Today’s News Clips Oct. 18, 2019

Chicago Tribune

Dave Bolland, who scored the -winning for the Blackhawks in 2013, returns to Chicago for ‘One More Shift’

Jimmy Greenfield Oct. 17, 2019

Dave Bolland's return to the United Center on Friday to take "One More Shift" with the Blackhawks will no doubt be met with raucous applause and a standing ovation.

His return last summer to Boston’s TD Garden, site of his Stanley Cup-winning goal against the Bruins in Game 6 six years ago, was met with silence.

Not a single Bruins fan recognized the man sitting just a few feet from the spot where he had dashed their championship hopes with one of the most famous goals in NHL history.

Bolland was settling into his seat for Game 7 of the Cup Final between the Bruins and Blues when one of his friends looked to the ice and noticed how close they were to the spot where Bolland batted in a rebound off the post to complete the Hawks’ legendary 17-second rally for the 2013 title.

"Our tickets were literally five rows up from where I scored," Bolland said. "It's pretty funny when you're reliving those moments."

The Hawks’ “One More Shift” program brings back select former players to skate in full uniform prior to a game. Past honorees include Al Secord, , Tony and Phil Esposito and , who scored the first of the “17 seconds” goals during Game 6 against the Bruins.

“It’s going to be awesome going back into the stadium,” Bolland said in a phone interview from his home in London, . “It always gives you goosebumps going back and hearing the national anthem and everything. It will be great to hear the fans. When you hear that place erupt, it’s crazy.”

Bolland was a blue-collar fan favorite in Chicago for getting under the skin of opposing players and feeding off their anger. It was that type of play that, according to Bolland, led former Hawk Andrew Ladd to dub him “The Rat” during the 2010 Western Conference finals against the Sharks.

The Cup-winning goal against the Bruins came on Bolland’s final shift for the Hawks, who traded him to the Maple Leafs a couple of weeks later in a salary cap-related move. Bolland played in 15 games for the Leafs before severing a tendon in his left ankle and missing almost the entire 2013-14 season.

He became a free agent after that season and signed a five-year, $27.5 million contract with the Panthers. The ankle issue led to back problems, and he played in only 78 games in two seasons before playing his final career game at — where else? — TD Garden on Dec. 12, 2015. The center had 70 goals and 168 points in 10 seasons before his ongoing health issues ended Bolland’s career when he was 29.

“I never saw that coming,” Bolland, 33, said. "I was hoping to still be playing by now and hopefully get another Cup or battle for another Cup and be done in my late 30s. But having it cut short at 29, it’s been tough. The last few years were tough. I know I got good support at home with my fiancee. She’s been great. But when you leave the game and you go on to other things, you come to miss it.

“Going in the dressing room, hanging out with the guys, going to the next city we’re playing in, you’re kind of stuck to that schedule. Up in the morning, go to the rink, now it’s kind of like, What can I do today?” Bolland would like to stay in hockey and hopes to work for the Hawks, though he’s not sure in what capacity. In the meantime, he’ll skate his last shift and wait for what’s next. But not before enjoying a great weekend in Chicago.

“I’ve got a crew of people coming down from London, Ontario,” Bolland said. “Some haven’t been to Chicago, some have been. It will be nice to show them the United Center and how crazy it gets there.”

Chicago Tribune Brandon Saad’s ice time is down from last season, but he has been the Blackhawks’ best all-around player through 4 games

Jimmy Greenfield Oct. 17, 2019

Pick out any brief span of games from a long season, and any number of players will stand out as the best on the ice.

Last season, Blackhawks reserve forward Brendan Perlini had eight goals in seven games before coming back to Earth. When Brent Seabrook was a rookie in 2005, he had five points in his first two games and briefly led the NHL in scoring.

Brandon Saad hasn’t gone on a goal-scoring binge and he doesn’t lead the league in points. But the 26-year-old power forward has been the Hawks’ best and most consistent player in the first four games.

Saad is tied for the team lead with two goals and also has an assist, a welcome bit of scoring for a team that surprisingly has struggled on offense. But it’s his defense on the third line with David Kampf and Dominik Kubalik that has made him noticeable nearly every shift.

“Mentally it’s been a lot looser and having more fun,” Saad said. “In the past the team wasn’t having success and you get bogged down or put too much pressure on yourself. But mentally I’m in a good spot.

“I like the way last year finished. Coming into this year, there was a lot of excitement around the team. We’re all feeling good about each other. So that just flows into playing well.”

Saad is talented enough to succeed no matter where he’s playing and unselfish enough not to complain. He logged a career-high 17 minutes, 41 seconds per game last season but averaged 14:27 in the first four games this season. His career-low average was 16:17 in 2013-14.

Coach Jeremy Colliton made a concerted effort to get Saad more ice time in the last two games after he barely topped 12 minutes in the first two.

“The thing for me is he’s really managing the puck well,” Colliton said. “He’s able to take the puck from (the defensive) zone through the neutral zone, someone’s hanging on him and he can create offense off the rush that way. Sometimes — not this year, maybe last year — the puck management would haunt him a little bit. This year he’s been almost perfect in that area.

“It makes such a big difference for our team and that line. When you’re playing against top players, if you do manage the puck, it puts you in a lot better position.”

The term suggests otherwise, but developing chemistry with linemates is not a scientific process. Things can click immediately or, in some cases, never. For Saad, Kampf and Kubalik, their chemistry was able to develop from the start of training camp.

“It was fortunate where we played together throughout the whole training camp,” Saad said. “You get to talk about things on the ice or figure out how the other people play. You get that few weeks together of learning about each other, and by the time the regular season comes, you’re feeling pretty comfortable.

