Morning Chirps: Lardis scores, Stadium Series had it all

The Chicago Blackhawks host the San Jose Sharks later tonight in their final home game before the Olympic break. They won’t be back at the United Center until they host the Vancouver Canucks on March 6. Be sure to check back in for our game preview later this morning, and my postgame thoughts after the game concludes.

Blackhawks Chirps

• Not only is tonight’s game an exciting match-up between Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini, but it is also Pride Night, celebrating Chicago’s LGBTQIA+ community. The Blackhawks released this great video spotlighting local artist Joe Kraft.

• The Manitoba Moose completed their weekend sweep of the Rockford IceHogs with a 2-1 win on Sunday afternoon. Nick Lardis scored the lone IceHogs’ goal late in the second period. It was his first goal since returning to the AHL. He leads the team with 14 goals, despite spending over six weeks with the Blackhawks. Stanislav Berezhnoy, who started both games in Manitoba, stopped 23 of the 25 shots he faced. The IceHogs return to the BMO Center on Friday night when they host the Iowa Wild and induct goaltender Michael Leighton into the Ring of Honor.

• On this date in 2002, Blackhawks forward Eric Daze was named the MVP of the NHL All-Star Game, scoring two goals and adding an assist in Team World’s 8-5 victory over Team North America. Mario Lemieux scored his 13th career All-Star Game goal, tying Wayne Gretzky for the most in league history.

• In 2012, Sam Gagner factored in on every goal in the Edmonton Oilers’ 8-4 win over the Blackhawks. He scored four goals and assisted on four more to become the first player to have an eight-point game in the NHL since Lemieux did on Dec. 31, 1988.

• A year later, goaltender Ray Emery was the hero in the Blackhawks 3-2 shootout win over the Calgary Flames. He made 45 saves in regulation and overtime before stopping all three shootout attempts to extend the Blackhawks’ season starting point streak to nine games. Patrick Kane and Marian Hossa scored in regulation, with Kane scoring the only goal in the shootout.

• Blackhawks Birthday Roll Call, Feb. 2: Alex Levinsky, Dave Donnelly, and Jordin Tootoo.

NHL Chirps

• The Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins treated us to the greatest outdoor game the NHL has ever played. Nikita Kucherov had a goal and three assists for his fourth four-point game of the season, as the Lightning erased a 5-2 Bruins’ lead to win 6-5 in a shootout. A crowd of nearly 65,000 fans was rewarded with an exciting game that included a goalie fight between Andrei Vasilevskiy and Jeremy Swayman.

• Personally, I can’t wait to ask Jeff Blashill this morning what he thought about his buddy Jon Cooper’s Ybor City-inspired attire.

• Before the game, the Lightning walked into Raymond James Stadium wearing the old “creamsicle” Tampa Bay Buccaneers uniforms. How come they all looked like punters?

• Meanwhile, the Bruins arrived dressed as Patriots, but not the kind that play football.

• The Oilers placed goaltender Calvin Pickard on waivers Sunday, with the intention of sending him to the American Hockey League. He is the odd man out after the acquisition of Tristan Jarry and the emergence of Connor Ingram.

• NHL Birthday Roll Call, Feb. 2: Frank Foyston, Gary Dornhoefer, Don Kozak, Artur Irbe, Jody Hull, Todd Bertuzzi, Mark Parrish, Brock McGinn, Curtis Lazar, Christian Dvorak, Justin Brazeau, Emil Martinsen Lilleberg, Jacob Quillan, and Ty Murchison.