Today’s News Clips Nov. 2, 2018

ChicagoBlackhawks.com

RECAP: Oilers 4, Blackhawks 0

By Chris Wescott November 1, 2018

RAPID REACTION: The goals were lacking for Chicago in this one as they fell to Edmonton 4-0 on the tail end of a back-to- back, despite peppering the Oilers with 40 shots.

The Oilers took a 1-0 lead 18 seconds into the second period, courtesy of . scored on the power play at 19:23 of the middle frame to make it 2-0.

Despite outshooting Edmonton 31-17 through 40 minutes, Chicago found themselves in a hole entering the third.

Caggiula put the Oilers ahead 3-0 in the third.

Edmonton put a further stamp on their victory when they made it 4-0 at 10:38 of the third.

KEITH MOVES UP: Duncan Keith skated in his 1,009th game with the Blackhawks tonight, which allowed him to overtake Bob Murray for fifth-most games played in Blackhawks history.

SHORTHANDED CHANCES BOTH WAYS: For the second night in a row, the Blackhawks kill saw its share of chances. Brandon Saad was very close to scoring on the kill in Vancouver. Tonight, the Blackhawks fired several chances at the Oilers net while shorthanded but the goalie was there to make the save. Edmonton did get a power-play in the second, however, and Caggiula scored shorthanded for the Oil at 6:49 of the third.

TALKING POINTS:

"We had an excellent first period and then the first shift in the second, all of the sudden we give up a funny puck in the neutral zone and it's in our net. They get some excitement off of it. We were still in a decent place. We had shorthanded, odd-man situations where we didn't capitalize. Then the goalie was getting confidence as the game progressed. Not enough bodies at the net. I thought he was seeing a lot of pucks. Big guy, I think he played well but we didn't make it harder on him." - Quenneville on the loss

WHAT'S NEXT: The Blackhawks conclude their trip through Western Canada in Calgary on Saturday night against the Flames. The game can be seen on NBCSCH or heard on WGN 720.

ChicagoBlackhawks.com

LONG READ: Dominik and the rise of German hockey

By Chris Wescott November 2, 2018

DR. CHARLES GEORGE HARTLEY was born in North Plains, Michigan on October 13, 1883.

Perhaps, Hartley never had a choice but to love the sport, as his family moved to Brantford, Ontario while he was at such a young, impressionable age. It was there that Hartley developed the remarkable skill and ability that would eventually earn him international acclaim.

But how does a Michigan-born, Canadian-trained, Chicago-educated dentist find his way to becoming the "father of German hockey?"

While studying at the Royal College of Dental Surgery at Toronto University, Hartley helped lead the school's team to two consecutive intercollegiate championships in 1902 and 1903.

Hartley's educational pursuits brought him to the Windy City, where he enrolled at the University of Chicago.

Hartley would not give up on his hockey career, and went on to star for the Chicago College of Dental Surgery team - the first hockey team at the University of Chicago - for two years.

As a top student, Dr. Hartley was offered opportunities to hone his craft in Europe. He ultimately accepted an invite from Dresden, Germany, and became the assistant surgeon dentist for the German royal court.

Dr. Hartley, spurred no doubt by his love of hockey, attempted to pick up the winter sport of bandy, which is played with 11 men per side on a football-field-sized sheet of ice, with a lacrosse ball as opposed to a puck.

After giving bandy a try with ASC Dresden in 1906, Hartley was dismayed that it was illegal to carry the ball as one would a puck, and using two hands on the stick was also against the rules.

A year later, Hartley spoke with a friend from Toronto, requested he send hockey sticks and pucks, so he could distribute them to his German friends and bandy teammates.

It seemed he was on to something, as many Germans showed great enthusiasm to learn a new sport.

Over the next several years, Hartley grew the game in Germany by skating with his new friends at various tournaments, including with Berliner HC for the first time a German team had skated in a modern hockey tournament, using Canadian- style sticks and a puck.

At the first ever European Championships in 1910, held at the Swiss resort of Les Avants, the Germans finished second, mostly due to the superior skill of Hartley, who was voted the tournament's top forward.

Dr. Hartley's successes on the international stage for Germany continued until he left the country in 1917, but the mark he left would last to this day. His Berliner SC team called him the "Unser Meisterlehrer."

He'd return to Germany in the early 1930s to much fanfare among European hockey associations, as they celebrated his accomplishments and his help in growing the sport overseas.

A member of the German Hockey Hall of Fame, Hartley is also seen as a factor in the development of hockey in California during the 1920s and '30s - where he was president of the Amateur Association of Southern California, also coaching the University of Southern California team.

It's amusing to think today a dentist's role in hockey is likely to patch up the damage left by a puck or rogue stick. Back then, a dentist was responsible for the sport's advancements both in North America and abroad.

"I HAD THE GOOSEBUMPS all over my body when I stepped into the rink."

As a former Olympian himself, and President of the German Ice Hockey Association, Franz Reindl felt the emotions stirring at the in PyeongChang, South Korea.

For what seemed like the first time ever - and perhaps that's the harsh truth - all eyes in the hockey world were on his program, his nation's team.

Reindl has a long history in German hockey as a player, a coach, a general manager and so on. And he'd been in this spot before.

In 1976, Reindl earned an Olympic bronze medal with the West Germany team. It was a magnificent feat, one that the nation's hockey fans held dearly. As of February 2018, German hockey had reached new heights.

Bronze was no longer the ultimate achievement.

"We have ups and downs," Reindl explained. "We're like an elevator and we go up and down and so '76 was a highlight, but you cannot measure it with what they did now.

"I'm really happy the '76 story is over now. I'm really happy that this new generation has taken a big step and they are the heroes. We have silver heroes now. The bronze heroes are getting older or not alive anymore and you need some new stories. PyeongChang was a big, big story and I'm so happy for the boys."

The nation of Germany, players, fans, and media were amused when the Germans entered their quarterfinal matchup with Sweden. They were even more intrigued when the Germans beat the Swedes 4-3 to advance to the semi against Canada. Their collective jaws dropped when the Germans beat the Canadians 4-3 for a shot at the gold medal.

Although the Olympic Athletes from Russia would end the Germans' run, there were a lot of smiles on the faces of those lifting silver medals. Dominik Kahun remembers the scene vividly.

"When we lost the game in overtime, at first guys were sad, guys were crying," said Kahun, who scored two goals and recorded three assists in seven games during the tournament.

But the sadness the Germans felt quickly evolved into near euphoric levels of happiness. Those emotions came with the realization of what they had done.

"I would say not even five minutes later we were all smiling," Kahun said. "We knew already, before the final, we had did it. We did the most out of German hockey. The gold medal game was like we had nothing to lose. We could play free and that's what we did. We were happy at the end."

German hockey had declared itself on hockey's world stage. Sure, there was an absence of NHL players at the 2018 Winter Games, but that takes nothing away from the Germans. They earned the recognition and the sense of accomplishment.

"As a former player and getting beat up a lot of the times with the National Team, being in PyeongChang, and seeing the team getting together every day more and more, increasing the success, it was just a dream," said Reindl. "The sport was unbelievable. Every day was a day of glory for German hockey."

"I think it was the biggest thing in German hockey, ever," Kahun said. "Probably, we hope not, but the percentage is high that we will never do it again. It's because we're still a small hockey country. But it's getting better and better. I think we showed that we have good guys, we just need to play as a team. We had very good coaching. I just hope we can go on. It's getting better and better."

To this day, the Olympics are Kahun's greatest hockey memory.

"Obviously, I have more highlights," he said. "I won three championships with Munich. I'm in the NHL. It's a dream come true, but the Olympics are right now the best thing that's ever happened to me. I think it's every athlete's dream to be in the Olympics. I just enjoyed every day. We had so much fun every day with all the guys and all the athletes. It was a highlight that we had a tournament like that."

"I was very proud," said Helmut de Raaf, Kahun's Under-18 head coach in Mannheim. "Dominik was one of 10 players on the German team I coached in junior. For a coach to watch his players, how they made it to play pro, it is the best [thing] that can happen."

Since that gold-medal game on Feb. 25, 2018, Reindl has met with hockey fans around the globe and has seen a meteoric rise in interest German hockey, no matter where his travels take him.

"I am in Canada, I'm in the USA, China and Sweden, and Finland the last couple of weeks and everybody is talking about PyeongChang, the success of the German team and, of course, winning against the big hockey nation of Canada and being so close to the gold medal," Reindl said. "We, as German hockey, are much more respected now than it was before."

Not just more, but "a lot more."

"It's changing dramatically," Reindl confirmed.

Reindl, born in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in 1954, has been a life-long hockey fan. A top player in his country, he skated in nearly 200 games for the national team. He went to nine IIHF World Championships, three and one Canada Cup. It's an international career that commands respect, even when his team didn't get much of that even from his own countrymen… until now.