“And with Dominik it’s been a pretty easy transition because of how good a player he is. He’s responsible, he’s got size, speed and skill. He’s got a great shot, so you want to find him with the puck. And then we’ve done a good job defensively, which creating turnovers helps us get some offense as well.”

That line was given the gargantuan task Monday of trying to slow Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, who were each averaging more than two points while leading the Oilers to a 5-0 start.

Draisaitl stayed off the score sheet until posting a secondary assist on a 6-on-4 late in the third period, while McDavid, a two-time league scoring leader, went scoreless for the first time all season in the Hawks’ 3-1 victory. The efforts of Saad and his linemates stood out even more when McDavid came back two nights later with a five-point game in the Oilers’ 6-3 win over the Flyers.

“We had a good night and we were able to shut him down to win the game,” Saad said. “It feels good knowing what they can do and what they can produce. We were confident to begin with, but anytime you have success like that, it gives you an edge.”

Kampf and Kubalik are the only Hawks from the Czech Republic and sometimes speak to one another in their native language on the ice. But they haven’t urged Saad to pick up any Czech words.

“Not really, no,” Saad said. “They kind of babble to each other, then translate to me.”

Chicago Tribune

Kendall Coyne Schofield highlights a showcase this weekend as women’s pro hockey reaches a crossroads

Jimmy Greenfield Oct. 17, 2019

Chicago never has been home to a women’s professional hockey team. That’s about to change, at least for one weekend.

More than 35 Olympians from around the world will compete Saturday and Sunday at Fifth Third Arena in the Women’s Hockey Showcase, a four-game event developed by the recently formed Professional Women’s Hockey Players’ Association.

The Women’s Hockey Showcase in Chicago is part of the PWHPA’s Dream Gap Tour that already has taken place in and Hudson, N.H., with future events for other North American cities in the planning process.

The PWHPA was created in the spring in response to the Canadian Women’s Hockey League folding after 12 seasons. Instead of jumping to the U.S.-based National Women’s Hockey League, many of the CWHL players — as well as some from the NWHL — decided to sit out the 2019-20 season and work together for the creation of one viable women’s pro hockey league. The PHWPA has about 200 members.

The NWHL has five teams — located in St. Paul, Minn.; Buffalo, N.Y.; Danbury, Conn.; Monmouth Junction, N.J., and Boston — playing a 24-game schedule. The salary cap is $150,000 per team. With the five teams listing between 19 and 23 players on their rosters, nearly all the women are working full-time jobs in order to make a living.

Olympian , who grew up in Orland Park, chose not to continue playing for the NWHL’s and joined the PWHPA.

"There's been no professional league to date that has showcased the best product of women's hockey," Coyne Schofield said. "And that's because of the lack of resources and infrastructure and business model in the current state of the game."

Coyne Schofield is an electrifying player who became the first woman to compete in the NHL All-Star Skills Competition last season, finishing seventh in the fastest-skater competition. She is working this season for the Sharks as a TV color analyst.

But her goal as a young girl wasn’t to broadcast games. She and her brother both dreamed of playing for the Blackhawks.

"I realized that wasn't a reality," she said. "I quickly realized it also wasn't a reality that I could make a living playing this game and he could. We're trying to change that landscape."

The NHL is not involved with the NWHL or the PWHPA.

“We’re supportive and we’re watching,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman told ESPN last month. “We don’t want to do anything that would undermine an existing league.”

Coyne Schofield has watched the WNBA grow over the last 20 years and believes it's a model that can work in hockey.

"We would love to see the NHL provide resources to the women's professional game," she said. "They have the infrastructure. They have the business model. They have the resources already put in place. I think the NHL would help tremendously and be a no-brainer in terms of a partner for a women's professional league."

On Friday at the United Center before the Hawks game, Coyne Schofield and the other women competing over the weekend will conduct a clinic for about 60 girls. The four-team tournament will begin Saturday with a pair of games followed Sunday by the consolation and championship games.

“I’m so excited for fans to see the product that’s going to be on the ice,” Coyne Schofield said. “There are going to be so many incredible athletes competing this weekend. For all of us to be under one roof and not in a national-team jersey is extremely exciting, because this is what we’re fighting for and this is what the future should look like.”

Chicago Sun-Times Former AHL teammates Calvin de Haan, Jeremy Colliton enjoying reunion with Blackhawks

Ben Pope Oct. 18, 2019

Jeremy Colliton runs intense practices. Heavy breathing and sweat-dripping brows are common sights in the Blackhawks’ locker room.

But for new Hawks defenseman Calvin de Haan, who actually played alongside Colliton in the AHL eight years ago, many of the strenuous parts seem oddly familiar.

“It’s funny because there’s a couple drills that we’ve done throughout training camp and practice that I’ve seen a few times before,” de Haan said Thursday, chuckling. “I’ve kind of called him out on that.”

The veteran blueliner finds himself in a situation few NHL players have ever experienced: being coached by a former teammate.

As a rookie in the Islanders organization in 2011-12, de Haan spent all but one game of the season with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. And in Bridgeport, Colliton was royalty — he was the team’s captain and, by the end of the year, its all- time leading scorer.

Despite occupying different positions (Colliton was a forward), de Haan’s status as a recent first-round pick meant he and the future Hawks boss still frequently worked and played together. De Haan’s third-ever professional point, in fact, was the primary assist on a Colliton overtime winner.

