The Chicago Blackhawks skated into the dessert on Tuesday night to take on the Arizona Coyotes as the team sent Patrick Kane to the New York Rangers earlier in the night. The long-awaited move finally has come to fruition and fans can finally move on as the franchise turns to a new chapter in its history.
Chicago entered Tuesday’s game after a 4–2 loss at the hands of the Anaheim Ducks, finally snapping the Blackhawks’ five-game winning streak. Goaltender Alex Stalock was back in net against the Coyotes after being activated off the injured reserve.
- Chicago looked like a team that just lost its superstar earlier in the day. Andreas Athanasiou scored the one and only goal for the visiting team late in the third. Arizona goaltender Karel Vejmelka stopped 23 shots on his way to victory.
- Former Blackhawk forward Nick Schmaltz scored his 18th goal of the season, extending a four-game goal-scoring streak, to finish off the Coyoes’ scoring. Travis Boyd, Barrett Hayton and Jack McBain also scored, as Chicago trailed 4–0 until the Athanasiou tally.
- Stalock stopped 29 Coyotes shots in his first game back in net after missing 18 contests with a head injury and vision issues. The loss dropped Stalock to 6–6–1 on the season.
- If you are looking for a silver lining from the game, Arizona is also in the hunt for the worst record in the NHL and snagged two points against the hapless Blackhawks. The loss was Chicago’s second straight defeat after winning five straight.
The Blackhawks are back on home ice on Thursday for a 7:30 p.m. CST puck drop against the Dallas Stars.