"The respect is also coming from the media and Germany," he said. "In Germany, soccer is all over. It's another world. They are on another planet. But now, we are respected. We are known as a sport. Even now in the streets, they are talking about waking up at five o'clock in the morning and watching hockey [during the Olympics.] Even in a city like Munich, a lot of lights turned on in apartments and houses and people are so funny [talking about it.]"

"We heard stories from Germany while in Korea that millions of people were waking up at four in the morning to watch a hockey game," Kahun said. "That hadn't happened before. The whole country was with us. It was crazy."

When Kahun flew home after the Olympics were complete, the German team first flew into Frankfurt.

"When we arrived at the airport, there were so many people waiting and it was the biggest thing in Germany when we played the final."

And then he flew on home to Munich, where Kahun and a few of his teammates were greeted by another enthused mob of supporters, waving flags and cheering.

"It has changed dramatically," repeated Reindl. "We are respected, we are well-known, we now are really in the sports market."

The Swedes have their style, the Russians have theirs. Canadians, Americans, the Finns… they're all unique in some way. So, what defines a German hockey player?

"German hockey… We are hard workers," Reindl said. "Team players, hard workers. That's our biggest thing. We're based on good goalies, good defense and we are a strong opponent. That's German hockey... It's close to North American hockey."

Now with the silver medal in hand and rise of young players in the NHL like forward and Chicago's Dominik Kahun, you can perhaps add "here to stay" to those descriptions of German hockey.

"The silver medal was a great moment for German hockey," said de Raaf. "We all enjoyed it a lot, but it was just an incredible moment. We are not a top six nation in the hockey world, but the silver medal helps us to increase. More kids are playing hockey."

WHEN LEON DRAISAITL WAS 13, he moved to Mannheim to join what was - at the time, if not still to this day - the best hockey academy in Germany.

Dominik Kahun was already one year into the program.

The two were placed in the same billet family, and it was a friendship match made in hockey heaven.

"I met him the afternoon, I think I remember, and in the evening we were already playing Xbox together," said Kahun. "We became pretty good friends."

"From there on, we just clicked on and off the ice," Draisaitl said. "We got along really, really well. The three years we played together in Mannheim, it was just him and I all the time together. We built a really good relationship and we're still really good friends."

The dynamic duo was so close, in fact, that their teammates would call them the "Sedins of Germany," a nod to the Swedish twins who dominated the hockey scene for so many years.

"We were probably the best friends on the team and the next year we started playing together [on the same line] and then we played always together," Kahun said.

"We were really, really good together," Draisaitl said. "It was awesome because we got along so well off the ice, we lived together for the three years we were there so we were together every single day. It was a lot of fun, it was a great time."

Kahun does not remember the nickname but it makes sense, given their surreal, twin-like chemistry.

"We know where the other guy is going to be," said Kahun. "It seems like we think the same. We know where the other guy is. It works out."

Their numbers together in junior make you do a double take.

The 2009-10 season was their first together, playing for Mannheimer ERC - the Under-16 squad in the Schüler-BL league. Kahun paced the team in scoring with 126 points, including a whopping 56 goals in 27 games. Draisaitl was not far behind, tallying 48 goals and 103 points in 26 games.

The next season, the two exploded again. Kahun torched the league for 206 points (69 G, 137 A), while Draisaitl finished second with 192, burying an unreal, league-leading 97 goals.

"Of course, we can all the time think about the level of competition in that league, but to produce an average of five points per game… there has to be fire to be that good!" said Kahun's U-18 assistant coach in Mannheim, Petteri Väkiparta. "If that was easy, I guess everyone could do that."

"Yeah, it was awesome," Draisaitl said of those seasons. "We had some really, really good chemistry."

Perhaps all of those nights playing video games, the conversations at home, their shared car rides to the rink or the countless practices together contributed to the chemistry.

"We practiced together every day," said Draisaitl. "We worked out together every day, so we went through the same hockey school and went through the same program and did everything the same, basically. We developed a really good chemistry through that."

The numbers they put up were also fuel to the competitive fire between the two.

In 2011-12, both made the full-time leap to the DNL, the elite development league in Germany, skating with Jungadler Mannheim's U-18 squad. Another level meant another chance to compete against both their opponents and each other.

"They created amazing situations and goals," said de Raaf. "Dominik was the leading person and Leon learned a lot from Dominik. Attitude, readiness creativity."

Väkiparta remembers their healthy competition and what set them apart from the rest.

"Yes, really much!" he said. "[They were] best friends, but at the same time the best guys to push each other for better performance. They saw the game the same way."

Kahun and Draisaitl finished with an identical 21 goals each. Kahun, however, edged Draisaitl by one point (57 to 56) for the team and league scoring title. Guess who was happiest for Kahun's achievement?

"We're both really competitive guys, but it was never in a competitive way where we wouldn't be happy for the other guy," said Draisaitl. "It was always pretty healthy. We pushed each other and we expected the best from one another, but if he got three goals one game and I got nothing I was really happy for him. It was the other way around the same thing. We're competitive, but at the end of the day we always stick together."

"Obviously, there was the 'who will be first?' but in the end, we were more happy we won the championship together," said Kahun. "We were happier, you know? But we just said we'll have fun every day and play our game and we will score many goals. That's what we did."

"They were like twins," said de Raaf. "You never met [just] one of them...They were teammates, friends and it fit perfect."

The "Sedins of Germany" were virtually unstoppable together but split up the next season to pursue their NHL passions. Draisaitl went to the 's Prince Albert Raiders, where he put himself on the hockey map so much so that the Edmonton Oilers eventually selected him third overall in the 2014 NHL Draft.

Kahun took the path, joining the . His numbers didn't translate as quickly as Draisaitl's did, and so Kahun made the decision to go back to Germany and hone his skills more in his home country. It's a move that turned out to be a great choice for Kahun's career, one that ultimately brought him to Chicago.

"His dream was all the time to play [in the] NHL," said de Raaf. "As a small player, he worked very hard in junior. He tried to play OHL, got injuries, points [were] OK, but [he] was not drafted. [He] came back to Germany, started as the youngest player on our top team, Red Bull Munich, was sent down to [tier 2] league, came back and developed into one of the top forwards in the league, won the silver medal at the Olympics, [and he] never lost his goal to play [in the] NHL. If [anyone] deserved to get the chance in the NHL, it is Dominik."

DRAISAITL EXPLAINS THAT in his early teens, Kahun was withdrawn, quiet... shy even.

"He's changed a little bit because he's gotten older," said Draisaitl. "When he was younger, he was a shy kid. He was very shy and pretty quiet. As soon as he got older, he got more confident and more comfortable in speaking and talking to people and now he's just an awesome guy."

Those who know him best say he's just hilarious.

"He's a funny guy," Draisaitl said. "I think if you don't know him really, really well then I don't know if he comes across as funny. But if you're like me... we have our inside jokes and he's hilarious."

And one of the more cheerful as well.

"He has a smile on his face all the time," said Väkiparta. "He might look a little shy, but he has a good sense of humor.

"He played on our U-16 team and it was really nice to watch him play. He has a smile on his face every day. Can't really remember any bad days from him. When he came up with U-18, he was a little shy to take part in the conversation, but immediately when the conversation turned to hockey, his eyes started to burn!"

When describing Kahun as shy, his friends and teammates speak more to his humble nature than any real timidity. It's a certain level-headedness that has helped Kahun through the ups and downs of his journey to the NHL.

Reindl said it best.

"As a human, as a player, as a kid, he seems to be a little shy, but you need this. He's really, how you say, grounded? Both feet on earth, as we say in Germany.

"Even if he's scoring or doing great things he will stay with both feet on earth," Reindl continued. "I really like people like this and players like this. He always knows where he's coming from and that he needs to work every day to keep this. He knows this. You don't have to tell him to do this or this or this. He knows."

There's nothing shy about the way Kahun plays the game of hockey. He darts in and out of spaces, attacks pucks, goes to the net, and makes great, skilled passing plays. He's a perfect complementary player to more established NHL players. It's allowed him to fit right in on Chicago's top line with Alex DeBrincat and Jonathan Toews.

"As a hockey player, he's unbelievably fast," said Reindl. "He knows where to go and he knows what's needed in the game. Quick passes, quick turns, scoring. He knows what to do at the right moment. He makes the game faster. He can play on any level. The better the level is, the better he plays. Not a lot of players can do this."

It's the result of years of dedication to the sport.

"In hockey, I started when I was three," Kahun said. "That was the first time on the ice. When I was like seven or eight, I was thinking 'yeah, I can be pretty OK.' I was the best in my age [group] when we were young and also, I loved games - I played everything like soccer, I was on a team. But I just knew right away that hockey was my favorite."

"He loves sports in general," said Väkiparta. "It didn't matter if it was hockey, soccer, basketball. He was a natural player who knows and understands the game and could play with his instinct."

