NEWSLETTER
Remember like 15 years ago when the Sedins and Bobby Lu invaded Chicago and it was a must-see game every time? Yeah, this was NOT that, folks. overall, the crowd was strong and the Pride Night programming was outstanding. DJ Zel crushed it during the second intermission. But the hockey was not great.
Star 1: Connor Murphy
On his 30th birthday, Murphy scores his sixth goal of the season to tie his career high. He also led Chicago defensemen in shots on goal and had to carry extra ice time when the Blackhawks lost a defenseman early in the second period. He’s had a good year and has been the only player to really be outspoken about the Blackhawks engagement for Pride Night.
Star 2: Lukas Reichel
Reichel is easily the most skilled offensive player on the Blackhawks’ roster right now and he showed flashes of brilliance in this game. He finally got a goal in the final two minutes of regulation, his fifth of the year. When he’s in the NHL full-time next year and, hopefully, has some better skill/speed around him, he’s going to be a dangerous player.
Star 3: Boris Katchouk
With his assist on Murphy’s goal, Katchouk now has seven points in his last nine games. To put that into context: Katchouk had seven points in 59 games for Tampa before he was traded to the Blackhawks last year. He was a healthy scratch early in the season but, to his credit, he’s accepted a depth role and become a valuable player on penalty kill duty in Chicago’s bottom-six.
Takeaways
- Are sure the game-tying goal scored by Vancouver with 16 seconds left in the middle period wasn’t a distinct kicking motion… by Seth Jones? Phillip Di Giuseppe was credited with the goal but it banked in off Seth’s skate.
- With his assist on Murphy’s goal, Jason Dickinson not only set a new career-high with 17 this season, but he also reached 100 career points in the NHL. He added a second assist on Reichel’s goal late in the third period.
- After head coach Luke Richardson praised his effort in the last game, Andreas Athanasiou won a few faceoffs (four of 11) and had another good effort.
- Jarred Tinordi was limited in the first period and skated just two shifts in the second before heading down the tunnel into the room. He did not return and was ruled out for the third period.
- Aidan McDonough made his NHL debut for Vancouver tonight. He just finished his college career at Northeastern.
