chicagotribune--2020-01-18--Jonathan Toews and Dominik Kubalik score twice and Patrick Kane hits 999 career points in the Blackh

Jonathan Toews and Dominik Kubalik score twice and Patrick Kane hits 999 career points in the Blackhawks’ 6-2 victory against the Maple Leafs for their 4th straight win

Rookie Dominik Kubalik scored twice in the second period to give him 20 goals on the season and nine in @ @ @ @ @ His second Saturday came on an incredible play in which Toews sent a long , @ @ @ @ @ the opposite side of the net , and Kubalik somehow hit the puck in midflight @ @ @ @ @

TORONTO — All this attention over a mistake.
Dominik Kubalik didn’t do anything wrong, he simply struck the ball where Jonathan Toews pitched it and batted it into center field for a single.
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Sorry, that's hit the puck where it was passed and shot it into the net for a goal.
As natural as the pitch — or pass, whatever — to Kubalik looked when he scored his second goal in Saturday’s 6-2 win over the Maple Leafs, Toews wasn’t trying to throw batting practice when he unleashed a toss that was pretty darn close to 60 feet, 6 inches.
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"I (wanted it) maybe a foot or two lower on the ice," Toews said. "That was more of my intention. Just kind of floated one in there and, as they say, you can't give a good player a bad pass. I tried my best on that one and he still found a way to get a stick on it.
And what did Kubalik think of the goal?
"I don't know what happened there," he said. "I was just going to the net and tried to hit it and it went in. I think it was actually a nice goal."
Everything is going right for Kubalik now — and everything is going right for the Hawks, who arrive home Sunday to face the Jets with a four-game win streak and a growing confidence that their season is just getting started.
Here are three takeaways from Sunday's win:
1. The Blackhawks are oozing confidence.
Nobody was marching around the locker room demanding respect. Nobody challenged reporters who may or may not have written the Hawks had almost no chance to make the playoffs.
What the Hawks did after drubbing the Maple Leafs was what Jeremy Colliton has been telling them to do all season: Look to the next game, the next shift and not any further than that.
“We feel good about ourselves and believe in what we’re doing,” Jonathan Toews said. “But we got to earn that feeling every day. It’s important we just don’t think it’s going to happen because we’re playing better. There’s work that goes into it. We’ve got to prepare and then you got to compete when it’s time. I think overall we’ve been doing that.”
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The Hawks weren’t given much credit for winning three straight against the Ducks, Senators and Canadiens — but that didn’t matter to them. They took all the points they could and used the wins to build up their confidence.
Going into Scotiabank Arena and leaving with a shockingly easy win over a potentially powerful team also desperate for wins may be the sign this team needed that they’re for real. Or maybe they already know it and the rest of us haven’t figured it out yet.
"We're taking it one game at a time and I think we're doing a great job of focusing on the task at hand," Toews said. "Whatever situation we find ourselves in we're playing good hockey. It's fun. I think we're playing a complete game right now. We're showing each other what our potential really is if we play the right way."
That language isn’t being used by accident. Colliton constantly talks about doing the right things day in and day out while focusing on process rather than results. The players seem to be listening, and Colliton plans to keep telling them not to take their foot off the pedal.
"We're definitely not in a position where we can cruise," Colliton said. "We got a big one tomorrow against a team we're trying to chase down. (Our) home record and our home performance has been wanting so far this year. So it's an opportunity to build on some of the good things we've been doing.
"I think we've been better at home but not to the level we should be. We should use that energy that we get and that comfort to push. That's what we'll expect (Sunday)."
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2. Brandon Saad’s return from injured reserve could not have gone any better.
Played a seamless 17 minutes, eight seconds in his first game spraining his right ankle on Dec. 19? Check.
Scored in the first period to get that sometimes pesky initial goal out of the way early? Check.
Joined in on all the fun? Big check.
The Hawks are a better team with Brandon Saad than without him, but it wasn’t lost on him that they went 8-4 in his absence, or 9-4 if you count the game in which he was injured. He agreed with a suggestion the team was in a much more stable situation than when he left.
It coincided with a difficult three-week period in which Calvin de Haan and Brent Seabrook were lost for the season, and Andrew Shaw suffered a concussion that he shows no signs of returning from.
"I had some time to watch some games when I was out obviously and ... our team is looking like (it has stabilized)," Saad said. "We're starting to build these wins and coming back I just wanted to be a part of it and keep it simple out there because we're playing the right way now."
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Saad played on a line with Ryan Carpenter and Patrick Kane, and the trio had a strong night. They were the only Hawks' line to have more scoring chances for than against (12 to 8) at even strength all night.
Kane picked up the 999th point of his career and had the primary assist on Saad’s goal, but it was Carpenter forcing a turnover that got the play started.
POINT NO. 999 FOR KANER 🚨🚨🚨 pic.twitter.com/oqp31YNt8o — BlackhaWWWWks Talk (@NBCSBlackhawks) January 19, 2020
“I wanted to keep it simple and play good hockey early on,” Saad said. “For me to get a goal out of the way too it always gives you that confidence. Playing with some good players out there too so that always helps.”
3. Corey Crawford is out of his slump.
After going 2-8 with an .885 save percentage in 11 appearances from Nov. 30 through Jan. 9, Corey Crawford appears to back to his old self.
Wednesday’s 32-save performance in a 4-1 victory over the Canadiens was followed up with Saturday’s 31-save outing to win his second straight start.
The timing is excellent because the Hawks are going to need both Crawford and Robin Lehner in a brutal February that includes 11 of 14 games on the road. The Hawks have been terrific away from the United Center lately, taking seven of eight games.
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The hard part will be the three sets of back-to-back games during the month. Jeremy Colliton has shown no inclination to let either goalie start on consecutive days, so Crawford should be used frequently.
Lehner will start on Sunday against the Jets, then will likely get the net on Tuesday against Joel Quenneville’s Panthers.
Here is coverage from Saturday’s game:
Blackhawks fans not only will have a chance to see Patrick Kane pick up his 1,000th career point Sunday at the United Center, they’ll welcome home the NHL’s hottest team.
Drake Caggiula scored 21 seconds into the game, Jonathan Toews had two goals and two assists and Brandon Saad scored in his first game back after missing a month with an ankle injury in the Blackhawks’ 6-2 rout of the Maple Leafs for their league-best fourth straight victory.
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The Hawks improved to 23-20-6 and pulled within four points of the Canucks — who played the Sharks late Saturday — for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.
Kane’s first-period assist moved him within one of 1,000 points, but that’s a story for another night — perhaps Sunday when the Hawks play host to the Jets.
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Saturday’s win belonged to every other Hawks player, it seemed.
Rookie Dominik Kubalik scored twice in the second period to give him 20 goals on the season and nine in his last seven games. His second Saturday came on an incredible play in which Toews sent a long, backhanded, cross-ice pass to the opposite side of the net, and Kubalik somehow hit the puck in midflight past goalie Frederik Andersen.
The Hawks scored three times in each of the first two periods, never letting the Leafs back in the game. Corey Crawford stopped 31 shots for his second straight win after dropping six of his previous seven starts.
Toews’ season-high four points gave him 12 in his last five games and 798 in his career. Caggiula had his second straight game with a goal and an assist, and Erik Gustafsson added a pair of helpers for his first multipoint game since the season opener in Prague.
As great as the individual efforts were, the most important outcome was picking up two points against a tough opponent to sweep a three-game trip and win for the seventh time in eight road games.