That instinct has served Kahun well in hockey - his ultimate sport of choice.

"As a small player he has to find different ways to be successful," said Väkiparta.

"His hockey sense is unbelievable and he's a small kid, I would say, but quick," said Reindl. "He can skate, he has quick hands back and forth and he can do everything. He's really amazing, what he can do with his body and feet. Unbelievable."

Väkiparta recognized the NHL spark inside Draisaitl and Kahun early on.

"We played some international tournaments in Finland and Sweden and also in the States," explained Väkiparta. "For example, we won at Shattuck St. Mary's. That proved for me and also for the players their potential."

De Raaf knew he had a chance, but he'd have to clear one obstacle.

"When he was the second season with us he made huge steps to develop his game and he could handle the speed," de Raaf said. "The only question mark was his size."

Draisaitl has never doubted Kahun's ability.

"I've said all along he's a very special player."

However, in Draisaitl's mind, Kahun's NHL potential really bubbled to the surface later in his career.

"Probably a few years ago when he started to really contribute in the German league, which is a good league," Draisaitl said. "As a 19 year-old, or whatever he was, he put up really good numbers. Then I watched him a few times and I played with him at Worlds and stuff and he just has the hockey sense to play in the NHL. That's his biggest strength. His hockey sense is off the charts. It's really, really good."

Kahun's profile in Germany rose long before it did in North American scouting circles

"He played in my hometown for two years," said Reindl. "Munich sent him out to the so-called farm team, and many, many fans are here. I know a lot of players, I know a lot of former players who are watching Kahun because he played so good here. They feel he's 'their player' and the same thing in Munich or Mannheim when he played there. He has a lot of fans and they really root and cheer for him." SOME PEOPLE SHY AWAY FROM the responsibilities as an ambassador for their sport. Kahun, however, says bring it on.

"Oh, I love it," he said. "I'm a guy who has always tried to do everything for the fans, especially for the young kids in Germany. Any little guy who wanted something, I'd give it to them. I want to be a role model for those young players."

By making it to the NHL, Kahun has not only achieved his own dream, but he's shown kids all over Germany who have professional hockey aspirations that it's possible. Draisaitl is establishing himself in Edmonton; Kahun is trying to do the same in Chicago.

"Just proud," Kahun said. "Obviously, Leon is now longer in the league, he's used to it, he's more experienced… Back home, almost daily, they say something about Leon and me. We are big guys right now."

Reindl himself watched on as Kahun scored his first NHL goal against the at the Xcel Energy Center. "I watched it with my family," he said. "I watch the NHL, I see the games, I see the highlights normally, but this game I watched full length with my family, with my son. I'm a hockey fan, and he scored an unbelievable goal, top-shelf. We jumped out of the seats, jumped out of the couch and we were just so proud and so happy for him, seeing this German kid scoring this goal in the NHL, playing on the top line with the . That's a dream. It's a just a dream come true."

A dream that's now shared by many young German athletes.

"Many more players now have the dream to go to the NHL," said Reindl. "I'm president of the German Federation and I'm proud when players make it, make the step and get the chance and take the chance. That's a dream.

"This is better to have for our young players, having a dream or goals to achieve and there will be more to come. I believe."

It's sometimes difficult for German players to get noticed, but you could see more of their names come up in future conversations about drafts and free agents.

"Yes, for sure. Thanks to Leon, Dominik and also are few more German kids who are doing pretty well in NCAA, that opens the door," said Väkiparta.

"This helps German hockey to make the next step," said de Raaf. "In Germany, everything is focused on soccer and now we have two young men rocking the NHL. The media is interested in what they are doing and the young players want to be like Dominik and Leon."

Draisaitl has been leading the charge in terms of German ambassadorship among NHL players. He and the Oilers played an exhibition game against his father's team the Cologne Sharks in Germany early in October.

Adding Kahun to the list of those making the country proud is exciting for Draisaitl.

"It's awesome," he said. "We all hope we can get more players like that in the NHL and we can build our country's hockey and we can develop into a country that can play with the big nations. We're on our way, and hopefully we can keep developing players like Dominik."

ChicagoBlackhawks.com

BLOG: Kane named NHL's 3rd Star of October

By Chris Wescott November 1, 2018

Patrick Kane has been named the NHL's Third Star of the Month for October. He earned the recognition by compiling 11 goals and seven assists for a total of 18 points in the first 12 games of 2018-19. That production ties him for third in scoring in the NHL, while he leads the league in goals.

Colorado's Mikko Rantanen was named First Star and Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin was named Second Star.

FROM THE NHL:

THIRD STAR - PATRICK KANE, RW, CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS: Kane shared the League lead with 11 goals and placed fourth overall with 18 points in 12 outings to power the Blackhawks to a 6-4-3 (15 points) first month of the season. He also found the scoresheet in all but one game, accumulating five multi-point performances and a pair of three-point efforts: Oct. 20 at CBJ (2-1-3) and Oct. 27 at STL (2-1-3). Kane scored in eight different contests, becoming the first Blackhawks player with 11 goals through the team's opening 11 games since 1967-68 (Bobby Hull). The 29-year-old Buffalo native ranks fourth in the NHL with 323-523-846 (834 GP) since making his debut in 2007-08.

ChicagoBlackhawks.com

11/1 THREE STARS: Explosive Hagel joins Blackhawks

By Austin Siegel November 1, 2018

Every Thursday throughout the 2018-19 season, chicagoblackhawks.com will highlight prospects who have stood out for their junior, college or professional team in the previous week's action.

Here are this week's Three Stars.

First Star:

LW Brandon Hagel, Red Deer (WHL)

THE NUMBERS: 15 GP, 12 G, 16 A

The newest member of the Blackhawks organization, Brandon Hagel immediately becomes the highest scoring prospect in the team's system after signing with Chicago on Monday. Through 15 games with Red Deer, Hagel ranks third in the entire Western Hockey League with 12 goals and 28 points. He was originally drafted by Buffalo in the sixth round of the 2016 NHL Draft, but Hagel saw the Sabres forfeit his draft rights in June. That hasn't affected the 20-year-old's confidence, as Hagel is on pace for the highest scoring output of his career this season. He chipped in three assists as the Rebels knocked off Kootenay 8-5 on Sunday.

Second Star:

C Mikael Hakkarainen, Muskegon (USHL)

THE NUMBERS: 5 GP, 3 G, 6 A

For a 20-year-old prospect, Mikael Hakkarainen has taken a long and winding road to the USHL's Muskegon Lumberjacks. After playing youth hockey in his native Finland, Hakkarainen got his first taste of North American ice between three teams in the NAHL and USHL before the Blackhawks made him their fifth round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft. After a brief appearance with Providence College, Hakkarainen has established himself in Muskegon, where he leads the first place Lumberjacks in assists. In a 7-2 win over Team USA on Friday, Muskegon paced his team with three helpers.

Third Star:

D Jake Ryczek, Halifax (QMJHL)

THE NUMBERS: GP 16, 2 G, 7 A

Another late-round pick making noise in the Blackhawks system, Ryczek has been a force during his second season with Halifax. Protecting fellow Chicago prospect Alexis Gravel in goal, Ryczek has also gotten involved in the attack, pacing all Moosehead defenseman with seven assists. His nine points also lead the team's defensemen, as Ryczek chipped in an assist and scored for Halifax in a 5-2 loss to Cape Breton this week.

Honorable Mentions:

Philipp Kurashev, Quebec (QMJHL) - The 2018 4th-round pick continues to shine for the Remparts, leading his team in points and assists through 17 games. ROCKFORD REPORT:

Sitting fourth in the AHL's Central Division, the formula for Rockford this season has been simple: success tends to follow the Sikura brothers and Matthew Highmore. The trio leads the IceHogs in scoring through the season's first month, as Highmore sparked the IceHogs in a week that saw them collect three points in a win over San Antonio and OTL to Manitoba. Highmore led the IceHogs this week with four points. Another IceHogs with NHL experience, Victor Ejdsell become the first IceHog to post a multi-goal game this season, scoring twice in a 5-2 over the Rampage.

NBCSportsChicago.com Four takeaways: Blackhawks can't bury scoring chances in fourth straight loss to Oilers

By Charlie Roumeliotis November 1, 2018

Here are four takeaways from the Blackhawks' 4-0 loss to the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place on Thursday:

1. Blackhawks can't bury scoring chances

On Wednesday against the Vancouver Canucks, it was all about self-inflicted wounds for the Blackhawks. On Thursday, it was all about not taking advantage of their scoring chances when it mattered most.

After the Oilers took a 1-0 lead just 18 seconds into the second period, the Blackhawks had their fair share of chances and finished with 40 shots on goal, all of which were stopped by Mikko Koskinen for his first career NHL shutout.

