Morning Chirps: Vanacker restores OHL goal lead, NHL injury news

The Chicago Blackhawks are getting a well-deserved night off after picking up a big victory last night. They will return to the practice ice tomorrow before hosting the Calgary Flames on Tuesday. Meanwhile, things aren’t going great in the American Hockey League, but prospects are still impressing in the amateur ranks.

Blackhawks Chirps

• The Blackhawks got another resilient win last night over the Toronto Maple Leafs, but it came with a price. Check out last night's postgame report for the latest on captain Nick Foligno’s injury.

• Since it was a home game, I hung out on the CHGO Blackhawks Postgame Show to discuss the big win.

• The Rockford IceHogs lost their second straight game to the Manitoba Moose, dropping a 5-2 decision to them on home ice. They have lost six of their last seven games and have only scored more than two goals once in that span. On the plus side, Nick Lardis snapped his five-game pointless streak with the primary assist on Brett Seney’s second-period goal. They will be back in action this afternoon against the Texas Stars. I’ll be covering that game, so follow along for live updates from the BMO Center.

• Marek Vanacker scored his Ontario Hockey League-leading 18th goal of the season last night, while on the power play.

• Vanacker wasn’t the only Blackhawks prospect to find the scoresheet in the Brantford Bulldogs’ 5 win over the Brampton Steelheads. Parker Holmes recorded the primary assist on the game’s opening goal. The 2025 fourth-round pick has a goal and seven points in 19 games this season, after only one goal in 21 contests last season.

• John Mustard scored his team-high seventh goal of the season in Providence College’s 3-2 loss to Merrimack College. He has seven goals in 11 games, the same amount he scored during all 37 games of his freshman season.

• On this date in 1969, Tony Esposito recorded the third of 15 shutouts in his rookie season by blanking his former team, the Montreal Canadiens, 1-0.

• Blackhawks Birthday Roll Call, Nov. 16: Ray Powell and Dick Gamble.

NHL Chirps

• David Kampf signed a one-year, $1.1 million contract with the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday. The Canadiens and Pittsburgh Penguins were reportedly also interested in the former Blackhawks center.

• The New Jersey Devils' trip to Chicago earlier this week proved costly. Yes, they beat the Blackhawks on Wednesday night, but lost two key players before leaving town. Star center Jack Hughes needed surgery to repair a tendon in his finger after cutting himself at a team dinner on Friday. He will be out at least eight weeks. The team also announced that Cody Glass is week-to-week with an upper-body injury suffered during the game against the Blackhawks.

• The Dallas Stars announced that defenseman Thomas Harley is considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury. There is a belief that he’s been battling the injury for some time and is finally being shut down. The Stars did just fine in their first game without him as they rolled past the Philadelphia Flyers 5-1.

• Zach Hyman made his season debut for the Edmonton Oilers last night. He had an assist and 11 hits while playing over 23 minutes in a 4-3 overtime win against the Carolina Hurricanes.

• A scary moment in Montreal last night, as Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy took a puck square to the jaw. He did not return to the game, but he was able to fly home with his teammates. There was no update on his condition after the game.

• NHL Birthday Roll Call, Nov. 16: Dave Forbes, Pierre Larouche, Josh Green, Stephane Veilleux, Kari Lehtonen, Tim Schaller, Shane Prince, Linus Karlsson, Paul Cotter, and Emil Heineman.