It’s always better to start the weekend with a win.
The Chicago Blackhawks were in Calgary for some late-night hockey as they took on the Flames on Friday night. Connor Bedard and Spencer Knight carried the way to victory, as they both continued their stellar starts to the season. Bedard recorded his second four-point game in the past 11 days, while Spencer Knight carded his first shutout with the Blackhawks. More in the links for the highlights & takeaways from the 4-0 win at Scotiabank Saddledome.
Also in Blackhawks news, Knight wasn’t the only goaltender in the organization to record a shutout, while Roman Kantserov and Marek Vanacker added to their league-leading goal totals.
Around the league, Macklin Celebrini grabs the NHL lead in points, the St. Louis Blues are reportedly open for business, and Rasmus Dahlin takes a leave of absence from the Sabres.
All that & more in the Daily!
Chicago Blackhawks Recap, News & Tidbits
Chicago Hockey Now: What resiliency the young Blackhawks have shown during the back half of the road trip. After a 0-2-1 start, they’ve now won back-to-back games following a 4-0 win over the Calgary Flames. Bedard and Knight were the difference makers, while Tyler Bertuzzi and Andre Burakovsky had two-point performances.
More CHN: Frank Nazar was chopped down to the ice by Flames’ forward Joel Farabee in the first period, and the speedy center was unable to return for the remainder of the contest. Fortunately, head coach Jeff Blashill confirmed it’s only a day-to-day issue for Nazar.
While Knight pitched a shutout for the big-league club on Friday, another goaltender in the organization blanked his opponent in the NCAA. Adam Gajan, who was recently named NCHC Goaltender of the Month, stopped all 18 shots faced in Minnesota-Duluth’s 4-0 win over St. Cloud State. It’s the second shutout of the season for the 2023 second-round pick.
Over in Russia, Roman Kantserov keeps playing like a top forward in the KHL, as he tallied his league-leading 15th goal of the season and added a secondary assist on Friday. Kantserov, still only 21, is also second in the league with 26 points through 24 games.
Up in the OHL, Blackhawks’ 2024 first-round pick Marek Vanacker scored off a feed from good buddy Jake O’Brien for his league-leading 16th goal of the season. Vanacker, 19, is 11th in the OHL with 23 points through 16 games.
NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now
The Athletic: Family always comes first. Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin has taken a leave of absence from the club to attend to a personal matter back in Sweden. Dahlin’s fiancée, Carolina Matovac, is recovering after receiving a heart transplant.
SportsOnPrimeCA: After star forward Jordan Kyrou was a healthy scratch on Thursday, Frank Seravalli reported that the St. Louis Blues are open for business. Captain Brayden Schenn is another name to watch. The Blues are 1-6-2 over their last nine games, and GM Doug Armstrong is looking to make a move.
NHLdotcom: Patrick Kane returned to the lineup for the Detroit Red Wings in Friday’s 4-1 loss to the New York Rangers. Kane will be good to go when the Wings host the Blackhawks in a matinee matchup on Sunday afternoon.
San Jose Hockey Now: Macklin Celebrini is now the NHL leader in points with 23 after being involved in both of the San Jose Sharks’ goals in their 2-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Friday night. The future is now in San Jose. But speaking of the future, 2025 No. 2 overall pick Michael Misa has been placed on injured reserve.
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The Pittsburgh Penguins announced that Filip Hallander will miss at least three months with a blood clot. The Swedish forward made the Penguins’ roster out of training camp and has four points in 13 games on the season.
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