NEWSLETTER
While the result was the same two nights in-a-row for the Blackhawks, the feeling surrounding each result was different. After a disappointing effort against the Nashville Predators on Friday night, Chicago had a much more spirited comeback effort against the Dallas Stars on Saturday night. Unfortunately, each game ended in an overtime loss for the Blackhawks and they now face their first losing streak since Derek King took over as head coach.
• First and foremost, last night saw a dangerous hit between Brett Connolly and former Blackhawk Tanner Kero. Connolly was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct for his high hit on Kero, which left him knocked out and had to be taken off the ice on a stretcher.
Prayers for Tanner Kero. Not good. pic.twitter.com/zYnhCkxSmD
— Nick Alberga (@thegoldenmuzzy) December 19, 2021
• This is the second time this season that the Blackhawks have been involved in an incident like this. Earlier this season, Jujhar Khaira was knocked out of a game and had to be stretchered off the ice after a high hit from Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba. After last night’s game, Kero’s teammate Joe Pavelski was emotional talking about the play.
Joe Pavelski gets very emotional speaking about the hit and injury to Tanner Kero tonight #TexasHockey #CHIvsDAL
pic.twitter.com/IR20JCq9WX— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) December 19, 2021
• You can clearly see how an incident like that can shake-up a player. Pavelski was able to respond with two powerplay goals on the ensuing five-minute powerplay for the Stars. But having to see your teammate go off the ice on a stretcher and then have to turn around and play again like nothing happened takes its toll on players.
Strome on moving on from Kero injury: "It's kind of crazy, to be honest. He's knocked out cold, gets wheeled off on a stretcher, and you just go right back out there. You have to brush it off and know he's in good hands and know there's nothing else much we can do from the ice."
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) December 19, 2021
• The hit itself did not look malicious from Connolly. To me, he guessed Kero’s path to the puck would go towards the boards and he would line up a hit on his shoulder. Kero turned up the ice instead and never saw Connolly coming.
Derek King said Brett Connolly is a little “shaken up” after the Tanner Kero incident.
King said he’s going to have a talk with him after the game to calm him down: “He’s not that type of player.” #Blackhawks
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) December 19, 2021
• Connolly immediately stopped playing once he saw how the hit ended, and there was no retaliation from the Stars.
Stars head coach Rick Bowness on Brett Connelly: “I know he’s not a dirty player. I coached him in Tampa and he’s a great kid. It’s just hockey, Brett Connelly would never intentionally hurt anyone, so I don’t hold that against him. It’s unfortunate that happened.” #Blackhawks
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) December 19, 2021
• The best news came not too long after play resumed, that Kero was alert and responsive on his way to the hospital. Our best wishes are to Kero and hope he can have a speedy and full recovery.
Update: Tanner Kero is conscious, alert and responsive. He’ll be transported to the hospital for precautionary measures and evaluation.
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) December 19, 2021
• Unsurprisingly, Connolly has a hearing today for his hit.
Chicago’s Brett Connolly will have a hearing today for Interference on Dallas’ Tanner Kero.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) December 19, 2021
• As I said, Pavelski scored twice on the ensuing five-minute powerplay and put the Blackhawks in a deep hole to begin the game. It was part of a four-point night for the 37-year-old Pavelski, who is leading the Stars this season in goals (11) and points (26).
Joe Pavelski tallied 2-2—4 to help the @DallasStars improve to 9-1-0 in their last 10 games at American Airlines Center.#NHLStats: https://t.co/wXHy0UWARS pic.twitter.com/sfXORyo0Gv
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) December 19, 2021
• In total last night, the Blackhawks allowed three powerplay goals on eight opportunities for Dallas, including the eventual game-winner in overtime.
This is the fourth time in the last six games Chicago has given up multiple power-play goals in a game. #Blackhawks
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) December 19, 2021
• Chicago had been 6-0 under Derek King in games that needed overtime or a shootout, but that perfect record quickly became a ho-hum 6-2 this weekend.