“I was coming in right out of juniors, not knowing anything about pro hockey, moving in with a couple other 20-year-old kids,” de Haan said this past July, shortly after his trade from Carolina to Chicago. “Having Jeremy there was probably like the ... best captain you could have asked for for the young team.”

The two men went separate directions after that season — Colliton moving to Sweden and quickly switching to coaching, de Haan emerging as a full-time NHL defenseman with now 380 career appearances — but de Haan said he was never surprised to see the speed with which Colliton was climbing the ranks.

Offseason addition Calvin de Haan made his Blackhawks debut last weekend against the Jets. Getty Since their reunion in Chicago at the start of training camp, he’s seen firsthand how Colliton’s leadership qualities have translated to his current role.

“I’ve enjoyed playing for him so far,” de Haan said. “I could see it when he was a captain in Bridgeport, and he hasn’t changed much — he’s a smart guy and he thinks outside the box, and that’s the new NHL.”

Their preexisting relationship has proved useful, too, despite the eight years apart.

As de Haan worked his way back from offseason shoulder surgery and a groin issue during the preseason, the Hawks’ Europe trip and the first week of the regular season, Colliton and de Haan chatting on the ice after practice was a near- daily occurrence.

De Haan needed to give Colliton daily updates on his health status, and Colliton needed to familiarize de Haan with his hybrid defensive scheme, which de Haan said differs substantially from the man-on-man system he ran with the Hurricanes. Despite one misstep, the regular communication was largely effective.

“When you’ve played with a guy, you have a connection,” Colliton said. “Maybe it’s a bit quicker to be able to get to the point, because he knows me, and I can be quite direct with him. That’s a nice thing.”

De Haan finally made his Hawks debut last weekend and then played well alongside Erik Gustafsson on the third pairing Monday — the duo was on the ice for 12 Hawks scoring chances and only four Oilers scoring chances.

Now fully healthy, De Haan will likely slide into a larger role soon. And when he does, he knows he’ll have a prime resource for any questions he needs answered.

“Jeremy’s very approachable,” he said. “He’s easy to talk to, easy to get along with, and having that relationship before definitely helps for sure.”

Daily Herald Why Blackhawks hope changing up practice habits pays off

John Dietz Oct. 17, 2019

Blackhawks practices over the years have always had a rhythm and purpose to them.

Players are almost always in motion and there's very little downtime.

Get on the ice. Warm up. Work your tail off. And get off.

From that standpoint, nothing has changed under Jeremy Colliton's leadership, but one noticeable difference has to do with an emphasis on 1-on-1, 2-on-1 and 2-on-2 drills. That was all the Hawks did for the first 30 minutes of Wednesday's practice -- forwards charging at the defensemen, and D-men doing everything they could to prevent high quality shots.

"It's kind of like in college football -- they want to get more and more contact practices in to get ready for the weekend," said captain Jonathan Toews. "If you're practicing under pressure and you're trying to make decisions when guys are all over you instead of floating around in open space, it gets your ready … and you get a little more relaxed in those tight areas."

Said defenseman Connor Murphy: "If in practice all you do is shoot and stickhandle, you're going to get in a game and when you start to defend it's going to be a shock to your system."

Some observations from the cheap seats include:

• Murphy constantly keeps forwards off balance with impressive, puck-poking stick work.

• Brandon Saad -- channeling his inner Marian Hossa -- is always using his off hand to keep defenders at bay. It's a tactic he seems to be using more in games as well.

• Alexander Nylander loves stickhandling until the last possible moment in an effort to get the goalie out of position.

• Ryan Carpenter isn't all about defense and killing. The 28-year-old forward scored on a breakaway Wednesday and is an impressive passer.

• Brendan Perlini is happy to fire bullets from about 30 feet away in hopes of hitting the target.

• David Kampf continues to have a difficult time finishing, although he did convert a one-timer Thursday and also earned a hearty round of stick taps after fighting for control of the puck while skating 1-on-3.

"He's a horse," Colliton said. "He's a guy who can drag people up the ice (and) protect it in both ends."

Murphy said when defensemen have to start off flat-footed the speed guys like Alex DeBrincat, Nylander and Saad are most difficult to defend. Murphy then paused and gave a nod to the crafty Toews.

"He's really deceptive," Murphy said. "He'll try to skate really fast in a straight line and then he'll cut to the middle."

In the bigger picture it will be interesting to see if these drills make the Hawks tougher to play against as the season progresses.

"Compete offensively, compete defensively, be on the puck," Colliton said. "It's hard to defend, it's hard to create offense.

"Practice should be hard. So it's something we're focused on."

Slap shots:

Dominik Kubalik practiced on the top power-play unit in place of Dylan Strome as the Hawks practiced 5-on-3. Coach Jeremy Colliton, though, said there are no plans to replace Strome in regular power-play situations. … Duncan Keith returned to practice Thursday, but Zack Smith took a second straight maintenance day.

NBC Sports Chicago How Blackhawks physicality is adding new dimension to style of play

Charlie Roumeliotis Oct. 17, 2019

The Blackhawks turned in their best 60-minute effort of the young season in Monday’s 3-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers. They controlled the pace of play, got terrific goaltending from Corey Crawford and tightened up defensively.

But they also showed that they added a new layer to their team game this season.

The Blackhawks registered 36 hits against the Oilers, one of which was thunderously delivered by Andrew Shaw, sparking a scrum. Brent Seabrook led the team with six hits, Calvin de Haan had five and Drake Caggiula and Olli Maatta each had four. Heck, even Alex DeBrincat (three) and Patrick Kane (one) got in on the action.