chicagotribune--2020-01-18--Trent Frazier and Ayo Dosunmu help Illinois overcome an inspired effort by Northwestern for a 75-71

Trent Frazier and Ayo Dosunmu help Illinois overcome an inspired effort by Northwestern for a 75-71 win

“ You just saw their young kids and what they could be , and they finally broke through , ” @ @ @ @ @ gained that confidence , and now they became a team that can compete with anybody @ @ @ @ @ a good model for us .
”

CHAMPAIGN — For Ayo Dosunmu’s 20th birthday Friday, he said he requested a plain vanilla cake.
He saved the razzle-dazzle for Saturday. He saved the icing for the court too.
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In yet another display of late-game heroics, the Illinois point guard hit a clutch long-range jumper and nailed two free throws in the final 18 seconds to help the Illini hold off Northwestern for a 75-71 victory at the State Farm Center.
“I feel like it’s about seizing the moment,” Dosunmu said. ”You have to fall back on your preparation. In late-game situations, I don’t think it’s all about scoring. I think about making the right play.”
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At four games, No. 24 Illinois (13-5, 5-2 Big Ten) has the longest winning streak in the conference. They joined the Associated Press rankings Monday for the first time since 2014 and sit in second place in the Big Ten.
“It feels great,” junior guard Trent Frazier said.
Northwestern (6-11, 1-6) played well, challenging Illinois from tipoff to the final buzzer in a game that featured 11 lead changes and six ties.
Wildcats coach Chris Collins said he sees similarities in his team the Illini, who were 5-13 at this point last season and lost its first five conference games before seeing improvement.
“You just saw their young kids and what they could be, and they finally broke through,” Collins said. “They gained that confidence, and now they became a team that can compete with anybody. It’s really a good model for us.”
Northwestern won’t savor a moral victory, he said.
“We gave ourselves a chance to win,” Collins said. “We didn’t drive through a Siberia snowstorm last night to be a sacrificial lamb. We came here to win. We’re a couple possessions away. You see that with young teams.”
The Wildcats chipped away at Illinois’ nine-point lead in the final three minutes. An A.J. Turner 3-pointer with 44.8 seconds left pulled the Wildcats within 71-68.
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But a deep Dosunmu jumper provided a five-point cushion for the Illini, revving up a crowded arena as he skipped down the court smiling after the shot. Miller Kopp drained a 3-pointer in front of the Wildcats bench to inch Northwestern within 73-71 with 7.7 seconds left.
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Dosunmu, who finished with 15 points and six assists, calmly hit two free throws with six seconds on the clock to seal it.
“Ayo does what Ayo does down the stretch: He iced the game,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood said.
It wasn’t a one-man game at the State Farm Center, where former coach Lou Henson watched from the sideline in his familiar orange blazer.
Frazier sizzled from start to finish. He led the Illini with 16 points on 5-of-11 shooting, including four 3-pointers. It was his sixth game without committing a turnover, and Frazier became the 50th player in program history to record 1,000 points.
Forward Giorgi Bezhanishvili was one of five Illini players who scored in double digits with 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting.
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“I think it makes it hard to guard us,” Frazier said. “Offensively we’ve gotten a lot better with that. We all trust each other. We have to continue to do that.”
Forward Robbie Beran scored 17 points and Kopp finished with 16 for Northwestern.


chicagotribune--2020-01-18--5 takeaways from Day 2 of the Cubs Convention, including Will Venable being satisfied as a coach — f

5 takeaways from Day 2 of the Cubs Convention, including Will Venable being satisfied as a coach — for now

“ You have to take opportunities seriously and have to think about those things , ” Venable said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ Cub right now until that changes .
I ’ m super excited to be here @ @ @ @ @ until someone gives me an opportunity to have a different job .
This is where @ @ @ @ @ I plan to be here for the year .
”

The 2020 Cubs Convention continued Saturday at the Sheraton Grand Chicago. Here are five things we learned from Day 2.
1. Will Venable is content as Cubs third-base coach — for now.
Will Venable returned from Houston, where he interviewed with the Astros for their managerial vacancy after the AJ Hinch firing.
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This marked the third managerial interview for Venable, 37, who talked with the Cubs and Giants in October.
“You have to take opportunities seriously and have to think about those things,” Venable said. “I’m a Chicago Cub right now until that changes. I’m super excited to be here, committed to this team until someone gives me an opportunity to have a different job. This is where I’m at. I plan to be here for the year.”
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Venable declined to elaborate on his interview, citing the sensitivity of the sign-stealing scandal that led to severe penalties Major League Baseball assessed against the Astros, while hoping the interview experience would enhance his preparation.
2. Theo Epstein can only say so much.
Cubs President Theo Epstein was adamant about being transparent to fans but admitted he had to be ambiguous regarding how much he could spend as protection against agents and potential trade partners.
Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 74 Kris Bryant is introduced. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
Epstein did acknowledge positioning the team relative to the competitive-balance threshold is a factor and that he faces a struggle trying to improve the team in 2020 while not running the risk of falling off the cliff after 2021 — when some of the team’s best players are on track to become free agents — and provide a better long-term financial picture.
“This is one of those winters where it’s hard to thread the needle,” Epstein said. “We’re doing the best we can. I’d say hang with us.”
3. Wrigley Field will have a little different look — and sound.
Protective netting will be extended to the “elbows” of the left- and right-field lines, president of business operations Crane Kenney said.
The Cubs hope to hire an organist to replace the retired Gary Pressy by the start of spring training to perform at Sloan Park in Mesa, Ariz.
Press-box upgrades include improved heating and air conditioning, which should enhance the team’s efforts to host the 2022 All-Star Game.
4. Andy Green fulfills his dream.
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New bench coach Andy Green, who was the Padres manager the last four seasons, said his mother used to drive him from Lexington, Ky., to Wrigley Field when he was young.
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“I thought there would be nothing cooler than to be a Chicago Cub,” said Green, who admired watching Hall of Fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg. “I bypassed the Cincinnati allegiance as soon as I went to Wrigley and being a Cubs fan. My family didn’t like that.
“Simply, I just spent four years in a rebuild. I want to win. I want to win bad and have the confidence (David Ross) can lead us to that.”
5. Mike Napoli has a prolific beard.
A fan expressed his admiration for the length of new coach Mike Napoli’s beard, which extends past his collarbone.
“That beard is glorious,” the fan told Napoli during a panel with Ross and his coaching staff. “That’s the kind of beard that would lead troops to battle in the Civil War.”
Napoli played with Ross on the 2013 World Series champion Red Sox but wasn’t certain he would be hired after inquiring about the quality assurance coach position.
“Please call me,” Napoli said of constantly looking at his cellphone. “I’m looking to get back in.”


chicagotribune--2020-01-18--Cubs’ Marquee TV network will launch on Feb. 22 with new on-air talent — but still no deal with Comc

Cubs’ Marquee TV network will launch on Feb. 22 with new on-air talent — but still no deal with Comcast

“ The one that ’ s missing and the one that people have asked me about so much this weekend @ @ @ @ @ told the convention crowd .
“ One thing you should know is we are offering @ @ @ @ @ terms that have been agreed to by the 25 carriers that will pick up Marquee @ @ @ @ @ encouraging to see that 25 distributors find our offering compelling and in fact reasonable .
@