Jonathan Toews had a shorthanded breakaway but couldn't slip it past Koskinen's five-hole. The Blackhawks also had a 2-on-1 opportunity shortly after with Alex DeBrincat and leading the rush, but couldn't convert. If they score on one of those chances, it would've evened the score at 1-1 and it's a brand new hockey game.

2. Late period penalty turns into costly goal

The late period goals are the ones that hurt the most, especially in a one-goal game where the next goal is crucial. Unfortunately for the Blackhawks, Andreas Martinsen lost his footing and committed a goaltender interference penalty with 1:47 left in the period and the Oilers cashed in.

It was a backbreaker for the Blackhawks, who spent the third period chasing. And with Patrick Kane battling through an illness, a two-goal deficit was too much to overcome for a team that hasn't gotten much depth scoring this season.

3. Special teams remains an issue

We're running out of things to say about the power play. It had another night where it came up empty, finishing 0-for-3 and generating six shots on goal. And it never really looked like it got into a rhythm, which has been a common theme.

The Blackhawks had two power-play opportunities in the third period with a chance to cut the deficit to one, but were denied by the Oilers, who had the 28th-ranked penalty kill going into the game with a 69.4 percent kill rate. This should've been a game to gain some confidence back in that department and they couldn't.

4. Nick Schmaltz a healthy scratch

The Blackhawks sent Brandon Saad a message by demoting him to the fourth line and flirting with the possibility of making him a healthy scratch. Now it appears they're doing the same with Schmaltz, who actually was a healthy scratch against the Oilers.

The 22-year-old forward is pointless in past his three games and had zero shot attempts on Wednesday when they could've used his offense without Kane. Schmaltz also committed a turnover that led to Edmonton's first goal, which probably didn't help his case.

This appears to be nothing more than the Blackhawks trying to get him going. With the Blackhawks getting shut out for the first time this season, expect him back in the lineup on Saturday against the Calgary Flames, who, oh by the way, overcame a 4-1 deficit to beat the Colorado Avalanche 6-5 on Thursday night.

NBCSportsChicago.com

Patrick Kane named NHL's 3rd Star for October

By Slavko Bekovic November 1, 2018

Patrick Kane is off to one of the best starts of his career and the NHL took notice, naming him the league’s Third Star for the month of October.

Despite missing Wednesday night’s game due to illness, Kane still holds a tie for the league-lead with 11 goals with Boston’s David Pastrnak. Meanwhile, his 18 points is tied for third in the NHL.

Kane has registered a point in 11 of the 12 games he’s played thus far and is off to a better points-pace than his 2015-16 campaign which saw him win the NHL’s Art Ross Trophy as the league leader in points. He also won the Hart Memorial Trophy that year as the league’s most valuable player.

Kane’s status is still uncertain for tonight’s game against the Edmonton Oilers.

Chicago Tribune

Blackhawks' losing streak hits 4 as Oilers romp to 4-0 win

By Jimmy Greenfield November 1, 2018

The day after Halloween can be pretty scary, too.

Drake Caggiula scored twice, including a shorthanded goal, and Oilers goalie Mikko Koskinen stopped 40 shots to send the Blackhawks to their fourth straight loss, a 4-0 decision at Rogers Place in Edmonton.

Patrick Kane (illness) returned after a one-game absence but Nick Schmaltz missed the game as a healthy scratch for the Hawks, who have been outscored 17-6 during their four-game winless streak that includes an overtime loss to the Oilers at the United Center on Sunday.

Caggiula scored 18 seconds into the second period and Jason Garrison added a goal with :36 left to give the Oilers a 2-0 lead. The Hawks had several great shorthanded chances in the second but couldn't get the puck past Koskinen. Cam Ward had 29 saves for the Hawks.

After outplaying the Oilers over the first two periods, they fell apart in the third. Caggiula scored his shorthanded goal and Alex Chiasson converted a 2-0 after Hawks defenseman Brandon Manning committed a turnover.

The Hawks' three-game road trip concludes Friday in Calgary.

Chicago Tribune 3 takeaways from Blackhawks' loss to the Oilers, including Nick Schmaltz, Patrick Kane and playoff position

By Jimmy Greenfield November 1, 2018

Patrick Kane isn’t sick anymore.

There, we have now reviewed all the positives from the Blackhawks’ 4-0 loss to the Oilers Thursday night.

To be fair, it really wasn’t all that bleak. The Hawks had 40 shots on goal, though coach Joel Quenneville said after the game the was misleading. And they did have a strong first period. The problem, of course, is that NHL games last three periods.

Here are a few more takeaways from the loss.

1. Nick Schmaltz was a healthy scratch and he deserved it.

Joel Quenneville's doghouse has been a lonely place this season. Just when it seems he's about to send someone there he changes his mind.

Brandon Saad almost got sent there a couple weeks ago, wearing the white “healthy scratch” jersey in practice before Quenneville decided to keep him in the lineup. Marcus Kruger looked like he was about to sit out a game after taking way too many penalties but he played in each of the last two games.

Schmaltz, on the other hand, is in the middle of his visit to the doghouse. Quenneville didn't play him on Thursday against the Oilers due to “performance-based expectations.”

It was a deserved benching. Schmaltz has one goal in 13 games this season and didn't have any shots on goal Wednesday night against the Canucks. He also committed a turnover that led to the Canucks' first goal.

Whether it was the threat of a benching or not, Saad's play turned around right after the period when he was a threat to get scratched. Kruger hasn't committed a penalth in the two games since Quenneville made it clear the penalties had to come to an end.

Will Schmaltz be able to turn his season around? We'll find out Saturday in Calgary.

2. There has been virtually no production from Bottom 6 forwards.

The hallmark of the Hawks' Stanley Cup-winning teams was scoring help from all over the lineup. That doesn't exist today.

Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Alex DeBrincat and Brandon Saad are the only Hawks who have scored three or more goals, and over the last six games only Artem Anisimov and Alexandre Fortin have scored. It's wonderful when your best players are playing like your best players but the rest of the team has to contribute too.

It's just not possible for Kane to score every game, though it seemed like that's what we was doing for the first month of the season. The other top forwards — Toews, DeBrincat and Saad — should be counted on to score once every three or four games.

David Kampf and John Hayden each only have one goal while Chris Kunitz, Luke Johnson and Andreas Martinsen don't have any. They don’t play every game and they don’t play a ton of minutes. But they need to find their way into the scoring column more often.

3. Out of the playoff picture. Part of the fun to the start of the season was looking at the standings and seeing that, hey, the Hawks would be in the playoffs if the season ended today.

Well, the fun is over. For now.

The Hawks woke up Friday morning on the outside looking in for the first time all season. Technically, they are tied with the Sharks for the final spot with 15 points. But the Hawks have played one more game so the ruling here is they’re not a playoff team at the moment.

This is the requisite time to point that it’s still early in the season. But if you got excited when they were looking like a playoff team because their record said they were a playoff team, then you have to get at least a little bothered when their record says they’re not one

Chicago Sun Times With Kane back, Blackhawks get 40 shots, but no goals in 4-0 loss to Oilers

By Mark Potash November 1, 2018

Patrick Kane returned after a one-game absence because of an illness, but the Blackhawks didn’t respond any better with their star forward than without him.

Despite 40 shots on goal, the Hawks couldn’t solve back-up goalie Mikko Koskinen in a 4-0 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night at Rogers Place.

Coach Joel Quenneville, in fact, seemed particularly irked by the familiar pattern in back-to-back losses to the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday and the Oilers on Thursday — a strong start negated by a weak finish.

“We had an excellent first period and the first shift of the second, all of the sudden we give up a funny puck in the neutral zone and it’s in our net,” Quenneville said. “And they get some excitement off it.

‘We had short-handed, odd-man situations and didn’t capitalize. The goalie was getting confidence as the game progressed. I thought he played well. But we didn’t make it hard enough on him.”

The Hawks controlled play and outshot the Oilers 15-7 in the first period, but settle for a scoreless tie thanks to some big saves by Cam Ward on point-blank opportunities. But Drake Caggiula scored from in close just 18 seconds into the second period and Jason Garrison scored on a slap shot with 36 seconds to play in the period to give the Oilers a 2-0 lead.

In between those goals, the Hawks had three golden short-handed opportunities — including a Jonathan Toews breakaway — but came up empty.

“I don’t know if the frustration level is high,” Toews said. “Last night in Vancouver was pretty similar to tonight where we start pressing and making mistakes and pucks start going in against us.

“We always want to improve no matter what. But I think we’re getting lots of shots on net, lots of chances and I think our second [period] was pretty strong. It was just unfortunate we couldn’t find a way to get the upper hand.”

The Hawks were outshooting the Oilers 40-22 midway through the third period. But Quenneville was unimpressed.