It’s an element of their game that’s been missing the last few seasons and something they feel is important to their overall team success because it keeps other teams honest.

"I don't know if it's because of the personnel we have or the way we want to be strong and competitive and win battles, but obviously the other night we had a lot of finished hits and a lot of physicality that brings up the morale on the bench, which is a good thing," Kane said. "You look at Shawzy's hit, the stuff he's been doing early in the season — whether it's scoring big goals or sticking up for guys after they get hit — it's been awesome for the team. That's something that can really help us. We also need to play a little bit more with the puck, but it's a way we can get the puck back."

The Blackhawks don’t necessarily want to lead the NHL in the hits category, but they do want to establish an identity centered around being a difficult team to play against and adding that dimension is part of it. So is team unity.

"I don't think it's going to be our go-to in the way we're going to beat teams," Jonathan Toews said. "There's no doubt we've got guys that can mix it in. We saw last game with Shawzy and Murph, and [Ryan Carpenter] and [Zack Smith] and go down the list of guys. Even [Caggiula] and [DeBrincat] were throwing the weight around a couple days ago. It's definitely part of our game — we can play with energy and I think it's going to be there when we're ready to go. But our game is puck possession and keeping teams in their end and outplaying them in that sense.”

Through four games this season, the Blackhawks are averaging 33.0 hits per game. The previous two seasons they averaged 16.5 and 16.8, respectively, which ranked 30th.

While it's still early, there's clearly an uptick in the physicality department and it's exactly what the organization was hoping for after bringing in players like Shaw and Smith to add some bite to the roster. The Blackhawks are focused on becoming a team that can win in several different ways and play any kind of style.

"There’s a difference between running around just trying to get a tick on the stat sheet," coach Jeremy Colliton said. "But we definitely want to be physical when we have the chance and force the opposition to make plays before they're ready, and we can create turnovers and transition and offense and get out of D zone. We have some guys who like to play that way and I think it helps our team."

NBC Sports Chicago Alex Nylander on healthy scratch, feedback from Jeremy Colliton and role with Blackhawks

Charlie Roumeliotis Oct. 17, 2019

Alex Nylander's first couple weeks of the 2019-20 season have been interesting. He started on the top line and scored a goal in the season opener but by the third game found himself on the outside looking in.

Nylander sat out for one game before drawing back into the lineup on Monday, where he was placed on the fourth line with Ryan Carpenter and Zack Smith. He logged a team-low 8:20 of ice time, but scored the second goal of the game that turned out to be the game winner.

While he was disappointed about being a healthy scratch against Winnipeg on Saturday, Nylander took the positives out of observing the action from afar and taking a step back to collect himself.

"Of course you always want to be in the lineup but that could've been good for me to watch the game and learn from that game and take what I learned from that game into my game," Nylander said. "It was obviously something you don't want to do, you want to be in the lineup as much as possible and obviously stay there. I played a good game last game so I'm just going to build off that and keep doing what I've done all training camp, be confident and make my plays."

Nylander and head coach Jeremy Colliton sat down on Wednesday and watched every shift the 21-year-old took in Monday's 3-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers. And the review was positive.

"I thought he was very good," Colliton said. "Eleven shifts, he was probably good for five, great for five and he had one tough one. He helped us win. He was a big part of our win the other night. It can be a little easier for him when he's playing less to really focus on the quality when he's out there. It may not be a bad thing for him as he grows into an everyday NHLer."

Nylander said he appreciated having that kind of line of communication with his head coach. He was drafted No. 8 overall in 2016 but hasn't been able to break through at the NHL level, so he's been open to any kind of constructive criticism.

"It's been really great," Nylander said. "Obviously I want to have a positive mindset every day here and get better. Getting feedback from my linemates as well as the coaches has been really good, just taking everything in and applying it to my game."

The Blackhawks are trying to being patient with Nylander, but they're also trying to find a balance between giving him a long leash and holding him accountable. That goes with any young player.

"It's a combination of giving a guy enough room to make some mistakes and that's how he's going to grow but it's also accountability," Colliton said. "Sometimes you got to get a guy's attention. But he's responded great. Got no issues with his work ethic. He came out of the lineup for one game and I think he did everything right after that. Just how he approached practice, how he approached the media, being asked about it and how he approached his chance when he came back to make a difference for us."

For now, Nylander will remain on the fourth line because the four-line rotation worked so well in their previous game. But it's clear he wants to have a large role on the team. He's just got to earn it on a consistent basis.

"Just focus on every shift I get here and obviously want to be good every shift and show that I want to be back on the top line or get more ice time," Nylander said. "But I've just got to play good here, work hard every shift and take advantage of who's out there and use my skill out there and just try to make plays and be good defensively as well."

The Athletic Where are they now? Corey Crawford’s 2009-10 experience wasn’t so memorable

Scott Powers Oct. 17, 2019

There were two players on the 2009-10 Blackhawks roster who appeared in just one game that Stanley Cup season.

One was Radek Smolenak. The other was Corey Crawford.

Unlike like Smolenak, who recently welcomed a conversation about his interesting journey that season, Crawford was skeptical when he was approached in the Blackhawks’ dressing room on Wednesday.

Crawford’s initial reaction was that he wasn’t even on that team. When I reminded him that he was recalled on an emergency basis to start against the Anaheim Ducks on the road on March 17, 2000, his memory wasn’t exactly jogged.

“It’s so long ago,” Crawford said. “I don’t even remember games during the season two years ago. It’s hard to say, man. I don’t know.”

The conversation could have ended there, but it wouldn’t have made for much of a story. I pushed on.