Cubs fans are wondering if and when Comcast will cut a deal to carry Marquee Sports Network, the team’s TV outlet set to launch next month.
The Cubs are wondering too.
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“Comcast, (covering) like 50% in our market, is the big domino,” Cubs president of business operations Crane Kenney said.
Kenney and other executives announced some new Marquee carriage agreements, including one with Chicago’s RCN — along with some programming and personnel news — during their session Saturday at the annual Cubs Convention at the Sheraton Grand Chicago.
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But there’s still nothing signed with Comcast’s Xfinity, by far the Chicago area’s largest carrier as it covers roughly half the market, with less than 10 weeks until opening day and the channel set to launch Feb. 22 for the Cubs’ first spring training game, against the Athletics.
“The one that’s missing and the one that people have asked me about so much this weekend is Comcast,” Kenney told the convention crowd. “One thing you should know is we are offering to Comcast the very same terms that have been agreed to by the 25 carriers that will pick up Marquee. So it’s encouraging to see that 25 distributors find our offering compelling and in fact reasonable.”
Kenney said he’s “confident we’ll get a deal done with Comcast" but also suggested fans reach out to the company for more information.
“You don’t have to tell them I sent you,” he said.
Kenney told reporters after his session that he didn’t know whether a Comcast deal would be done by “first pitch of spring training or the first pitch of opening day, but those are clearly pretty big milestones.”
Going forward, Marquee will be the exclusive of home of the roughly 150 Cubs regular-season games the team controls in its designated Major League Baseball market, a vast territory that includes not only most of Illinois and Indiana but all of Iowa and part of Wisconsin as well as Ohio.
Kenney said Marquee’s deals to date cover roughly 40% of its market.
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Len Kasper and Jim Deshaies will be back as announcers, sometimes joined by a third voice. The rotation of guest analysts (who also will do some studio work) will include Rick Sutcliffe, Lou Piniella, Doug Glanville, Ryan Dempster, Jason Hammel, Dan Plesac, Mark DeRosa and Carlos Pena.
Bringing you the best around the clock @Cubs coverage. pic.twitter.com/lJg3yqCvJm — Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) January 18, 2020
Cole Wright has left NFL Network to join Marquee as a studio host. Fox’s Chris Myers will do some play-by-play and studio work, which Kenney said was on the recommendation of Second City alumnus and Cubs fan Bill Murray.
According to Marquee general manager Michael McCarthy, Murray left a voicemail message in which the actor said: “I think you might get (Myers) cheaply because he lives in LA, and LA's on fire right now.”
Taylor McGregor, who had been covering the Rockies, the franchise her father once ran, is the new Cubs sideline reporter.
“How can you not want to part of something like this?” McGregor said, earning polite convention applause.
The response was more robust later when a fan mentioned former NBC Sports Chicago reporter Kelly Crull, suggesting Marquee should hire her in some capacity.
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Yet another fan drew still more applause noting McGregor was the only woman among the Marquee contributors introduced to the crowd.
“I was thinking the same thing when I was looking at the talent there," Kenney said. "We were really going as heavy as we could with former players. ... Your point is a good one, and we’ll make sure the network does have adequate representation.”
McCarthy said the new channel will offer hourlong pregame and postgame Cubs coverage from a studio across from the ballpark.
“Obviously the theme of our programming is very simple,” McCarthy told fans. “It’s Cubs, Cubs and more Cubs.”
Cubs minor-league games and a repackaging of as many as 4,000 vintage Cubs telecasts are available to Marquee. The channel’s library includes a version of the recent Cubs musical “Miracle,” along with documentaries on players such as Ernie Banks and Billy Williams.
There will be all-access, behind the scenes coverage a la the NFL’s “Hard Knocks” series and samplings from the Cubs’ YouTube channel too.
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Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 74 Kris Bryant is introduced. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
The Vegas Sports Information Network’s “Follow the Money” will run on Marquee, as will game coverage from Stadium, the multiplatform sports channel in which both Sinclair and White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf have a ownership stake. Also available to Marquee will be content from other Sinclair regional sports networks.
Kenney and McCarthy said there have been discussions with both WMVP-AM 1000 and Cubs radio flagship WSCR-AM 670 about possibly simulcasting content on Marquee. All McCarthy would say about whether that will happen is that Marquee is not done announcing its programming plans.
Like renovating Wrigley Field and developing property around the ballpark, Marquee is a cornerstone of the Ricketts family’s strategy to enhance Cubs revenue streams and develop new ones.
The Ricketts family has been talking about the Cubs launching their own TV channel since acquiring the team from Tribune Co. in 2009, if not before.
The Cubs first had to wait out the final 10 seasons of a 15-year deal tying the team to what would become known as NBC Sports Chicago. That partnership with the White Sox, Bulls, Blackhawks and Comcast ended after the 2019 baseball season.
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For those outside the team’s designated market area, games on Marquee will be available through MLB’s streaming service. There is, however, one carrier the Cubs announced Saturday in the Rickettses’ hometown of Omaha, Neb.
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ESPN and Fox Broadcasting — Fox-32 in Chicago — will continue to pluck some games from the Cubs’ schedule by virtue of their deals with MLB, but no longer will games be seen on free over-the-air WGN-9 or ABC-7.
The regional sports network business model on which Marquee, like NBC Sports Chicago, looks to profit requires carriers to pay a monthly fee based on the total number of households the channel reaches, regardless of how many actually watch the games. Advertising is sold on the basis of anticipated viewership.
Sinclair earlier said it had reached agreements with AT&T’s DirecTV, U-verse and AT&T TV to carry Marquee. Ditto for Charter Communications and Mediacom Communications.
The Cubs on Saturday said they continue to negotiate with streaming services such as YouTube TV, Hulu with Live TV and FuboTV to offer Marquee in the team’s market area.
Prospects are less rose for an agreement with Dish Network covering its Dish and Sling services as it has made no secret of its goal to upend the RSN business model to keep its costs down.
The new deals the Cubs announced at the convention were with:


chicagotribune--2020-01-18--Cubs’ never-ending search for a leadoff hitter continues: ‘For whatever reason, we’ve struggled’

Epstein said the Cubs likely will announce on Tuesday the hiring of a biomechanist who spent 20 years at NASA @ @ @ @ @ find a competitive edge .
In the meantime , the search remains for production out @ @ @ @ @ at which Kyle Schwarber , Ian Happ and other candidates have failed during the last @ @ @