• Of note last night, Alex DeBrincat scored his team-leading 17th goal of the season in the second period, on his 24th Birthday! DeBrincat is in a three-way tie for fifth in the NHL in goals this season alongside Andrew Mangiapane and Connor McDavid. He is tied with seven other players for the fourth-most even-strength goals (11) this season and is tied with five other players for the fifth-most powerplay goals (6) this season as well.
Puck movement perfection. Birthday boy DeBrincat scores his 17th of the season! #Blackhawks #CHIvsDAL pic.twitter.com/b4MTiAuGgc
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) December 19, 2021
• At 24-years-old, DeBrincat is on a 46-goal pace this season, which would be a career-high and would be the second 40-goal season of his career if he were to keep this pace. It would also be the third season in a five-year career for DeBrincat where he would be scoring at a 40+goal pace after scoring 32 goals in 52 games last season, a 50-goal pace over 82 games.
• Also getting on the scoresheet last night was DeBrincat’s linemate Dylan Strome, scoring the 3-2 goal in the second period to cut into the Stars lead at the time.
BIG goal for Dylan Strome on a 2-on-1 to cut the Stars lead again!#Blackhawks down 3-2 in the 2nd period #CHIvsDAL pic.twitter.com/eZu98Alsv7
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) December 19, 2021
• Strome’s third goal of the season and his fourth point in his last six games. He also recorded six shots on goal last night and a 0.32 individual expected goals rate at 5v5, the highest on the team.
Strome has points in 4 of his last 6 games now.
"I'm a little more comfortable with the puck, hanging onto it a bit down low and creating some chances. Guys are making good plays, so I've got to capitalize and bury them."
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) December 19, 2021
• Strome has emerged as a viable option regularly in the lineup for Derek King and he has played well alongside DeBrincat and Patrick Kane since being put between the two. It’s almost as if a skilled forward should be playing with other skilled forwards to maximize scoring potential.
• Also maximizing scoring potential for the Blackhawks this season has been Brandon Hagel. Having another strong performance last night, Hagel has been one of the most effective players on both ends of the ice for Chicago. On the game-tying goal, he took advantage of a Dallas turnover and fired the puck on net, where Dominik Kubalík could get his stick on it.
Dominik Kubalík now with a four-game point-streak and the #Blackhawks are tied 3-3!#CHIvsDAL pic.twitter.com/KzAAm5KbIE
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) December 19, 2021
• Kubalík is now riding a four-game point-streak and Hagel has three multi-point games this season, two in his last three appearances. He is fourth on the team in points with 16.
• Unfortunately, this was another game where the Blackhawks have had to come back from a poor start. The moral victory of producing the comeback is great and all, but getting two-point results needs to start being the focus, and not just how well the team responds to adversity.
"The strength of these guys as a team now, the power they have with each other, the accountability, all those little intangible things, they're just not quitting anymore…. Especially after killing five minutes and they get a couple on us, they just kept battling."
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) December 19, 2021
• Don’t get me wrong, the team is actually responding now. Early this season, a game like last night would have never been close, even with the effort put in by Kevin Lankinen in net.
The #Blackhawks have scored a 3rd period game-tying or go-ahead goal in their last 4 games.
— Joe Brand (@Joe_Brand1) December 19, 2021
• Chicago is now off until Thursday after having Tuesday night’s game against the Panthers postponed due to Florida being shut down amid the ongoing COVID outbreak across the NHL. Thursday night will be at the United Center against these same Dallas Stars.
• That is if we even get to Thursday’s game at this rate.
Five head coaches are also currently in the protocol: Keefe (TOR), Blashill (DET), Hynes (NSH), Sutter (CGY) and Tippett (EDM).
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) December 18, 2021
• The NHL has now shut down five teams through Christmas after adding the Bruins and Predators to the list yesterday.
NHL Shuts Down Bruins and Predators Through Christmashttps://t.co/KDYUAEoSHR
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) December 18, 2021
• It’s not just the players. It’s not just the coaches. It’s not just the team staff members, too. Referees are also skating and breathing the same congested air on the ice the players are, and they too are feeling the effects of the COVID outbreak.
As well as players and staff, hearing there are at least 13 NHL officials in the COVID protocol.