“Some are just token [shots], where there’s not traffic and it was like OK,” Quenneville said. “But don’t be misled. That was not good enough.”

Schmaltz sits

Forward Nick Schmaltz, who has a minus-4 rating in his last three games, was a surprising healthy scratch.

“Performance-based. Expectations,” Quenneville said. “I just think we need him to be an important player for us.”

Kane returns

Kane didn’t have his usual spark, but gutted it out and still had six shots on goal in 18:57 of ice time. Toews’ lament

Toews rued his missed opportunity with the short-handed breakaway “One of those you want back instantly when it doesn’t go in,” Toews said. “Just trying to get him to bite on a shot or a fake shot, get him moving and usually when you come in with speed, it’s tough to stop for a goaltender. Just didn’t put the puck in the right area. Didn’t miss it by much, though.”

Chicago Sun Times

At 39, Blackhawks newcomer Chris Kunitz eager to start from scratch

By Mark Potash November 1, 2018

After 14 seasons, 1,055 games and four Stanley Cups, it was almost like starting over for Chris Kunitz.

With no goals, one points and a minus-5 rating in his first 11 games with the Blackhawks, the former Penguins forward was a healthy scratch last week against the Edmonton Oilers. Kunitz was a healthy scratch for only the third time in his NHL career — and the first time since he became a regular in 2007.

“You want to go out there and have the coach have trust in you, that you can have an impact on the game,” Kunitz said prior to Thursday night’s rematch against the Oilers at Rogers Place. “If you don’t have that, you’re kind of almost lost — playing the game, but without a purpose. And they know that — obviously that’s why they made that decision to put other guys out there.”

Kunitz accepted his punishment, watched from the press box and came back — as expected — determined to re-gain coach Joel Quenneville’s trust when he was back in the lineup against the Canucks on Wednesday night.

It didn’t take long to make an impact, as Kunitz assisted on Brandon Saad’s first-period goal. With Saad in his own rejuvenation after a slow start, Kunitz overall played a strong two-way game despite a 4-2 loss.

“I think that’s trying to be a proud hockey player and go out and have that positive contribution, so it’s nice,” Kunitz said. “For a few games there, you feel like you’re chasing it and nothing’s going right. You always wonder in the back in the your mind, ‘Am I gonna sit this one?’ or whatever.

“It definitely feels good. I think any player in the NHL will tell you any time they get one point, they have a confidence, a little more jump in their step. And game just seems a little bit easier. It helps for the personal confidence, just going out and making a play and having a positive contribution.”

Kunitz knows he still has a long way to go to give the Hawks the veteran spark they were looking for. His 12-game goal drought heading into Thursday night’s game was his longest to start an NHL season in his 15-year career.

“I don’t think that’s indicative of how I’ll play all year,” Kunitz said. “Obviously you want to be contribute more offensively when you have a new career. You want to have an effect on the game. Hopefully I’ll find one that will bounce in and a couple more will go in.

There’s no telling how far pride can take a player like Kunitz, who has been a dependable player throughout his career and most of all a winner. Though he has played a complementary top-six role through most of his career, it’s not a coincidence that he’s the only player in the salary-cap era to win four Stanley Cups — with the Ducks in 2007 and with the Penguins in 2009, 2016 and 2017.

And even when he was past his prime he still found a way to make a difference. After scoring nine goals in the 2016-17 regular season with the Penguins, Kunitz scored the series-clinching goal in double-overtime of Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Senators.

“I’ve got to commend him on how he’s handled coming into a new situation,” Quenneville said. “He’s got good awareness of his situation, his contribution. I think he’s gotten off to a start that’s been fine, but his [production] is certainly not what he envisioned. But I liked his response [Wednesday]. He’s a great pro. He wants to help us in a lot of different ways.”

Daily Herald Patrick Kane is off to his best start ever. He thinks he can reach 'another level.'

By John Dietz November 2, 2018

With 11 goals in the Chicago Blackhawks' first 13 games, Patrick Kane is off to the best start of his career.

• Better than the 9 he scored in 2013 as the 10-0-3 Hawks were in the middle of an NHL-record 21-0-3 start.

• Better than the 7 he put up the next season, when the Hawks would go on to lose a heartbreaking Game 7 to the Los Angeles Kings in the Western Conference finals.

• And better than the 8 he racked up during an MVP campaign in 2015-16 that saw him finish with a career-best 46 goals and 106 points.

This start tops them all.

Yet, somewhat shockingly, former Hawk and respected TV analyst Eddie Olczyk believes there's "another level" Kane could reach.

"I agree, for sure," Kane said Tuesday before the Hawks began a three-game road trip. "There are games where sometimes you don't really play as well and you're just trying to find a way to get one here or there, and then all of a sudden it kind of adds up a little bit. There's still some more I can bring as far as controlling the play and having the puck more and creating plays.

"I'd probably agree with that assessment. All players, once they get going, they don't want to be satisfied with where they're at. They want to keep improving."

Good decision

It almost seems ludicrous to think that Kane could reach another level. Yet, that may be exactly what we're seeing.

If we want to examine why, all you have to do is go back to last April when Kane made the decision to take part in the World Championships in Denmark.

"That was a great experience for me," he said. "It's something I'm really happy I did (and) probably something I should have done the previous couple years as well."

Not only did Kane lead the United States to a bronze medal by scoring 8 goals and dishing out 12 assists in 10 games, but he was also named team captain by coach Jeff Blashill.

"Patrick has shown unreal leadership ability for us," Blashill said on NHL Network. "That's what I've been most impressed with. He's obviously one of the most talented players in the world, but the leadership and his approach from a team perspective has been the biggest thing I've seen."

Kane also once again went to Florida to train with world-renowned performance coach Darryl Belfry, and he also took part in the new Chicago Pro Hockey League at MB Ice Arena last summer.

All of these things appear to be paying off. "He seems like he has another level of speed in his game this year," Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "And the way he's handling the puck, shooting the puck -- he's finding several opportunities on a game-to-game basis and it doesn't matter who he's with." Said Olczyk: "He's making a lot happen on his own. When he wants the puck, he goes to the puck. He's not waiting for it. … He's going to an area and saying, 'Give it to me.' "

Always producing

Patrick Kane goes through linemates like Liz Taylor went through husbands.

"I think it's been changing for like 12 years," Kane said with a wry smile when asked if he'd like to have a bit more consistency this season.

Kane began this campaign with Brandon Saad and Nick Schmaltz. Then Alexandre Fortin replaced Saad, Anisimov replaced Fortin and Saad replaced Schmaltz.

Since Kane's rookie campaign, 15 players have been on the ice with him for at least 500 minutes at even strength, according to naturalstattrick.com.

It's a list that includes Jonathan Toews (4,731), Patrick Sharp (2,891), Anisimov (2,213), Artemi Panarin (2,089), Kris Versteeg (1,268) and even guys such as Andrew Shaw (622), Viktor Stalberg (586), Marcus Kruger (560) and Bryan Bickell (543).

Despite it all, Kane continues to produce and make everyone around him better.

"It's not easy doing what he's doing," Olczyk said. "And it's not easy playing with guys like that. People think, 'Oh, anybody can play with Aaron Rodgers or Patrick Kane or Michael Jordan.' It's not that way.

"It's not necessarily because those guys are demanding or they expect you to get to their level. It's an expectation of being able to read off that player and know when he wants the puck, when he doesn't, where to go, where not to go and always be ready for it."

The speedy, shifty Schmaltz said it's easy playing with Kane because they think the same way on the ice. For a big center like Anisimov, though, it can be challenging.

"Sometimes when we're not in the same mindset where everybody needs to go, there's confusion," Anisimov admitted.

So Anisimov must think on the fly at times. A good example came at St. Louis last week when Kane took a different route than Anisimov was expecting during an odd-man rush in the second period.

"I thought he was going to go behind my back, but he went (to the middle). I say, 'OK. Then go there,' " Anisimov chuckled. "And he scored."

Shoot to kill

That goal against the Blues came on a perfectly placed wrist shot that connected just under the right crossbar after Kane patiently skated in to the left of Jake Allen. His other goal that night came on a low wrist shot from 45 feet out that Allen didn't see until it was too late.

This is what makes Kane so dangerous at any given moment.

Sure, he'll often connect with a vicious one-timer or on the breakaway, but he'll also beat you by roofing a backhander or with a spin-o-rama backhander. He'll snap a shot short-side through a six-inch window. Or he'll maneuver through two or three players, create space and score a highlight-reel goal that often leaves announcers gasping for air and unable to finish a thought.

Here's Pat Foley's call on Kane's double-overtime winner against St. Louis in Game 5 of the 2016 : "In front Kane, around a check, to the BACKHAAAAND! He tried a shot! Oh, and it hit a! Rebound! The Hawks win! Hawks win! Patrick Kane!" If you recall, Kane's initial shot attempt was deflected and squirted to the right of Blues goalie Brian Elliott. Kane took three quick strides around the back of the net and backhanded a shot into the open cage before Elliott knew what hit him.