A fan asked Theo Epstein why the Cubs should expect better results in 2020 from an inconsistent lineup likely composed of the same players as seasons past.
“It’s not opening day yet,” Epstein replied Saturday during the baseball operations panel on Day 2 of the Cubs Convention at the Sheraton Grand Chicago. “There’s still a chance of some changes.”
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But, he added: “The bottom line is words don’t matter. Actions do.”
And the manner in which the Cubs have addressed the leadoff spot in the wake of Dexter Fowler’s free-agent departure to the rival Cardinals has been maddening, considering Cubs leadoff hitters posted a National League-worst .294 on-base percentage last season.
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“Candidly, I don’t think we ever imagined that finding a guy who could hit in the leadoff spot would be a struggle,” general manager Jed Hoyer said. “I don’t think you have to have a prototypical leadoff hitter all the time.
“But for whatever reason, we’ve struggled. We’ve spent a lot of time scratching our head.”
Hoyer expressed his frustration before Epstein elaborated on the Cubs’ efforts to pour millions of dollars into staffing and equipment toward building a state-of-the-art research and development department with a plethora of data.
Epstein said the Cubs likely will announce on Tuesday the hiring of a biomechanist who spent 20 years at NASA to enhance their effort to find a competitive edge. In the meantime, the search remains for production out of the leadoff spot, at which Kyle Schwarber, Ian Happ and other candidates have failed during the last three seasons.
Only slugger Anthony Rizzo has prospered at the top of the lineup, but he and the Cubs prefer he remain in the run-producing No. 3 or 4 spot.
Hoyer senses that many past candidates tended to change their approach when moved to the leadoff spot without realizing they often lead off only in the first inning.
“I never imagined that being a leadoff hitter would be a struggle,” said Hoyer, acknowledging that natural leadoff hitters such as Johnny Damon and Fowler are hard to find and moving close to extinction.
“Kevin Youkilis was not exactly a prototypical leadoff hitter but did well.”
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Epstein, meanwhile, tried to portray a bright forecast for the Cubs lineup by using Happ and Schwarber as microcosms of young players who struggled after promising debuts but rebounded late last season.
“Don’t give up on the players who have been here that might have driven you insane,” Epstein replied to the fan. “Because I really think a lot of them are on an upward trajectory and will make progress.”
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New manager David Ross said there’s “no one who has jumped out” as a full-time leadoff candidate but will continue to assess his in-house candidates while Epstein and Hoyer continue to explore trades.
Ross did reveal some internal changes to spring training at the suggestion of new catching/first-base coach Craig Driver. The Cubs will use umpires to provide feedback with catchers and pitchers. Also, batting practice with a cage will give way to live hitting, with an umpire providing constant communication.
“Now we’ll take that (batting cage) way and dial up the intensity a little bit,” Ross said.
One Joe Maddon-influenced tradition that might stay intact, perhaps to a lower frequency, are theme trips.
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“We’ll have all the pajama parties you want as long as we throw (wins),” Ross said. “We’ll switch some things up.”
Ross credited Maddon, now the Angels manager, with establishing a healthy culture.
“Maybe team jumpsuits,” Ross said. “I’ll leave it up to the players. I’m not a great dresser.”


chicagotribune--2020-01-19--SAG Awards 2020: Best and worst red carpet looks

There are certain dishes across the country that are undeniably iconic , but for this list , The Daily Meal @ @ @ @ @ are somehow just not as good outside of their home state — if you ’ @ @ @ @ @ them elsewhere .
( Dan Myers , The Daily Meal )

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chicagotribune--2020-01-19--DNA testing confirms coyote captured by police was the same one that bit a 6-year-old in Lincoln Par

DNA testing confirms coyote captured by police was the same one that bit a 6-year-old in Lincoln Park

With help from the U.S. Department of Agriculture , local officials tested the animal and said it was the same @ @ @ @ @ attacked the child near the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum , 2430 N. Cannon Drive , @ @ @ @ @ head .
The boy had been walking along a path in a park area near @ @ @ @ @ upon the coyote on a grassy hill , officials said .
The boy may have @ @ @ @ @ responded by biting the child .
His nanny and several bystanders came to the boy @ @ @ @

Chicago Animal Care and Control and Chicago police stand by after cornering a coyote behind a home near the corner of Willow and Fremont on Jan. 9, 2020. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
Chicago Animal Care and Control officials Sunday announced they used DNA testing to determine the coyote they caught was the same animal that bit a 6-year-old boy near Lincoln Park earlier this month.
With help from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, local officials tested the animal and said it was the same one that on Jan. 8 attacked the child near the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, 2430 N. Cannon Drive, biting the child on his head. The boy had been walking along a path in a park area near the museum when he came upon the coyote on a grassy hill, officials said. The boy may have startled the animal, which responded by biting the child. His nanny and several bystanders came to the boy’s aid.
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In another incident later that same night, a man told police he was bitten in the buttocks by a coyote while he walked on a sidewalk in the 700 block of North Fairbanks Court in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood. Officials have not yet confirmed a coyote was responsible.
When a coyote was captured Jan. 9 in the 1700 block of North Dayton Street, authorities were confident it was the animal that had attacked the boy, because that coyote also was limping.
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The results of the testing that were promised at the time of the coyote’s capture were released Sunday, and authorities now say the animal was limping because it had been shot with a BB gun, according to a statement from city spokesman Patrick Mullane.
“Through evaluation, it was determined that the animal had been shot in the chest with a BB gun, which could have caused the limp in its movements as well as the aggressive behavior. The animal will remain at a local wildlife rehabilitation center,” Mullane said in the statement.
Mullane also said testing confirmed the animal did not have rabies.
Although Mayor Lori Lightfoot weighed in on the coyote attacks, saying, “Never did I think I’d be talking about alligators in one breath and coyote in the next,” officials said there are hundreds of coyotes in the Chicago area, and it is not common for them to become aggressive and attack humans.
“Coyotes are common throughout the Chicagoland area and protected under the Illinois Wildlife Code. Residents should always take caution if they encounter a coyote and notify CACC by calling 311. It remains extremely rare for a coyote to approach or bite a person.”
Check back for updates.
kdouglas@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @312BreakingNews


chicagotribune--2020-01-19--Where does the Astros’ cheating rank in scandals? Ask Pete Rose.

It 's a fair point , especially when compared to the punishments handed out so far in the worst scandal @ @ @ @ @ steroid era .
What Rose did was wrong — according to baseball rules — but @ @ @ @ @ of people who believe he should be adding a Hall of Fame designation when he @ @ @ @ @ hometown of Las Vegas .

