomore season. He had 13 goals and 34 points in 33 games during his freshman season.
• The Detroit Red Wings had to recall top goaltending prospect Sebastian Cossa on Tuesday, as Cam Talbot and former Blackhawks netminder Petr Mrazek are unavailable. Mrazek left Monday’s win over the Utah Hockey Club just two minutes into the game after a collision with Dylan Guenther. Talbot has been out of the lineup for undisclosed reasons. Kevin Allen of Detroit Hockey Now has more on the situation.
• On Tuesday, the Winnipeg Jets became the first Western Conference team to punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They did so by beating the Washington Capitals 3-2 in overtime, the only team in the Eastern Conference who have clinched a postseason spot. Alex Ovechkin scored career goal No. 889 in the loss and needs six more to break Wayne Gretzky’s all-time record.

• As Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now notes, things are not going well for the Pittsburgh Penguins these days. It would sure be a shame if they decided to relieve head coach Mike Sullivan of his duties.