"He's one of the highest IQ-level players in the game," Schmaltz said. "He's not the most physical guy, but he's always in the right spot. …

"I've learned a lot from him -- not only in games but in practice, too. Little things that he works on. Placing shots. He doesn't have the hardest shot in the league, but he's just so accurate with it. His head's always up, he sees holes and picks 'em."

Can he hit 60? 65?

Much like past superstars Michael Jordan, Stan Mikita and Walter Payton, Patrick Kane has an insatiable desire to dazzle each night.

MJ was never satisfied after a 50-point game, nor was Mikita after scoring 2 or 3 goals, nor Payton after running for 150 yards and 2 touchdowns.

"Wipe the slate clean," Kane said.

So what kind of season could this be for Kane? He definitely could approach his career high of 46 goals. He could even hit 50 or 55.

Heck, he's on pace for 69. Is 65 possible, a number reached just 24 times in NHL history?

"It's not happening," Olczyk said. "If you were going to say 50 or 55, I'd grab onto your coattails. … Being a horse player myself, I'm going to put my money on his nose all the time. But you start talking about 65, you're probably stretching it."

Perhaps. But one thing's for sure -- Kane's going to enjoy the ride as long as it lasts.

"Throughout seasons you always have some type of streak where you can get hot," he said. "The thing is trying to keep that going as long as possible. In that (MVP) season, I had a 26-game (point) streak. I mean that's something that can't really be replicated unless you get really hot.

"Just take it a game at a time, try to produce every night and see what happens."

Daily Herald

Schmaltz scratched from Chicago Blackhawks loss to Oilers

By John Dietz November 2, 2018

After missing a game due to illness, Patrick Kane returned to action for the Chicago Blackhawks in their 4-0 loss Thursday night at Edmonton.

That news paled in comparison, however, to coach Joel Quenneville's shocking decision to scratch 22-year-old forward Nick Schmaltz.

It was Schmaltz who committed a costly first-period turnover in Vancouver on Wednesday that allowed Jake Virtanen to race the other way and tie things up at 1-1. The Hawks were controlling the flow to that point, but Virtanen's tally gave the Canucks life and they went on to score a pair of third-period goals en route to a 4-2 victory.

Schmaltz wasn't the only one at fault (Jonathan Toews had a costly turnover in the third period), but his stat sheet was awfully ugly: no shot attempts, no takeaways, no blocked shots and no hits in just more than 14 minutes of ice time.

"Performance-based. Expectations," Quenneville told reporters in Edmonton when asked why Schmaltz didn't play. "And you know, I just think that we need him to be an important player for us."

Many believe Schmaltz will be a top-six center on the Hawks for years to come, yet he's scored just once on 19 shots in 13 games after scoring 21 times last season.

John Hayden took Schmaltz's spot on the third line against Edmonton. He had no hits or shots on goal in 9:45.

The Oilers took a 2-0 lead on second-period goals by Drake Caggiula at 0:18 and Jason Garrison at 19:23. Caggiula then scored short-handed 6:49 into the third period, Alex Chiasson made it 4-0 at 10:38, and Edmonton (7-4-1) went on to win for the fourth time in five games.

Despite several prime chances in the second period, the Hawks (6-5-3) never solved goalie Mikko Koskinen (40 saves). The best looks included:

• Luke Johnson's in-close shot that hit Koskinen in the pads.

• Toews' failed short-handed breakaway attempt with about six minutes remaining.

• Brandon Manning and Alex DeBrincat both getting off shots on a short-handed 2-on-1, only to be stoned by Koskinen.

"We had all those odd-man situations there and we didn't capitalize," Quenneville said. "(Koskinen) was getting confidence as the game progressed. Not enough bodies at the net. He was seeing a lot of pucks. Big guy, but we didn't make it hard enough on him."

The Hawks have lost four straight and are at Calgary on Saturday to close out a three-game road trip.

Daily Herald

Koskinen, Oilers blank Blackhawks 4-0

By Associated Press November 2, 2018

Mikko Koskinen is off to a nice start in his return to the NHL.

Koskinen made 40 saves for his first career shutout, Drake Caggiula scored twice and the Edmonton Oilers beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-0 on Thursday night.

The 30-year-old Koskinen became the sixth goaltender in franchise history to record at least 40 saves in a shutout performance. Not bad for a player whose previous NHL experience consisted of four games for the during the 2010-2011 season.

After playing primarily in the KHL, Koskinen signed with Edmonton as a free agent this summer. He earned a 5-3 victory in Nashville last Saturday in his only other appearance while backing up Cam Talbot.

"He was outstanding," Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl said. "That is what good goalies do. He hasn't played much, but he was able to stay confident. It's pretty impressive to see him come out with two performances like that."

Koskinen said he always wanted to come back to the NHL and prove himself.

"It was always on my mind," the 6-foot-7 goaltender said. "I had opportunities, like, three, four years ago, but I always decided to stay. I thought I could still get better there (in St. Petersburg), and my setup there was great.

"But I always had it in my sight, to come back and try to be a goalie here."

Jason Garrison and Alex Chiasson also scored for the Oilers (7-4-1), who have won four of five.

Cam Ward made 25 saves for the Blackhawks (6-5-3), who have lost four straight.

"I don't know if the frustration level is high," Chicago captain Jonathan Toews said. "At the end of day, though it doesn't look good on the scoreboard.

"But for the most part, we're involved and we're in the game giving ourselves a chance to win for the majority of 60 minutes."

Koskinen made 15 saves during a scoreless first period and Edmonton jumped in front 18 seconds into the second. Caggiula showed some deft hands in front, spinning around and then shoveling home his third of the season while being knocked to his knees from behind.

Koskinen made some exceptional stops to keep Edmonton in front, denying Toews on a short-handed breakaway with six minutes left in the middle period, and then Alex DeBrincat in tight later on during the same sloppy Oilers power play.

Edmonton went up 2-0 with 37 seconds left in the second. Garrison scored on the power play for his first goal with the Oilers.

Edmonton added to its lead with a short-handed tally in the third. Jujhar Khaira did a good job to get it to Caggiula, who froze Ward on a deke before scoring at 6:49.

Edmonton got another midway through the third when Chiasson scored his fifth goal in his last six games. NOTES: It was the second of three meetings between the teams this season. Edmonton beat Chicago 2-1 in overtime last Sunday. ... Blackhawks star Patrick Kane returned to the lineup after missing Wednesday's 4-2 loss in Vancouver with an illness. It was the end of Kane's 258-game regular-season Ironman streak.

The Athletic

The Blackhawks are who we thought they were, so buckle up

By Mark Lazerus November 2, 2018

Well, what did you expect?

Did you think Jonathan Toews was going to suddenly become a 40-goal, 90-point guy a dozen years into his NHL career? Did you think Patrick Kane was going to score 82 goals in 82 games? Did you think Alex DeBrincat was going to give his old linemate Connor McDavid a run for the scoring title? Did you think a patchwork blueline leaning most heavily on a teenager was going to yield 25 shots a night, all from the perimeter? Did you think a bottom six made up of three Marcus Krugers, two bangers and a 39-year-old was going to contribute the way Patrick Sharp, Antoine Vermette and Teuvo Teravainen did?

The Blackhawks are 6-4-4 right now and lingering around the Western Conference playoff bubble, and frankly, that’s probably better than most people expected nearly one-fifth of the way through the season. You can thank Corey Crawford’s surprisingly swift and surprisingly smooth return for much of that.

But the truth is, they are who we thought they were. Or, at least, what I thought they were. Most fans and some pundits had them pegged as a contender for the Jack Hughes sweepstakes, but it was never going to be that bad. Certainly not with Crawford and Cam Ward (who has been far better than his brutal stats suggest) in net rather than Anton Forsberg, Jeff Glass, J-F Berube and an accountant.

The Blackhawks are a bubble team, and barring any catastrophe or miracle, they’re going to be a bubble team all season. They’re going to steal a few games. They’re going to look great some nights. They’re going to look awful some nights. And they’re going to go 0-3-1 some four-game stretches. They’re going to tease you and they’re going to infuriate you. Thirty other fan bases know the feeling.

For the better part of a decade, Blackhawks fans were spoiled by a brilliant, unflappable team that most opponents simply couldn’t keep up with. When the Blackhawks lost, it was often because they were disinterested, or coasting through a relatively meaningless regular season. Sure, fans would render garments over the sputtering power play and gnash their teeth over a lousy road trip here and there, but everyone knew the Blackhawks would still be standing in the end, when it mattered.