LAS VEGAS — Pete Rose was taking a break from signing autographs at the MGM Grand hotel when asked a question he's uniquely qualified to address.
What's worse, betting on baseball or cheating at baseball?
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"I don't know,'' Rose tells The Associated Press. "All I know is I've been suspended for 30 years now. I don't know anybody that's been suspended for 30 years."
It's a fair point, especially when compared to the punishments handed out so far in the worst scandal to hit baseball since the steroid era. What Rose did was wrong — according to baseball rules — but there's still a lot of people who believe he should be adding a Hall of Fame designation when he signs memorabilia in his adopted hometown of Las Vegas.
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Still, 30 years away from the game he was so great at seems like an awful long time, especially when Major League Baseball and other sports leagues have made their peace — and are doing business — with the bookies who post lines on their games.
And face it. If you believe Rose on the details of what he did — and that's a stretch for some — his betting didn't have nearly the impact on baseball than a cheating scheme that has brought into question the legitimacy of not just one, but two, World Series.
"Which one is worse, stealing signs electronically, taking steroids or betting on baseball?" the all-time major league hit leader asked. All three are bad. But at least what I did never had anything to do with the outcome of the game."
The Astros cheating scandal, of course, is still new, at least publicly. A week ago, no one was questioning whether the Astros were really the 2017 champions or the Red Sox a year after that.
Now it's all in play, and the discussion is beginning to turn to how the sign scandal ranks with other scandals in baseball history.
Pretty high up with each passing day, if only because there are few comparable scandals and two of them involve gambling. The Black Sox scandal of 1919 and Rose betting on baseball games from the dugout in Cincinnati are about the only ones that come close.
There's also the steroid era, where it was hard to figure out what was real and what wasn't. The players themselves weren't much help, sticking up for teammates and for the most part claiming ignorance of steroid use.
The unwritten baseball code of silence, though, seems to be unraveling quickly with the sign-stealing scandal. That began in November when former Houston pitcher Mike Fiers went on record to The Athletic about the scheme the Astros employed during his time there to steal signs.
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Dodgers pitcher Alex Wood, who was careful to hide his signals in allowing one hit in 5 2/3 innings of Game 4 of the World Series, tweeted that he would rather pitch to a player on steroids than one who knew which pitch was coming.
I would rather face a player that was taking steroids than face a player that knew every pitch that was coming. — Alex Wood (@Awood45) January 16, 2020
That sentiment was echoed by Reds pitcher Trevor Bauer, who added, “All day every day for the rest of time.”
All day every day for the rest of time https://t.co/dx5m5bKYh9 — Trevor Bauer (@BauerOutage) January 16, 2020
National League MVP Cody Bellinger went even further, saying there needs to be major consequences for any players involved.
“That Completely ruins the integrity of the game!!!” Bellinger tweeted.
For the sake of the game I Hope this isn’t true.. if true, there needs to be major consequences to the players. That Completely ruins the integrity of the game!!! — Cody Bellinger (@Cody_Bellinger) January 16, 2020
Rose said he wished the scandal wasn't playing out a month before pitchers and catchers report for spring training. He predicted Commissioner Rob Manfred will have a hard time dealing with the fallout.
But he agreed with Bellinger that if players are guilty, they need to be punished, just as he was.
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"If you're the batter and I give you the indicator, aren't you just as guilty being the batter?" he asked. "It's the batter who is benefiting from this, not the guy who was the indicator. You have to look at every player on the team."
Rose, who turns 79 in April, said there was sign-stealing during his time, though without technology. Mostly, it was a base coach figuring out sign sequences and a runner at second relaying them to the batter, and there were accepted ways to make it stop.
"Usually what would happen is the pitcher would throw it right at a guy's head," he said. "Ninety of 100 would stop because they don't want that chin music."
But while Rose was guilty of doing things not in the best interest of baseball, he said he wasn't much of a sign thief.
"I batted 15,000 times and I never wanted a guy on second to tell me what was coming," he said. "I didn't want to know because he might be wrong and I wasn't a guess hitter anyway so it wouldn't have helped me much.''
It did help, Rose said, the home run hitters who liked to guess on what pitches were coming. And that, he added, holds true today.
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“It’s a bigger thing for home run hitters,” he said. “I played with a lot of guys who were home run hitters and you tell them what’s coming and they would hit it out of Yellowstone Park.”


chicagotribune--2020-01-19--Family of Frank Aguilar, nurse fatally shot in Little Village, demands justice for his slaying

The shooting was likely the result of “ some sort of mistaken identity '' linked to a long-standing gang conflict @ @ @ @ @ County prosecutors said in December .
Aguilar did not have any gang ties .
Nineteen-year-old @ @ @ @ @ member of the Latin Kings , was identified by police as the driver in the @ @ @ @ @ ordered held without bond .

Elvira Aguilar, left, mother of Frank Aguilar, and his sister Sharee Rangel arrange his memorial display Jan. 19, 2020, at West 32nd Street and South Hamlin Avenue in Little Village where Aguilar was shot and killed in November 2019. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
Standing at the corner of Hamlin Avenue and 32nd Street on Sunday, family members of Frank Aguilar built a memorial for the 32-year-old nurse on top of a blanket of snow.
Aguilar’s sisters, Maria Roman and Sharee Rangel, knelt on the pavement to lay framed photographs of their brother, placing several floral arrangements and a candle with a depiction of the Lady of Guadalupe on the icy ground.
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“I need justice,” Aguilar’s mother, Elvira Aguilar, said in Spanish, holding her palms firmly together.
The family of Frank Aguilar, a nurse fatally shot in Little Village last November, held a news conference Sunday morning to demand a meeting with Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx. According to family members and community organizer Raul Montes Jr., the office had not yet returned their calls asking for a meeting to discuss new developments in Aguilar’s case.
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“I need more investigations,” said Aguilar. “It’s stopping and I need them to continue."
Elvira Aguilar, mother of Frank Aguilar, cries as she speaks about her son on Jan. 19, 2020, at West 32nd Street and South Hamlin Avenue in Little Village where Aguilar was shot and killed in November 2019. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
Aguilar was walking along the 3700 block of West 32nd Street with a laundry basket full of clothing, headed to his family’s Little Village home late on Nov. 12, when someone driving a silver “Jeep-style” vehicle opened fire, hitting him four times, police said. Aguilar was still wearing his nurse’s scrubs and he was carrying snacks for his nieces and nephews.
Aguilar was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in Chicago and later was pronounced dead. An autopsy found he died of multiple gunshot wounds and his death was ruled a homicide.
The shooting was likely the result of “some sort of mistaken identity" linked to a long-standing gang conflict in the area, Cook County prosecutors said in December. Aguilar did not have any gang ties. Nineteen-year-old Armando Lopez, a reputed member of the Latin Kings, was identified by police as the driver in the drive-by shooting. Lopez was ordered held without bond.
In December, Brendan Deenihan, head of detectives for Chicago police, said investigators “feel very strongly” they identified the shooter and were working with the state’s attorney’s office to collect more evidence before pursuing additional charges.
No charges have since been filed against the alleged shooter.
“They have dropped the ball,” Montes Jr. said at the news conference. “This case is inconclusive and there are many pieces missing from the puzzle.”
The family questioned rumors about additional offenders involved in Aguilar’s shooting and demanded justice.
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Holding back tears, Elvira Aguilar said she has been unable to deal with her son’s death because of a lack of closure and what she said is a lack of urgency in determining who is responsible for his death.
"I feel like I’m going to go crazy,“ she said. "I need justice for my son who had no reason to be targeted. I need help from the police, the community. I need justice, please.”
Chicago Tribune’s Rosemary Sobol and Megan Crepeau contributed.
jvillagomez@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @JessicaVillag


chicagotribune--2020-01-19--Rutgers’ historic Big Ten start continues with 64-56 win over Minnesota — and a possible AP Top 25 r

Rutgers’ historic Big Ten start continues with 64-56 win over Minnesota — and a possible AP Top 25 ranking for the 1st time in 4 decades

The upstart Scarlet Knights received eight votes in last week ’ s poll , are now winners of eight of @ @ @ @ @ at home .
Three games over .500 for the first time since the start of @ @ @ @ @ where Rutgers went 9-5 , the program could crack the Top 25 this week after @ @ @ @ @ week ’ s poll and going 2-0 this week for the first time since 1978-79 @