— John Shannon (@JShannonhl) December 19, 2021
• Just pause the season. Increase safety protocols. Come back with the Winter Classic and allow everyone a chance to get back to square one.
That escalated quickly. ⬇️ https://t.co/XJ2YSlzJe1
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) December 19, 2021
• In the ECHL last night, the Indy Fuel held their own Teddy Toss night and it was Captain Keoni Texeira that got the bears flying!
SINCE BEARS AND GOALS AND EVERYTHING HAPPENED SO FAST WE DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO POST THE HIGHLIGHTS
THE TEDDY BEAR @keoni_texeira GOAL IN ALL IT'S GLORY pic.twitter.com/m2aZtfjlBG
— Indy Fuel (@IndyFuel) December 19, 2021
• Over 5,000 of them hit the ice in Indy last night.
It’s one of mine and @NOlczyk16’s favorite booth views of the year. Thanks to the @IndyFuel fans who donated more than 5,000 stuffed animals to the @wrtv Toy Drive on Teddy Bear Toss night. pic.twitter.com/OQYILrs7la
— Andrew Smith – Fuel PXP (@FuelPXP) December 19, 2021
• After being down 0-2 to begin the game, the Fuel stormed back for a 9-4 win over the Kalamazoo Wings.
• Also in minor-league action last night were the Rockford IceHogs in the AHL. They also were in Texas last night, taking on the Dallas Stars AHL affiliate, the Texas Stars. Go figure, right? With a late-game powerplay goal, returning rookie Lukas Reichel scored his team-leading eighth goal of the season.
Both the #Blackhawks and #IceHogs are playing in Texas tonight. In his 2nd game back in the lineup, rookie Lukas Reichel gets his team-leading 8th #AHL goal and 14th point of the season pic.twitter.com/akfGWavnjE
— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) December 19, 2021
• Reichel also notched an assist last night, to add to his team-leading 14 points for the IceHogs this season. My preseason prediction that Reichel would be with the Blackhawks by Christmas likely won’t pan-out, but there’s nothing to say that he hasn’t looked like the player the Blackhawks had hoped he would as a rookie so far this year.
• Other Rockford news this morning, Ian Mitchell and Josiah Slavin are heading back to the IceHogs.
Ian Mitchell and Josiah Slavin have been assigned to Rockford#Blackhawks #IceHogs
— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) December 19, 2021
• In other Chicago hockey news in the AHL, the Wolves are on a 12-game heater…sheesh.
THAT'S A DUB. 🤠
12 in a row.
You really can't make this stuff up.#WeAreChicagosTeam pic.twitter.com/qKFKzffGzd
— Chicago Wolves (@Chicago_Wolves) December 19, 2021
• They sit atop the AHL Central Division with a 20-4-2 record and 42 points. Rockford is third in the Central with an 11-10-2 record and 24 points.
• In WHL action last night, Blackhawks 2021 seventh-round pick Jalen Luypen scored the overtime winner for the Edmonton Oil Kings…
2021 #Blackhawks 7th round pick Jalen Luypen with the OT winner for the Oil Kings tonight#WHL pic.twitter.com/PijJ5dAqPC
— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) December 19, 2021
• Luypen has looked like a steal for the Blackhawks so far, scoring 12 goals and 31 points in 30 WHL games this season. He is also winning 56.3% of his faceoffs. He leads all under-23 non-professional Blackhawks prospects in the system with a 1.03 points per game rate this year, ahead of Taige Harding (1.00, AJHL – Fort McMurray), Ryder Rolston (0.94, NCAA – Notre Dame), and Colton Dach (0.92, WHL – Kelowna).
• Also happening in the WHL last night, a broken puck goal…
R-I-P IN PIECES PUCK. pic.twitter.com/Sea68qCQqM
— The WHL (@TheWHL) December 19, 2021
• And, a Zegras goal!
The Zegras makes it to the WHL pic.twitter.com/uCVnJ1YoI2
— World Hockey Report (@worldhockeyrpt) December 19, 2021
• All the cool kids are doing it.
• That will do it for today. Hope you all enjoy your Sunday!