Crawford entered the 2009-10 season with hopes of being an NHL regular. The Blackhawks’ No. 1 spot was going to Cristobal Huet, who was entering the second year of a four-year, $22.5 million deal. The second spot would be a battle between Crawford and Antti Niemi, who had split starts the season before in the AHL and were similar in age.

The Blackhawks decided on Niemi by the end of training camp.

“I wasn’t really owed anything,” Crawford said. “I just didn’t make the team. Just whatever, keep playing hockey.”

Crawford went back down to the Rockford IceHogs, and Huet and Niemi carried the net in Chicago. Huet would start 46 regular-season games and Niemi 35. The only game neither of them started was Crawford’s game against the Ducks. The Blackhawks had back-to-back games on that road trip, and they recalled Crawford because Huet came down with the flu. Crawford stopped 32-of-35 shots in a 4-2 loss that day. Other than that, Crawford played for the IceHogs the rest of the season. He played in 45 regular-season games and another four playoff games.

Crawford remained patient.

“Did I learn anything from that? I don’t know,” Crawford said. “I’m just kind of like a go with the flow kind of guy. Maybe some other guys would have called their agent and asked for a trade or something like that. I just kind of kept playing and waited.”

Was he confident his chance was coming? Crawford wasn’t sure.

“It’s hard to say,” he said. “I think my mind was all over the place. I was thinking maybe Europe’s the way to go or maybe … I’m sure I thought about a bunch of stuff. But ultimately, it was just keep playing and do the best I can and hopefully get an opportunity earlier rather than later.”

Crawford was brought along for the ride as the third goalie during the Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup run. If anything happened to Huet or Niemi, he’d step in.

Nothing happened, so he just practiced, watched the games from the press box and enjoyed hanging out with the other Black Aces. “We weren’t really around the team that much,” Crawford said. “We’d come on the ice after everyone was out there. A lot of times we did a lot of Black Ace skates. It’s a lot of time to just hanging out, watching games and enjoying the city more than anything. We had fun. You got to be ready, but at the same time we had fun.”

As for the Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup-clinching performance in Game 6 against the , Crawford didn’t have much recollection.

“Not too much,” he said. “I don’t know. The last goal, pretty much.”

Crawford had the option to join everyone on the ice for the celebration. He didn’t feel like it was right and hung back.

“Some guys went on the ice, some guys didn’t,” Crawford said. “I didn’t go on the ice. I didn’t do anything, so why go celebrate. You know what I mean?”

Crawford, of course, would fully partake in the celebrations of the Blackhawks’ next two Stanley Cups. He’d likely have a lot more to say about those.

Blackhawks.com #TBT: Hossa's OT Winner a Defining Moment in 2010 Cup Run

Chris Kuc Oct. 17, 2019

Throughout every championship journey a team has a defining moment that helps determine its destiny.

The Blackhawks encountered one of those during the 2010 postseason when they were 63 seconds from being down 3-2 to the Predators in the Western Conference quarterfinals with Marian Hossa headed to the penalty box and Game 6 scheduled to be played in Nashville.

The Predators held a 4-3 lead late in the third period of Game 5 on April 24, 2010 when Hossa was assessed a five- minute major penalty for boarding Dan Hamhuis that all but assured the Blackhawks would be headed to Nashville on the brink of elimination.

That was when magic struck.

With goaltender Antti Niemi pulled in favor of an extra attacker, Patrick Kane sent the United Center crowd into a frenzy when he scored shorthanded to even the game at 4-4.

Kane later said that at the time, the goal was "the biggest of my life."

During overtime, Hossa waited rather impatiently before bursting out of the box and heading toward the Predators net.

"It was a really long five minutes in the box," Hossa said. "When I saw Patrick score to tie it, I was jumping like a little kid. Another four minutes into overtime, what a relief when I saw the puck coming to me."

The puck, courtesy of deflection of a Brent Sopel shot, found Hossa all alone in front and the veteran forward shoveled it past Predators goalie Pekka Rinne for an improbable 5-4 victory and a momentum shift that the Blackhawks rode all the way to their first Stanley Cup championship in 49 years.

While the United Center crowd roared, Hossa slid across the ice on his knees while pumping his fists until his Blackhawks teammates mobbed him.

"There are defining moments in every series," then-coach Blackhawks Joel Quenneville said. "That was huge."

The Athletic (Columbus)

Portzline: 10 observations from Blue Jackets’ win over Dallas, highlighted by Sonny Milano’s masterpiece

Aaron Portzline Oct. 16, 2019

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ten observations from the Blue Jackets’ 3-2 win over Dallas on Wednesday:

1. Milano scored one of this franchise’s most outrageous goals

The Blue Jackets have never figured out what to do with Sonny Milano because Milano has never figured out what to do with the puck outside of the attack zone. But nobody has ever doubted Milano’s ability to make a highlight reel.

With 9:07 remaining Wednesday and the Blue Jackets clinging to a 2-1 lead over Dallas, Milano skated through the neutral zone and made a move as he entered the Stars’ zone.

He dragged the puck through the legs of Stars forward Roope Hintz, then gathered it on the other side of Hintz, shielded it from defenseman Esa Lindell and moved diagonally from the left circle into the slot.

Milano, with those two Stars in heavy pursuit, could have had a really good chance on Dallas goaltender Ben Bishop off his backhand, but he pulled the puck back through his own legs, gathered it there with his stick and lifted it over Bishop’s right shoulder.

“It’s a hell of a shot by him,” said Blue Jackets center Alexander Wennberg, who had his own highlight-reel goal one- upped by Milano. “I don’t know if anyone would even try that one except Sonny. It’s impressive.