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Caleb McConnell had 10 points and 12 rebounds as Rutgers had a balanced team effort in win over Minnesota 64-56 to continue the program's best start in the Big Ten, and possibly an AP Top 25 ranking for the first time in over four decades.
After starting 1 of 10 from the field and letting Minnesota go 4 of 5, Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell called a timeout 3 1/2 minutes into the game and his team down 10-2. Whatever was said in the huddle sparked a turnaround.
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Montez Mathis (11 points on 4-of-6 shooting) hit back-to-back 3s then a layup and the foul shot that followed before Jacob Young capped an 11-0 run for Rutgers to make it 13-10. Minnesota's Daniel Oturu made a couple free throws before Rutgers went on another 6-0 run to make it 19-12 midway through the half. Rutgers made it 23-15 with 6:26 to go before going into the break with a 34-25 lead.
Rutgers (14-4, 5-2 Big Ten) built its lead to start the second half, ballooning it to 14 on a few occasions. Minnesota (10-8, 4-4 Big Ten) cut the lead to seven three times after that but that's the closest the Golden Gophers got.
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Oturu, who came into the game ranked second in the Big Ten in scoring (20.3) and leads the conference and is fifth nationally in rebounding (12.1), was held to just two points on 0-of-6 shooting and two rebounds in the first half. With 11 double-doubles on the seasons, he finished the game with 19 points going 6-of-16 from the field with nine rebounds.
Payton Willis had 12 points for Minnesota.
Myles Johnson added seven points and 10 rebounds for Rutgers, while Ron Harper Jr. and Jacob Young had 11 points each.
The upstart Scarlet Knights received eight votes in last week’s poll, are now winners of eight of their last nine and 13-0 at home. Three games over .500 for the first time since the start of the 1998-99 Big East season where Rutgers went 9-5, the program could crack the Top 25 this week after receiving eight votes in last week’s poll and going 2-0 this week for the first time since 1978-79.


chicagotribune--2020-01-19--Lou Piniella returns to the Cubs as an analyst with Marquee Sports Network. How about that?

It may be only 10 years since he left , but it was a very different era when Piniella was @ @ @ @ @ manager was the final word from the clubhouse , with little interference from the front @ @ @ @ @ decisions .
After the Cubs finished last in the National League Central with a league-worst @ @ @ @ @ Piniella took the Cubs to the playoffs with division titles in 2007 and ’ 08 @ @ @ @ @ both times in the Division Series by the Diamondbacks and Dodgers , respectively .
Their @ @ @ @ @ by the many distractions caused by Milton Bradley and the team fell apart in ’ @ @ @ @ @ to tend to his mother .

It has been nearly a decade since Lou Piniella stepped foot in Wrigley Field.
He left with tears in his eyes on Aug. 22, 2010, after deciding to retire from managing during the season to take care of his ailing, 90-year-old mother, Margaret.
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“I cried a little bit after the game,” Piniella said during his farewell news conference in the cramped interview room behind the Cubs dugout. “I get emotional. I’m sorry.”
A lot has happened since, including the end of the Cubs championship drought and the renovation of Wrigley Field and the surrounding neighborhood. And now, at long last, Piniella will make his return to Wrigley after the surprising announcement Saturday that he’ll be part of the Marquee Sports Network’s coverage of Cubs telecasts.
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As the man known as “Sweet Lou” liked to say: How about that?
“Just talk baseball, Cubs baseball,” Piniella told the Tribune on Sunday from his home in Tampa, Fla. “Chicago is a special city and Cubs fans are just great. I look forward to coming back and having fun with this thing. Thank God I don’t have to make too many decisions. I haven’t been back to the ballpark. I did a couple appearances for Oracle up on the rooftops, but I look forward to seeing the new Wrigley.”
Piniella, 76, is one of several analysts brought in by the new network, part of a revolving cast that includes familiar names Mark DeRosa, Rick Sutcliffe, Ryan Dempster, Dan Plesac and Carlos Pena. Piniella plans to do pregame shows for 15-16 games, and said “once in a while they might want to sneak me in (to the TV booth) for a few innings.”
The announcement was greeted with loud applause Saturday at the Cubs Convention. Piniella was one of the more popular Cubs managers in recent history, helping resurrect a franchise that floundered a couple of years after the 2004 collapse. Leaving without finishing the 2010 season was Piniella’s only regret. He already had been told they wanted him to return in 2011.
“I always felt bad I had to leave before the season was over,” he said. “I can get that off my mind now. It was important that I came home. I spent valuable time with my mom. You hate to end your career not finishing a season, but to me, it was something that had to be done. Family is always important. But I look forward to this, working with my buddies.
“The Cubs are such an institution. I never realized what I was getting into when I got there, but it was fun. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’m so happy since I left they won a championship.”
Cubs manager Lou Piniella speaks about his plans to retire after the 2010 season during a press conference at Wrigley Field on July 20, 2010. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
Piniella did some analyst work for Yankees telecasts on the YES Network after his retirement and later served as a consultant with the Reds. But he said he has been lying low in Tampa the last few years after suffering a stroke. Piniella said he’s completely recovered and ready to get back into the game on a limited basis.
“I do a little Pilates, play some golf, a little fishing and I ride my bicycle once in a while,” he said. “An old, 76-year-old guy riding a damn bicycle. People think I’m nuts.”
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When told people already thought he was nuts, Piniella said, “There you go.”
Returning to the Cubs family was an easy decision, he said. Marquee Sports & Entertainment general manager Mike McCarthy promised Piniella he could return on his own terms, and a deal was promptly struck. Piniella admitted he hasn’t watched much Cubs baseball lately but said he watched David Ross on “Dancing With the Stars” and believes Ross is a fine choice as manager.
Piniella has been following the offseason and noted the Cubs have some tough decisions to make with young stars closing in on free agency and team President Theo Epstein facing budgetary concerns in 2020.
“But every team has tough decisions,” Piniella said. “It’s hard to win on a continuous basis in major-league baseball."
It may be only 10 years since he left, but it was a very different era when Piniella was managing in Chicago. The manager was the final word from the clubhouse, with little interference from the front office on lineups or in-game decisions. After the Cubs finished last in the National League Central with a league-worst 96 losses in 2006, Piniella took the Cubs to the playoffs with division titles in 2007 and ’08, but they were swept both times in the Division Series by the Diamondbacks and Dodgers, respectively. Their ’09 season was sabotaged by the many distractions caused by Milton Bradley and the team fell apart in ’10 before Piniella abruptly left to tend to his mother.
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Unlike Ross, Piniella’s duties also entailed helping the Cubs get some media attention to help fill Wrigley. That request led to his famous hat-throwing ejection in 2007 that turned the season around.
Piniella usually was game for anything. In the spring of 2007 he stomped on a stuffed animal that was meant to represent a billy goat while yelling “I don’t believe in curses” in a staged bit for a Japanese TV station.
“Baseball is a sport, baseball is a business, but baseball is also entertainment,” Piniella said. “You know the amazing thing, when I went there, one of the things (former President) John McDonough wanted me to do is entertain. He really did. And I did. We had fun doing it. We only won a few divisions. I’m sorry we didn’t do any better in the postseason.
“Truthfully, I didn’t realize what pressure these kids had on them to perform (because of the drought). I should’ve handled that a little differently. I had played with the Yankees, and we thrived on pressure and big moments. I guess the Cubs, with the lack of success they had, I should’ve told them, ‘Just relax and have fun.’ … These kids just tried too hard and they just didn’t get it done. If I had to do it over again, that’s the only thing I would do (differently).
“But McDonough and (former GM) Jim Hendry hired me to get this thing turned around and get the ship headed in the right direction. It’s a shame (the Cubs didn’t win). ... But working with Hendry and the group of characters we had there, it was something I’ll never forget.”


chicagotribune--2020-01-19--Emergency room medical resident, 34, shot while walking dog on North Side

Moments later , the cellphone he was holding in his left hand was shot at , and although the victim @ @ @ @ @ shot at him , he told authorities the intoxicated man was the only person he @ @ @ @ @ said .
More gunshots were heard and he fell to the ground and felt pain @ @ @ @