Now? We don’t know that anymore. After last season’s debacle — “It makes you check your own ego and it’s a humbling experience,” Toews said Wednesday morning in Vancouver — the Blackhawks’ players, coaches, executives and fans know that every squandered point adds up, that the playoffs are promised to no one. Not even the mighty Blackhawks. So it makes every loss feel like a disaster, and every losing streak feel like the apocalypse.

The truth is less dramatic, of course. It usually is. The Blackhawks weren’t as good as that 6-2-2 start suggested — they were being carried by Kane, DeBrincat and Toews and were winning despite routinely blowing 2-0 leads and giving up an obscene amount of shots and scoring chances. And the Blackhawks aren’t as bad as their 0-3-1 mark over the last four games suggests — they were a pair of shorthanded second-period breakaways away from turning around both the Vancouver and Edmonton games, with Brandon Saad finding the crossbar in Vancouver and Toews getting denied by a 30-year-old Edmonton goalie playing his second NHL game since the 2010-11 season.

After the Oilers loss, I started out the postgame scrum by asking Toews what the frustration level was within the dressing room. Toews, ever defiant, ever poised, shrugged it off. “I don’t know if the frustration level is high,” he said. “Even though it doesn’t look good on the scoreboard. Near the end of the game in Vancouver was pretty similar to (Edmonton) where we start pressing and make mistakes and pucks start going in against us. But for the most part, we’re involved and we’re in the game, giving ourselves a chance to win for the majority of the 60 minutes. … For the first two periods, we did a good job of creating chances and making them play in their end. And sometimes if those pucks go in, it definitely reassures you and gives you confidence to keep working. We can’t let the fact that we weren’t getting the results tonight get to us and slow us down.”

Makes sense. And in years past, you’d never even entertain the possibility that a skid like this could snowball into an extended, season-defining meltdown. But these aren’t the too-young-and-dumb-to-know-any-better 2010 Blackhawks, nor are they the insanely dominant 2013 Blackhawks, nor are they the battle-tested, unkillable 2015 Blackhawks. They are something new, something unknown.

So it’ll fall on Toews and the handful of guys left from those glory years to keep a relatively unproven roster together.

“That’s our job to kind of rise above that, and I think we talked a lot about wanting to be that team that’s resilient and sticks with it in games when we’re down, especially on the road,” Toews said. “That we can find ways to win in ugly games where maybe we’re not the dominant team. It’s just one of those things. It builds character, and we’ve got to stay with it and find ways to build confidence from within no matter what. Tough results these last two nights. There’s some good there, but obviously still a lot of room to improve.”

Out of the locker room, down the hall and by the TV backdrop, Joel Quenneville was feeling a little less kumbaya. He, too, was encouraged by stretches in both Vancouver and Edmonton. He, too, pointed to Toews’ shorthanded attempt as a big moment. But he was clearly upset about the way his team all but folded in the third period both nights, getting sloppy with the puck and letting close games get away from them. A shorthanded goal against at the end of a second straight terrible power play clearly stuck in his craw.

And the Blackhawks’ 40-29 edge in shots on goal didn’t impress him. Far more important were the 13 high-danger chances against.

“Some are just token (shots) where there’s not traffic,” Quenneville said of his team’s tally. “But don’t be misled. That was not good enough.”

And that’s going to be the case a fair amount this season. Yes, there are things the Blackhawks can — and should — do to give themselves a better chance. Calling up Dylan Sikura and seeing if he can inject some offense into the bottom six would be a good start, perhaps on a line with Alexandre Fortin (who keeps creating chances with his speed) and Nick Schmaltz (whom Quenneville tried to light a fire under with a healthy scratch after an alarmingly passive and sloppy game in Vancouver). Stan Bowman doesn’t have to wait until the trade deadline to further beef up the depth scoring with all that cap space he freed up by unloading Marian Hossa. And the power play can — no, must — be reconfigured. Maybe more Henri Jokiharju, less Duncan Keith. More forwards, fewer defensemen. Load up on one unit with Kane, Toews, Saad and DeBrincat. Work more from behind the net rather than the half wall. Do something different. Anything.

I asked Toews if the power play needed a massive overhaul or minor tweaks. He paused for six full seconds.

“It’s a good question,” he eventually said. “I don’t know what to say.” He noted the Blackhawks have good power plays and bad ones, leading him to believe it’s just a matter of execution. Maybe. But only the have a worse power-play percentage than the Blackhawks’ 13.0. And it’s by one-tenth of a percentage point.

So yes, there are some things that can be addressed. But they’re not going to be magically fixed by one move, by one personnel change. They’re going to linger all season.

And beyond that, Connor Murphy — arguably the Blackhawks’ best defenseman last season — is still weeks away from returning from a back injury, and Gustav Forsling needs to prove he’s NHL-ready again before getting his chance to bump Brandon Manning, Brandon Davidson or Jan Rutta (none of whom seems to have a real stranglehold on a spot). Niklas Hjalmarsson isn’t walking through that door. Neither is 2013 Johnny Oduya, or 2010 Dustin Byfuglien. This is the Blackhawks’ defense. Buckle up, Corey and Cam. The Blackhawks are what their record suggests they are — a potentially pretty good team, a potentially pretty bad team. They’ll alternately be dazzling and disastrous, brilliant and brutal. And they’ll consistently be maddening but entertaining, what the analytics folks call a “high-event” team. They have good pieces, but not quite enough of them. They have optimism, but of the cautious variety. The 2018-19 season is going to be the grind of all grinds — no game will ever be a given, no point won or lost will ever be insignificant.

So prepare yourselves. It could end up being a lot of fun. But it’s also going to drive you nuts. Welcome to how the other half has lived all these years.

CalgaryFlames.com NEVER SAY DIE: Flames erase 4-1, third-period deficit to beat Avalanche 6-5

By Ryan Dittrick November 1, 2018

It's called character.

An identity.

Without it, you have nothing.

The 2018-19 Flames have not only established one, but they're now engrossed by what it takes to be that, to play that way - the right way - night in, night out, and to have success as one of the NHL's newest high-speed, highly skilled franchises.

What's more, they're putting on one heckuva show for the Flames faithful in the process.

Take, for example, what the 19,000-plus on hand were witness to on Thursday.

In a word: Electricity.

Everyone counted them out, except themselves.

The Flames came all the way back from a 4-1 deficit with five unanswered goals in the third period to beat - thump, demolish - the Colorado Avalanche in dramatic fashion, 6-5.

Elias Lindholm, Sean Monahan, James Neal, Mark Giordano and Michael Frolik tallied in the final frame, while Mikael Backlund had the other for Calgary early in the middle stanza.

To a man, the players in the dressing room lauded the work by Sam Bennett to help turn the tide. Late in the second, Ian Cole levelled Mark Jankowski with a high hit in the neutral zone, sparking a response and giving the homeside an extended powerplay as a result of the five-and-a-game penalty Cole received.

"I didn't like the hit," Bennett said. "It's part of the game, but sometimes when there's hits like that, you've got to do your own policing."

The skipper couldn't agree more.

"Benny steps up for us there and that's a big thing among teammates when they're willing to go to battle for one another," Giordano said.

"We got a powerplay out of it and made it count.

"The momentum shifted and we didn't lay off the gas."

Giordano scored the go-ahead goal at 13:47, picking the short side after getting a pretty feed from Backlund on a speedy rush through the middle. Frolik rounded out the scoring with a great shot on a 2-on-1, giving the Flames the insurance they needed to close out the victory, as the Avalanche added one late.

In order to get there, they needed everyone on board. First it was Lindholm.

Then Monahan.

And finally, Neal. 4-4.

"We all knew," Bennett said of the first 40 minutes. "We all knew we were a better team than that. Nothing needed to be said. Everyone was aware of it, and this is looking more like our group now.

"It's amazing. It's a pretty incredible comeback. It's hard to do in this league and the performance that we put out was pretty impressive."

In that implausible third period, Lindholm took advantage on the Bennett-inspired powerplay, firing home his team- leading ninth of the year to bring the Flames within two just 47 seconds into the third.

"It's not easy, but Benny goes in and lays a licking," said Travis Hamonic, who knows all about the deed of defending a teammate. "That changes the game. It's not easy standing in there, but Benny did it like a champ.

"That was the difference in the game."

Monahan made it a one-goal game with a nifty redirection of a Noah Hanifin point shot at 5:21.

Then, a fabulous pinch by rookie Juuso Valimaki led to a nifty Johnny Gaudreau setup, with Neal serving as the triggerman at 10:52.

"It felt great," said Neal after the scoring his biggest goal as a Flame.

"I thought we were solid. We were playing our game. A couple turnovers that they capitalized on, but I liked the way we stuck with it. We had the powerplay to start the third period.

"Get one, things start coming alive."

The Flames were altogether dominant in the opening 20 minutes, outshooting the Avalanche 13-4 and manufacturing a large majority of the quality scoring chances.

But the early puck luck wasn't theirs.

