Morning Chirps: Gajan makes pro debut, Caps fans love Ovechkin

The Chicago Blackhawks are back in action tonight, with the penultimate game of the 2025-26 season against the Buffalo Sabres. We’ll have our usual game day coverage for you, starting with a preview after morning skate and plenty of analysis after the game.

Blackhawks Chirps

• Goaltender Adam Gajan made his professional debut for the Rockford IceHogs on Sunday. He made 36 saves in his first AHL start, but lost 4-2 to the Chicago Wolves. Ryan Gagnier scored the opening goal, with Dmitry Kuzmin finding the back of the net for the second straight game later in the third period. Martin Misiak recorded two assists, giving him three in the last two outings. Samuel Savioe and Jake Furlong also picked up helpers. The IceHogs wrap up the 2025-26 season with two games at the Texas Stars next weekend.

• Blackhawks prospects remain undefeated in the Ontario Hockey League Playoffs. The Brantford Bulldogs took a 3-0 series stranglehold with a 3-2 win over the North Battalion in double overtime on Sunday. Marek Vanacker had the secondary assist on Ben Danford’s game-winning goal at 14:33 of the second overtime.

• The Windsor Spitfires are up 2-0 on the Flint Firebirds after a 6-5 win in a wild Game 2. The Spitfires opened up a 3-1 lead in the first period, but trailed 4-3 at the start of the final frame. A.J. Spellacy had the secondary assist on Conor Walton’s game-winning goal with one minute left to play to complete the dramatic third-period comeback.

• Jack Pridham had three assists to lead the Kitchener Rangers to an 8-5 win over the Soo Greyhounds, taking a 2-0 lead in the series. Pridham, who scored 46 goals in the regular season, is still looking for his first goal of the players. But he now has six assists in six games.

• On this date in 1944, the Montreal Canadiens won 5-4 in overtime to complete the four-game sweep of the Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Final. After recording an assist on all four goals in regulation, Toe Blake scored the championship goal in overtime. This ended a 13-year Stanley Cup drought for the Canadiens, their longest span between titles in the 20th century.  

• In 1974, the Blackhawks set a new record for the fewest shots on goal in a Stanley Cup Playoff game. They managed only 10 shots on goal, and only three after the first period, but still won 1-0. Germain Gagnon scored the Blackhawks’ first shot of the game, then Tony Esposito made 32 saves to earn the victory.

• In 2023, Jonathan Toews scored his final goal for the Blackhawks in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. He wouldn’t play another game in the NHL until Oct. 9, 2025, for the Winnipeg Jets.

• Blackhawks Birthday Roll Call, April 13: Paul Bibeault.

NHL Chirps

• Alex Ovechkin might have played in his final home game on Sunday. It was fitting that Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins were the opponents. Ovechkin didn’t factor in the scoring, but the Washington Capitals picked up a huge 3-0 win to keep their postseason hopes alive. After the game, the “Great 8” took a victory lap in front of the home crowd. When asked about the “one more year” chants from Caps fans, Ovechkin said, “I will think about it.”

• The New York Islanders were eliminated from playoff contention after a 4-1 loss to the Canadiens. This marks the first time since the Colorado Rockies became the New Jersey Devils that the three tri-state teams, the Islanders, Devils, and New York Rangers, all missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the same season. Third place in the Metropolitan Division is the only Eastern Conference playoff spot still up for grabs. The Philadelphia Flyers hold that spot with 94 points, followed by the Capitals with 93 and the Columbus Blue Jackets with 92.

• Nick Suzuki had a goal and an assist in the win over the Islanders to give him 100 points on the season. He is the first Canadien to have a 100-point season since Mats Naslund in 1985-86. Surprisingly, he’s only the fifth player in Montreal’s storied history to score 100 points in a season.

• James Hagens made his NHL debut on Sunday. He picked up his first point with an assist on former Blackhawks defenseman Henri Jokiharju’s goal as the Boston Bruins beat the Blue Jackets 3-2.

• NHL Birthday Roll Call, April 13: Normie Himes, Flash Hollett, Steve Martins, Mariusz Czerkawski, Sergei Gonchar, Patrik Elias, Arron Asham, Jeff Tambellini, Joonas Donskoi, Elvis Merzlikins, Connor Carrick, Steven Lorentz, and Rasmus Dahlin.