A 34-year-old medical resident was shot while walking his dog Saturday night in the Buena Park neighborhood on the North Side, according to Chicago police.
The man was walking his dog at 11:28 p.m. in the 4000 block of North Broadway. A police source and a family member confirmed the victim’s identity but it is being withheld because he could not immediately be reached for comment.
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The man saw a man in a dark Canada Goose coat, who appeared to be intoxicated, standing about 25 feet away from him, a police source said.
Moments later, the cellphone he was holding in his left hand was shot at, and although the victim wasn’t sure who shot at him, he told authorities the intoxicated man was the only person he saw nearby, the source said. More gunshots were heard and he fell to the ground and felt pain, police said.
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He was able to take his dog back to his home before alerting authorities, officials said. An ambulance arrived and took him to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he was listed in fair condition after suffering a gunshot wound to the right hip, according to the source.
His phone was lost or damaged when it was shot at, the source said.
The victim is a medical resident in the emergency medicine department with Northwestern Medicine and has lived in Chicago for almost four years, said his father. The man’s father, who lives in New York, said he found it both heartbreaking and ironic that his son would be shot, given his profession.
“I worry about him,” the elder man said. "He called and told me everything that happened. I’m as nervous as a jaybird about him being where he is — he was just out walking his dog.”
No arrests have been made, a police spokesman said.
Chicago Tribune’s Rosemary Sobol contributed.
jvillagomez@chicagotribune.com
pfry@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-01-19--Will Patrick Kane — currently at 999 — earn his 1,000th career point tonight? He’d be the 90th NHL p

Will Patrick Kane — currently at 999 — earn his 1,000th career point tonight? He’d be the 90th NHL player to reach the milestone.

`` It feels like yesterday I was playing there and having a lot of fun playing hockey , '' Kane @ @ @ @ @ there one year but have a lot of memories that can maybe take up four @ @ @ @ @ one season .
It was a great season and just felt the same when I @ @ @ @ @ .
Felt like I was coming back to play a game in that building .
@ @ @ @ @ going back in there . ''

TORONTO —
Every once in a while a confluence of events comes together that best can be described as magical.
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Patrick Kane, whose Blackhawks career has been nothing less than magical, could wind up remembering this weekend that way.
Kane had his No. 88 retired Friday night by the London Knights, with whom he played junior hockey for one brilliant season 13 years ago. And after picking up his 999th career point Saturday against the Maple Leafs, Kane is on the cusp of becoming the 90th player in NHL history to hit the 1,000-point milestone.
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Kane hit 999 on Saturday with an assist on Brandon Saad’s goal in a 6-2 Hawks victory. Kane’s next chance to hit 1,000 comes Sunday night against the Jets at the United Center.
“It would be fun to do it tonight,” Kane said Saturday after the morning skate in Toronto. “It would cap off a pretty special weekend.”
But it wouldn’t cap off what has been a special run. At 31, Kane has plenty left in the tank and is playing perhaps the best hockey of his 13-season career that began a few months after he racked up 145 points (62 goals, 83 assists) in 58 games for the Knights during the 2006-07 season.
On Friday, Kane’s parents, girlfriend, three sisters and several former Knights teammates joined him in London, Ontario — about a two-hour drive from Toronto — to have his No. 88 hung from the rafters of Budweiser Gardens alongside those of Corey Perry, Dino Ciccarelli and former Hawk Dave Bolland, among others.
Thank you @GoLondonKnights for a night my family and I will never forget pic.twitter.com/ISWkFZ2USE — Patrick Kane (@88PKane) January 18, 2020
Kane has won three Stanley Cups and an NHL scoring title, was named rookie of the year and won the most valuable player award after the 2015-16 season and the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the 2013 playoffs. Having his number retired by the Knights ranks with them all.
“I think it’s up there,” Kane said. “Being in London one year and going back there (Friday) night, I think you get a little emotional at the video tribute. It’s your career displayed for you in front of your eyes. It’s amazing it’s been 13 years.”
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The importance of that season to the Hawks dynasty of the last decade can’t be overstated. Kane was not considered a candidate for the No. 1 pick in the 2007 draft until he grabbed the attention of the hockey world during his one season in London.
The Hawks took notice and took him with the first pick. The rest is history. Or at least history in the making.
"It feels like yesterday I was playing there and having a lot of fun playing hockey," Kane said. "I was there one year but have a lot of memories that can maybe take up four or five years from that one season. It was a great season and just felt the same when I was walking in the building. Felt like I was coming back to play a game in that building. That was a weird feeling going back in there."
Getting his 1,000th point in Toronto — one of the meccas of the hockey world — with his family in attendance and on the same weekend the Knights retired his number would have been a beautiful coincidence.
“Yeah, it’s a pretty good stage to get it if he were able to,” coach Jeremy Colliton said. “I think he’d want that. It’s a big game for us too. So he knows that when he’s able to produce for us, it helps us win.”
Colliton had no idea how right he was. It has been nearly impossible for the Hawks to win over the last two seasons, statistics show, unless Kane’s name is on the scoresheet.
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Beginning with the 2018-19 season, Kane scored at least one point in 102 of the 130 games in which he played, and the Hawks are 56-33-13. In games Kane has not registered a point, the Hawks are 3-20-5.
And this season? In games in which Kane didn’t pick up a point, the Hawks are, incredibly, just 1-8-2. That one victory comes with an asterisk because, although Kane didn’t get credit for a point, he scored the clinching shootout goal in a 3-2 win Dec. 29 against the Blue Jackets.
Despite only being in his third season, Alex DeBrincat’s 24 goals are seventh among Hawks who have scored the most off an assist from Kane. DeBrincat learned early in his career that playing on a line with Kane isn’t as simple as jumping on the ice and waiting for Kane to zip a perfect pass his way.
The perfect pass often comes. But it’s impossible to know when, where or how.
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“He’s got eyes in the back of his head,” DeBrincat said. "He’s always looking for you. You’ve just got to be prepared — that’s the biggest thing. A lot of guys are thinking, ‘There’s no way he can get this to me,’ and they get a little lazy. And then it’s right on their stick and they’re not ready to shoot.
“That’s a big thing with him: Just be ready to shoot it at any time.”
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That’s a lesson Marian Hossa learned in 2011 when he was a participant in what Kane said was the most memorable regular-season point of his career.
The Hawks played the Ducks at the United Center on Oct. 25. Kane took off with the puck near the right boards and crossed the blue line with defenseman Toni Lydman cutting off his path to the net and three other Ducks clogging the slot.
Kane veered slightly away from the net before doing a spin-o-rama and sending a perfect blind pass to Hossa, whose stick was on the ice ready for, well, a perfect blind pass.
“I think it was the first time I did that and was able to pull it off (and) be able to create a goal out of it,” Kane said. “Tried it a few times before. and that was the first time it connected on the pass to Hossa. For whatever reason, that sticks out.”
Some things stick out more than others. Like certain magical weekends of hockey.


chicagotribune--2020-01-19--Report: Hank Azaria to quit voicing Apu on ‘The Simpsons’

“ Thank you for asking me .
Yes , of course , I did see it , and let me @ @ @ @ @ you how I feel about that .
The idea that anybody , young or old @ @ @ @ @ was bullied or teased or worse based on the character of Apu on ‘ The @ @ @ @ @ or any other tropes of the character is distressing , ” he said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ , the idea that anybody was marginalized based on it or had a hard time @ @ @ @ @ personally and professionally .
”