“He has that skill. You watch that (goal) … it’s so smooth, like the perfect timing. It’s just a hell of a goal right there.”

The Blue Jackets bench went wild, way beyond the normal goal celebration. As players jumped up from the bench, assistant coach Brad Larsen turned and took a jab at coach John Tortorella as Tortorella wheeled around as if to say, “Are you freakin’ kidding me?”

“Look at how ridiculous it is,” Tortorella said. “It’s just … he makes a great move to enter the zone, beats a forward at the blue line, there are still two checkers coming on him … ”

Milano downplayed the goal and tried to act like it was just another ho-hum goal-scorer’s goal.

“That’s the best shot I could have had, so I just did it,” Milano said. “You’re not planning anything, you’re just trying to score. I could have went backhand, maybe, but …

“I knew one guy was on me. I felt pressure. I don’t really know, I just went through my legs. I thought it would be the best chance to score.”

The goal was the No. 1 play of the day on ESPN’s “SportsCenter.” Milano said he’d “probably watch it … once or twice.”

2. The audaciousness of it all

The goal was amazing, of course. But Milano’s willingness to try that shot in that situation was perhaps even more remarkable. The Jackets were up 2-1 against a desperate team with a collection of highly skilled, veteran players.

It’s why Blue Jackets defenseman Seth Jones, when asked for a one-word description of the goal, went with: “gutsy.”

If Milano doesn’t get a puck on net in that situation, you know he’d hear about it during the next film session … especially because the Stars scored in the dying seconds of the game.

“That’s Sonny’s personality. That’s exactly his personality, that goal,” Jones said. “In a 2-1 hockey game … (laughs) it’s awesome, awesome to see that.”

Gustav Nyqvist has played with some flashy players during his NHL career with Detroit and San Jose. Has he ever seen such a goal?

“Not live, I don’t think,” Nyquist said. “It if doesn’t work, maybe it looks a little bad.

“But that was phenomenal … if you have that move, though, I think it catches a lot of goalies because not many players can make that move or would ever think of doing it.”

3. Bad memories for Ben Bishop

If Milano’s goal looked familiar to Blue Jackets fans, there’s good reason. On Dec. 3, 2013, Nick Foligno scored a similar goal against the .

A lot has changed since then in Columbus, of course. It was a great play by long-ago center Ryan Johansen that helped spring Foligno for the only goal in a 1-0 win.

But this is freaky: The goaltender for Tampa Bay that day was Ben Bishop.

4. Bumped from the highlight reel

Who says the Blue Jackets don’t have any skill? All three goals they scored Wednesday were worth a second look.

Gustav Nyquist zipped a puck across the dots to Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski for a 1-0 goal at 7:42 of the first. But that was only third on the list.

Wennberg’s goal to make it 2-0 was further proof that he’s on the comeback trail after two rough seasons. It’s his first goal of the season.

He carried the puck out of the corner, fed it to David Savard on the point then curled and kept skating back into the zone, gathering the puck with speed after Savard’s shot was blocked.

A shifty move allowed him to skate wide of a Dallas defender, and he beat Bishop with a wire to the far corner.

Wennberg said it was “hard to say” whether that’s a play he makes last season or in 2017-18.

“I picked up a loose puck,” he said. “After that, I was trying to get away from a guy and get a shot off. This time it worked. It’s good for the confidence. I was really happy that it went in.”

But Tortorella didn’t find it hard to say that he sees a different Wennberg. He’s been saying it since the start of training camp.

“His legs are moving,” Tortorella said. “He’s playing in the areas that I just don’t think he played in last year. He didn’t skate to those areas in the middle of the ice.

“He’s climbing out of the corners. He’s protecting pucks. He has the puck more. That’s really good news for this club up the middle of the ice if he can stay consistent and keep moving along the way.

“That (goal) kind of puts it into a nutshell for me as far as what we’ve been asking him to do. He’s playing so much more confidently with the puck. As I said to you during camp, you could see he wasn’t interested in any conversations. He had a focus on what he needed to do to be a better player, and he’s followed right on through with that.”

Wennberg had clearly grown tired these past two seasons of all the talk about his struggles, the jokes about his unwillingness to shoot the puck.

(Example: Why doesn’t Wennberg ever get a chance in the shootout? Answer: Because there’s nobody to pass it to.)

But Wednesday when the same questioners and comedians asked him whether he’d ever try Milano’s move, Wennberg played along.

“No,” he said. “I’d probably just dump it in the corner.”

Then he smiled, proud of himself.

5. Seriously, coaches can be such a buzzkill

Tortorella has always leaned on Milano to make better decisions with the puck, and to factor game situation — score, time remaining, stage of the period, etc. — into his decisions.

So when asked about Milano’s goal, Tortorella at first brushed it aside to focus on another play he made.

“The best play (Milano) made, for me as a coach,” Tortorella started. “… We’re up 3-1, there’s probably 3-4 minutes left, he’s in the offensive corner, has the puck, looks back out to the point … if he tried to make a play out to that point, it might get picked off and (the Stars) could be going the other way.

“What he does is just throws it in behind the net. It’s a great goal. But to me, the best play he made tonight, for a coach, is a smart play when we have a lead. I don’t mean to rain on your parade here as far as the highlight goal, but that’s the better play for me.”

6. Who will be first to 42?

Rostislav Klesla is the franchise record-holder for most goals (41) by a defenseman, but his days with that title are numbered.

