Morning Chirps: CHSN Deal Done, Final NHL Coaching Vacancy Filled

Chicago Blackhawks fans will be able to watch games locally next season, regardless of their television provider. The final NHL coaching vacancy was filled, while another top prospect left the CHL for the NCAA. It’s gameday, so enjoy these Chirps before tonight’s big Game 2!

Blackhawks Chirps

• Jeff Agrest of the Chicago Sun-Times reported that Comcast and the Chicago Sports Network have finally reached a deal. Agrest says the embattled network will be added to Xfinity’s Ultimate tier as soon as today.
• General manager Kyle Davidson told Ben Pope of the Sun-Times that he and Ryan Donato’s camp are “talking back and forth” and are hopeful for a new contract before he hits free agency on July 1.
• Davidson also revealed they are not taking any prospects out to dinner while in Buffalo for the NHL Draft Combine.
• The Rockford IceHogs introduced new head coach Jared Nightingale on Thursday.

• On June 5, 1995, Vladimir Konstantinov scored the game-winning goal in double overtime as the Detroit Red Wings beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 in Game 3 of the Western Conference Final. The Blackhawks got goals in regulation from Denis Savard, Bernie Nicholls, and Jeff Shantz, but they weren’t enough as they fell behind 3-0 in the series.
• On this date in 2010, the Blackhawks moved to within one win of their first championship since 1961 by beating the Philadelphia Flyers 7-4 in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final. Brent Seabrook, Dave Bolland, and Kris Versteeg scored in the first period to get things rolling. Patrick Kane and Dustin Byfuglien padded the lead in the middle frame. Patrick Sharp squashed a third-period Flyers’ comeback with his 10^th goal of the playoffs before Byfuglien added a late empty-net goal.
• Three years later, the Blackhawks beat the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 in Game 4 of the Western Conference Final. Marian Hossa broke a 2-2 tie just over a minute into the third period. The Blackhawks held the Kings to just two shots on goal in the final frame and took a 3-1 series lead without defenseman Duncan Keith, who served a one-game suspension for a high-sticking incident in Game 3.
• In 2015, the Tampa Bay Lightning evened the Stanley Cup Final with a 4-3 Game 2 win over the Blackhawks. Andrew Shaw and Teuvo Teravainen gave Chicago a 2-1 lead early in the second period before Nikita Kucherov and Tyler Johnson answered. Seabrook tied the game early in the third period. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy relieved an injured Ben Bishop twice and stayed in after the second time, less than eight minutes into the third period. He was in net when Jason Garrison broke the tie to secure the win. Vasilevskiy became just the fourth goaltender to win a Stanley Cup Final game that he didn’t start, and the first since Frank Pietrangelo did it for the Penguins in 1991.
• Blackhawks Birthday Roll Call, June 6: Bob Kelly, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Victor Ejdsell, and Caleb Jones.

NHL Chirps

• The Boston Bruins named Marco Sturm as their new head coach. He led Germany to the silver medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics and spent the last three seasons as the head coach of the AHL’s Ontario Reign. Andrew Fantucchio of Boston Hockey Now has three important facts about the Bruins’ bench boss. Chris Kelly and Jay Leach will be Sturm’s assistants.
• Speaking of assistants, former Blackhawks coach Kevin Dean was officially added to the Vancouver Canucks’ coaching staff. He will be joined by former Blackhawks forward Brett McLean and two-time Stanley Cup winner Scott Young.
• Mike Sullivan filled out his new staff with the New York Rangers by officially hiring David Quinn and Joe Sacco.
• According to the Athletic’s Aaron Portzline, Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Cayden Lindstrom will play at Michigan State next season.