With the top powerplay unit setting things up inside the Avalanche blueline, the puck took a funny hop off the near boards, eluding Matthew Tkachuk and springing the visitors on a 2-on-1 break. Vladislav Kamenev took it all the way down the ice and unloaded from the left circle, beating Mike Smith bar down to score his first NHL goal.

The Avs took a 2-0 lead just 2:49 later.

Sheldon Dries got a fortuitous bounce in tight, as a Tyson Barrie pass across the goalmouth pinballed ever-so-slowly across the goal line.

Backlund got the Flames on the board at 6:34, but the Avs got it right back, and then some.

Dries gathered up a loose puck off an aerial dump, spotted Colin Wilson charging on the opposite side, and fed a beautiful pass across for the one-timer. Carl Soderberg put the Avs up by three at 16:41, squeaking one through the pads on partial 2-on-1 following a neutral-zone turnover.

From there, it was all Calgary.

"We fed their transition for a little bit there in the second," said head coach Bill Peters. "We gave up some chances we haven't given up recently, so we've got to talk about it.

"But it was good to get some run support for our ."

CalgaryFlames.com COMEBACK KIDS- Giordano: 'Those are the fun moments, getting on a roll like that.'

By George Johnson November 2, 2018

There was, following their second goal, almost a savage inevitability to it all.

They continued to pour forward, like tsunami waves battering a brick fortification; French peasants storming the Bastille on July 24, 1789 in Paris; a rampaging colony of African red army ants descending on an outlying village.

For so long, as the red-clad tempest pounded relentlessly away, all that had stood between the Colorado Avalanche and imminent destruction was goaltender Semyon Varlamov.

And when he finally, almost inevitably, cracked …

Well.

"A fun atmosphere,'' confessed captain Mark Giordano of Thursday's five-goal, third-period laser-light-show comeback 6-5 victory by the Flames. "Those are the fun moments, getting on a roll like that.

"They had no answer there in the third. We were moving our feet, we were pushing the pace.

"We didn't lay off the gas, that's for sure."

No, it was pedal to the metal, full throttle, for 20 solid minutes. The tire tracks are still visible on the backs of the Avalanche.

Fittingly, after clawing all the way back to 4-4 on James Neal's third of the season at 10:52 of the third, Giordano answered the hero's call, accepting Mikael Backlund's short diagonal pass to pound the puck beyond a weary Varlamov a shade less than three minutes later.

Giordano's Dolby Stereo-loud yelp to Mikael Backlund as the he raced up to join the rush could be heard all the way out in Beiseker.

"Neutral zone play, Brodes up to Chucky, great play to Backs another great play, by Backs, hitting me late,'' recounted Giordano. "From our blueline I saw it open a bit. And then, when you're that close you try and pick your spot.

"And it went in."

That's what captains - the best ones - do.

Varlamov entered the game sporting a Original Six-calibre goals-against-average (1.62) and save percentage (.950) and held the Flames at bay for as long as humanly possible.

"You could feel it on the ice, on the bench - we were going to turn this around,'' said Backlund.

"When you get rolling like we did in the third … it's hard to explain. As soon as we got that powerplay goal, you didn't wonder, you didn't hope. You knew. That's how it felt, anyway. The building was energetic and we fed off that."

The key moment, by all estimation, occurred near the 17-minute mark of the second period, Ian Cole of the Avs chargingMark Jankowski. In sailed Sam Bennett in search of payback and the gloves were duly shucked.

After the dust had cleared, Cole had an extra three minutes of hoosegow time for a charging major (Bennett slapped with an instigating minor), and the Flames cashed on the PP via Elias Lindholm just 47 seconds from puck-drop of the third. "Benny steps up for us there,'' emphasized Giordano, "and that's a big thing for teammates, when you're willing to go to battle for each other.

"We got a powerplay out of the whole situation and made it count. A combination of things created some momentum.

"(Varlamov) is a great goalie but we weren't getting enough traffic in front of him, enough second and third opportunites. But I thought in the third we had a couple 10-bellers in the slot. We just kept getting to the net."

From the Lindholm goal on, the Avs must've felt as if they'd been chucked into a piranha tank. Sean Monahan sliced the lead to one, 4-3, before Neal drew them even and Giordano forged them ahead.

"That powerplay goal,'' agreed Backlund, "was huge. But Benny's fight, too, was a big finish to the second, gave us a lot of energy.

"A great comeback, for sure. We came back in Buffalo. The Washington games. Tonight.

"We don't want to be putting ourselves in that position too often but when it happens, we know there's enough character in this room, the commitment, to pull ourselves back."

Calgary Herald COMEBACK KIDS- Giordano: 'Those are the fun moments, getting on a roll like that.'

By Wes Gilbertson November 1, 2018

The building was already buzzing.

Juuso Valimaki provided an added jolt.

With the Calgary Flames still trailing by one in Thursday’s third period, the rookie delivered a game- changing play on a perfect pinch, crunching Colorado Avalanche forward Matt Calvert to disrupt a breakout at the offensive blue-line.

The puck popped to Flames’ superstar Johnny Gaudreau, who did what he does — plattered a purdy pass for a teammate.

And then free-agent addition James Neal did, finally, what he’s been doing for years — scored a turning-point type of goal.

Valimaki, though, made it happen, a key moment for the Flames en route to an epic comeback in Thursday’s 6-5 triumph over the Avalanche.

“Oh … huge,” marvelled Flames captain Mark Giordano at the mention of Valimaki’s assist. “That was just a great read. He timed it perfect, too. You have to wait until the guy gets the puck or it’s interference, and he timed it perfect. And to be able to keep the puck in the zone, all in one shot … I think that was a real turning point, too. That was big momentum there for us.

“That really put them back on their heels, and we kept going.”

Sure did.

Less than three minutes after Neal’s tying tally, Giordano ripped a low shot on a rush for the go-ahead goal.

Soon after, Michael Frolik cashed in on a two-on-one — Flames left-winger Matthew Tkachuk, with the setup, collected his third assist of the night — for the eventual game-winner.

Elias Lindholm and Sean Monahan also scored during Calgary’s five-goal outburst in a wild third period at the Saddledome.

Thanks to that late splurge, the Flames extended their current points spree to four straight — an overtime loss and then three consecutive Ws.

“Those are the fun moments you have playing — getting on a roll like that,” Giordano said. “You could feel the other team, they had no answer there in the third. We were moving our feet. We were pushing the pace. It was fun getting the crowd involved like that and getting going.”

There were plenty of key contributors in Thursday’s doozy.

Giordano and Tkachuk piled up three points apiece. Neal, who had managed just two tallies since signing that big-ticket contract as an unrestricted free agent, picked the top-shelf on a must-have, showing why he’s been a consistent threat for the past decade. Left-winger Sam Bennett was wearing the Calgary Police Service cowboy-hat afterward, with multiple teammates — and bench boss Bill Peters — pinpointing his scrap with Avalanche rearguard Ian Cole as when the momentum really started to shift.

Cole was dinged with a major for charging after crunching centre Mark Jankowski late in the second. The Flames were still up a man when Lindholm cued the comeback, trimming the deficit to 4-2 with a power-play marker just 47 seconds into the final frame.

“When I think about it, I don’t think we were playing that bad. It was just a couple of bad bounces, they scored a couple and all of a sudden it was 4-1,” Valimaki said. “I think everybody knew that we were all of them for the most part of the game so if we just keep working, we’ll have a great chance to come back. We talked in the room that let’s get one right away on the PP and we got one, and that changed all the momentum. And then we just kept rolling and rolling and rolling.

“When we scored a couple and the crowd gets into it, that’s a pretty great feeling. Everybody obviously gets more energy from the fans.

“From that moment we scored the first one, I kinda knew we were coming back. You could just feel the energy when we started scoring.”

After a scoreless opening period, the Avalanche opened up a two-goal lead on a pair of memory-makers, with rookie forwards Vladislav Kamenev and Sheldon Dries each notching their first NHL goals in a span of less than two minutes.

Mikael Backlund buried Tkachuk’s feed to put the hosts on the board, but Colin Wilson and Carl Soderberg continued to dig the locals a deep hole.

Not too deep, apparently.

After Lindholm buried his team-leading ninth goal of the season, Monahan continued to chip away at the deficit with a deflection goal.

Then there was Neal’s notch, made possible by Valimaki’s pinch.

Giordano capped his first-star showing with that low sizzler, and Frolik’s insurance strike turned out to be the winner after Colorado’s own captain — Gabriel Landeskog — made things interesting with 63 seconds remaining.

“That’s a pretty incredible comeback,” Bennett summed up. “That’s hard to do in this league.”

Next up, the Flames will welcome the Chicago Blackhawks for Saturday’s Hockey Night in Canada showdown at the Saddledome (8 p.m., CBC/Sportsnet 960 The Fan).