Werenski’s first-period goal was the 40th of his career, and the 22-year-old has done it in half as many games (243) than Klesla played (515) for the organization.

David Savard also had 40 goals, and Seth Jones is right there at 39.

Meanwhile, Fedor Tyutin’s franchise mark for most points by a defenseman (185) is in peril, too. Jones is only 17 points behind, meaning he should own the mark sometime in December.

7. While we’re being nostalgic …

Nyquist is the kind of crafty player who really grows on you after a few games.

He’s not the biggest player, but he’s deceptively quick, strong and crafty along the wall. He’s not flashy, but he can make a gasp-worthy pass, like the one he made to Werenski for the 1-0 goal. He doesn’t have an elite shot, but he can bury the puck.

He reminds me so much of David Vyborny, a player from the Czech Republic who became very good for the Blue Jackets in the 2000s.

Vyborny might not be a household name around the NHL — it’s a comparison that will be lost on many people, perhaps — but in these parts, it’s intended as high praise.

8. Joonas Korpisalo is quietly finding his way

The Blue Jackets fell asleep after taking a 2-0 lead in the first period, and it took a great effort by Korpisalo to keep the Stars from doing more damage in the closing minutes.

“It could have been 4-2 Dallas if not for Korpisalo,” Nyquist said.

The Stars took the final eight shots of the period, tilting the ice to the extreme. The Blue Jackets were saved by the bell when the first intermission horn sounded.

“(The Stars) had 18 (scoring) chances throughout the game,” Tortorella said. “Eight of those were in the last five minutes of the first period. We just sat there and watched. We thought it was going to be an easy game. They have too many good players.

“We get to see Korpisalo make some really big saves for us during that time in that first period and throughout the game. That’s really good to see.”

Korpisalo is 2-1 with a .931 save percentage and 2.02 goals-against average in his past three starts.

9. Tortorella has minor skin cancer procedure

After missing Tuesday’s practice, Tortorella was back at the rink with a surgical scar on the left side of his forehead. He had surgery to remove a basal-cell carcinoma, he said.

It’s the most common form of skin cancer. It grows slowly and can damage tissue in the area but is rarely considered serious or life threatening.

Tortorella joked his affliction was caused by an abundance of brain tissue, but this was universally refuted by team doctors, assistant coaches, players and the training staff.

10. What goes up doesn’t always come down

Foligno gathered a puck deep in his own corner during the third period, then turned and sailed it high toward center ice to clear the zone and maybe get a change.

The puck was so high that it struck the scoreboard, and … never came down?

Foligno looked up curiously, stunned that the scoreboard seemed to swallow the puck. The other players on the ice skated in the general area of the puck’s trajectory, then looked mystified that it never landed.

Analytically speaking

The Athletic’s hockey data dynamo Alison Lukan provided these insights into the Blue Jackets’ win:

• It was a strong performance by the Blue Jackets in terms of shot volume (51.38 percent shot share), but they didn’t hold an edge in scoring chances (44.94 percent) or shot quality (40.74). In fact, according to moneypuck.com, the expected-goal totals were 2.53 to 1.92 in favor of Dallas.

• But to counter that, this was Korpisalo’s best game to date in this young season. His save percentage was exactly as expected based on the shots he faced.

• Oliver Bjorkstrand was buzzing all game. He was significant on the transition game and led the team in shot attempts (8) and individual scoring chances (5).

• The list of top players according to game score brings some new names into play. Jakob Lilja led all skaters on both teams (2.36) thanks to his assist and a strong performance controlling shot quality for versus against. Savard was second (1.74) again for managing the quality advantage for the Jackets. Milano was third thanks to that highlight goal (1.53).

• Wennberg just missed the top three in-game score (1.43) but was noticeable all game — converting his one individual chance and shot into a goal.

Columbus Dispatch

Blue Jackets vs Stars 3-2-1

Brian Hedger Oct. 17, 2019

The concern many had about the Blue Jackets after highly-skilled forwards Artemi Panarin and Matt Duchene left, is that there wasn’t enough skill left behind.

Plenty of good players, sure, but where were all the goals going to come from?

Six games into it, the Jackets have already scored two of the nicest goals you’re going to see this season and both were game-winners in the third period of games.

Get the news delivered to your inbox: Sign up for our Blue Jackets Xtra newsletter Pierre-Luc Dubois decided a 3-2 victory for Columbus on Saturday at the Carolina Hurricanes with a beautiful forehand- backhand maneuver while holding off a defender, and then, well, Sonny Milano topped it Wednesday night at Nationwide Arena.

Milano’s between-the-legs shot at 9:07 of the period was the deciding goal in the Jackets’ 3-2 victory, which was their second in a row, eighth consecutive win against the Stars and fifth straight win against Dallas in Columbus.

Photos: Blue Jackets 3, 2 So, there is still plenty of skill left in Columbus and it’s starting to show – despite the Jackets’ early struggle to convert on a heap of good scoring chances each game.

Here is a postgame 3-2-1 breakdown of the Blue Jackets’ highlight night against the Stars – three takeaways, two questions and one more thing to know:

Three takeaways

1) What a shot

It shocked everybody, including the Stars and Blue Jackets. Perhaps, Milano even surprised himself with the move he pulled off to beat Stars goalie Ben Bishop.

It was remarkable for not only the skill and coordination it took, but also for the decision itself to take a shot like that while clinging to a 2-1 lead in the third period.

First, though, let’s review how it even happened.

The Stars won a face-off at the left dot in the Blue Jackets’ zone and held the puck inside the blue line. Rookie forward Jakob Lilja blocked a shot from the left point, sending the puck to center Riley Nash, and then got it right back from him at the blue line.

Lilja spotted Milano along the boards, standing just outside the Dallas blue line, and sent him a crisp feed. Milano took it from there. After tapping the puck between the skates of center Roope Hintz to enter the zone, he regathered it with a burst of speed that launched him inside the backchecking effort of defenseman Esa Lindell.

Hintz and Lindell reached their sticks out, trying to poke the puck away, but Milano slid it between his skates and then quickly reached his stick blade through for a shot. He flipped the puck back toward the far side of the net, lifting it just over Hintz’s stick and sending it into the top left corner for the goal – his first of the season.

Coach John Tortorella just shook his head and smiled on the bench. Milano’s teammates threw their hands up in unison, wearing stunned expressions and big smiles.

“I don’t even know,” Milano said, when asked about his thought process to try that shot. “Just ... I don’t know. I just went through my legs and thought it would be the best chance to score.”

He played it as cool as the ice after the game, but smiled sheepishly when asked if he would watch it on replay at home.

“I’ll probably watch it,” said Milano, who labeled it his favorite NHL goal. “Once or twice probably ... then call it.”

It will get a lot more play on highlight shows.

“It’s got to be one of the goals of the year candidates,” defenseman Seth Jones said. “Just the confidence that he has to try that in a game is off the charts, which is pretty cool to see.”

2) Korpisalo strong again

Another start for Joonas Korpisalo turned out to be another win and another strong game.

After looking a little nervous in his first game, a 4-1 loss to the on opening night, the 25-year old goalie has taken a solid lead in the competition to replace Sergei Bobrovsky as the No. 1 option. He has played five of the Jackets’ six games and made 30 saves on 32 shots in two straight games – winning each one.

Korpisalo led the way Saturday against the Hurricanes, after taking a tough loss in a 2-1 defeat against the Anaheim Ducks on Friday, then followed it up with a sterling performance against the Stars.

After falling behind 2-0 in the first period, the Stars – who brought an ugly 1-5-1 record into the game – made a surge in the final five minutes of that period. They scored a goal on a wrist shot by Miro Heiskanen, but otherwise the Columbus goalie turned them away on five other shots in the final 2:05 of the period.

“I think Korpi really kept us in that game to be honest with you,” forward Gustav Nyquist said. “I think that game could’ve been 4-2 going in after the first and then it looks different. So, you’ve got to give Korpi credit there for keeping us in that game.”

3) Wennberg heating up

This is the Alexander Wennberg the Blue Jackets need all season. He’s still playing good defense and winning face-offs more often – coming out ahead on 53 percent of his 17 draws – but he is also a threat again in the offensive zone.

Wennberg only put one shot on goal and attempted just two for the game, but put the Jackets up 2-0 with 4:59 left in the first on his first goal of the year.

It was an instinctual goal, too, scored after he pounced on a loose puck in the slot and danced through traffic to fire a hard wrist shot past Bishop. Wennberg has four points in six games on a goal and three assists.

“I tried to work hard, tried to move my feet and keep the (defenseman) on the outside,” he said. “You just try to get into the scoring opportunities, try to shoot more and get rewarded for it.”

It’s exactly what Tortorella and the rest of the Jackets’ coaching staff hoped to see this season from a guy who put up 59 points in 2016-17.

“The whole shift (for the goal) kind of puts it into a nutshell for me, as far as what we’ve been asking him to do,” Tortorella said. “Skates out of the corner, gains the middle of the ice. He’s playing so much more confident with the puck.”

Two questions

1) Have we seen that shot before?

Yes, we have. Six years ago, in fact, on Dec. 3, 2013. The Blue Jackets edged the Tampa Bay Lightning 1-0 in Columbus that night on a goal by Nick Foligno.

Just like Milano, he put the puck between his legs and lifted a shot to the far side. It beat the goaltender clean, just like Milano’s beat Bishop.

The goaltender that night? It was also Bishop.

2) Who starts in Chicago?

Korpisalo has started four straight games since rookie Elvis Merzlikins allowed seven goals in a 7-2 loss Oct. 5 at the . That is more of a reflection on Korpisalo’s play than it is about Merzlikins’ nightmarish NHL debut.

It begs the question of when Merzlikins will get back between the pipes?

Columbus has leaned on Korpisalo the past four games and he has delivered, winning three of them. Merzlikins may get one of the next two games during the Jackets’ third straight Friday/Saturday back-to-back set, but which if it happens?

Will Tortorella give him another tough matchup Friday in Chicago’s United Center, against a Blackhawks team loaded with offensive weapons? Or will Korpisalo make a fifth straight start there, with Merzlikins starting Saturday at home against the New York Islanders – a team structured more around defense?

Or will Korpisalo just keep on rolling through both ends of another back-to-back?

Should Merzlikins play against the Islanders, that would be his first appearance at Nationwide Arena. Stay tuned.

“This is the mindset that I think both of these guys have to understand, what it is to take the ball and run with it,” Tortorella said. “Right now, Korpi has it. Elvis keeps on working hard and he’s going to have to learn that too, when he gets his opportunity.”

One more thing to know

Zach Werenski opened the scoring against Dallas with his second goal of the season and 40th of his NHL career, which is now in its fourth year. Werenski tied Savard among Jackets’ defensemen in career goals and is one behind Rostislav Klesla for the all-time franchise lead.

They are the only three defensemen to score 40 career goals for the Blue Jackets, but Seth Jones – who has 54 goals between Columbus and the Nashville Predators – is right on their heels at 39.