Hank Azaria has made a name for himself as a Broadway, TV and film actor, but he is arguably most famous for voicing some of 'The Simpsons' most beloved characters, including: Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Moe, Police Chief Wiggum, Comic Book Guy, Lou, Carl Carlson, Dr. Nick Riviera, Snake, Kirk Van Houten, Bumblebee Man, McCallister, Superintendent Chalmers, Gabbo, and Frank Grimes -- just to name a few. A report has Azaria stepping away from voicing Apu. (Daily News Photo Illustration: Connor/Getty)
Los Angeles — Hank Azaria says he has no plans to continue voicing the character of Apu on “The Simpsons,” according to an industry blog. But that isn't to say the Indian immigrant convenience store owner Azaria brought alive for 30 years won't live on.
Producers and Fox Broadcasting Co. wouldn't confirm to The Associated Press Azaria's exit or an end to Apu, a recurring character that has drawn criticism for reinforcing racial stereotypes. There was no immediate reply Saturday from Azaria’s publicist.
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The actor, who is white, indicated Friday to slashfilm.com that there was no resistance to phasing out his voice.
"We all made the decision together,” Azaria said. “We all agreed on it. We all feel like it’s the right thing and (feel) good about it.”
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Apu Nahasapeemapetilon runs the Kwik-E-Mart, a popular convenience store in the animated sitcom's Springfield. Apu is known for his catchphrase, “Thank you, come again.” Azaria's first turn as Apu came in the first season's episode “The Telltale Head” in 1990.
Azaria speculated that among options going forward is transitioning Apu's voice to an Indian actor.
In 2017, comedian Hari Kondabolu put out a documentary, “The Problem with Apu,” that examined the character's cultural impact. Asked in the film's aftermath if he had watched the documentary, Azaria said:
“Thank you for asking me. Yes, of course, I did see it, and let me see if I can tell you how I feel about that. The idea that anybody, young or old, past or present, was bullied or teased or worse based on the character of Apu on ‘The Simpsons,’ the voice or any other tropes of the character is distressing,” he said. "And especially in post-9/11 America, the idea that anybody was marginalized based on it or had a hard time was very upsetting to me personally and professionally.”


chicagotribune--2020-01-19--What’s the limit on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ references? Does Anthony Rizzo have pitching competitio

What’s the limit on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ references? Does Anthony Rizzo have pitching competition? 10 memorable Cubs Convention moments.

`` So that night we ’ re at the team party , some rooftop in some hotel , and I @ @ @ @ @ him , and I said , ‘ David , that was a really amazing moment.
@ @ @ @ @ like , ‘ Yeah , I got up , I went to the batter ’ @ @ @ @ @ in the batter ’ s box , people were cheering so hard I started to @ @ @ @ @ to get out and compose myself.
’ And he said , ‘ That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ .
’

The Cubs Convention covered a range of topics throughout Friday and Saturday. Many involved David Ross — or at least invoked his name — as fans familiar with Ross the player got acquainted with Ross the manager.
Here are a few of the moments that stood out from this weekend’s fan and media sessions.
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1. Tom Ricketts didn’t try to worm out of a question about cup snakes.
During Ryan Dempster’s faux late-night show “Off the Mound,” former Cubs pitcher Glendon Rusch asked on behalf of Waukegan Cubs fan “Brendon Flusch,” “Why can’t we make cup snakes in the bleachers anymore?”
To make a “cup snake,” fans in the Wrigley Field bleachers stack used beer or soft drink cups together to form a plastic python until security comes along and confiscates it or breaks it up.
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Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts addressed it during Dempster’s show, neither condemning the practice nor giving it the green light.
“Well you know, I think the snakes are kind of funny,” Ricketts said. “It’s kind of a cool thing, it’s kind of organic. It’s not like anybody coaches anyone to do that. I think the only problem people worry about is you don’t want to have a snake fall over and spill beer all over people, and then of course you don’t want it to fall on the field.”
“They’re empties!” one man in the audience shouted.
Ricketts continued, “I think it’s relatively harmless; I’m not sure what the big deal is.”
2. You got a sign-stealing problem? Ryan Dempster has a solution.
No matter how many times Cubs players and staff were asked about the Astros sign-stealing scandal, they resisted heaping too much dirt on them or biting on suggestions they should be stripped of their World Series rings.
But they made plenty of jokes or not-so-subtle references to the Astros throughout their sessions, including during Ryan Dempster’s monologue.
“It was a real easy fix and I don’t understand the problem now,” the retired Cubs pitcher said about how to fight back against runners at second base relaying pitches to the hitter. “You just called timeout, you called your catcher out (to the mound) and you said, ‘Hey, go with a slider down and away and I’m going to throw a fastball right in his ribs.’ ”
“They’re like an old married couple after that,” Dempster continued. " ‘You said slider! Now my ribs are broken. I don’t want to be your teammate anymore.' ”
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Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 74 Kris Bryant is introduced. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
3. What’s the limit on David Ross “Dancing with the Stars” references?
If convention weekend is any predictor, it’s going to have to burn itself out this summer through overuse like the Cubs’ version of the Crying Michael Jordan meme.
Ross himself brought it up with Ryan Dempster: “Two weeks in (on the show) I’m like, ‘I’m good.’ And Cubs fans (through their votes) were like, ‘No you’re not. We want to see that act again.’ “
4. Laura Ricketts was a hard sell as a Cubs fan.
The Cubs co-owner, who grew up playing several sports, relished the memory of pulling out her softball glove each February and savoring the smell of leather.
The Cubs did not evoke such childhood devotion.
“I have to say that I wasn’t quite as crazy as the guys (her brothers) were when we were younger about the Cubs," she told Ryan Dempster. "Remember when you had to camp out overnight the night before you bought tickets? Our brother Pete did that. Like, you had to keep your place in line. I never did that.
“I would never have done that. But Pete, you know, was crazy enough to do that.”
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5. And, hey, did you know they called him “Grandpa Rossy?”
If you thought you’d escape the convention without hearing some folksy yarn at David Ross’ expense, you would’ve been wrong.
Tom Ricketts asked Ryan Dempster’s “Off the Mound” audience if they wanted to hear a David Ross story, as if anything was going to stop it.
“Does anyone remember in 2016 the day we clinched (the NL Central)? David Ross got up to pinch hit,” Ricketts recalled. ".He walked up, he got in the box, and people were cheering so much for him he had to step out and compose himself.
"So that night we’re at the team party, some rooftop in some hotel, and I’m just talking to him, and I said, ‘David, that was a really amazing moment.’ And he’s like, ‘Yeah, I got up, I went to the batter’s box, I stood in the batter’s box, people were cheering so hard I started to choke up. I had to get out and compose myself.’ And he said, ‘That’s never happened to me before.’
“And I’m like, ‘David, that’s never happened to any .220 hitter before.’ "
David Ross is introduced during the opening ceremony of the Cubs Convention on Jan. 17, 2020. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
Ba-dum-bump.
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6. Could Anthony Rizzo have competition on the mound?
One young man noted first baseman Anthony Rizzo’s desire to pitch and asked a panel of players during “Cubs Talk” what other position they would like to play.
Catcher Willson Contreras, brimming with confidence, replied first: “I would be a pitcher. Closer.”
Moderator Jim Deshaies asked what his velocity would be.
“I don’t know, maybe 93, 94 (mph)?" Contreras replied.
7. David Ross doesn’t have qualms about managing his former teammates.
Ross, who retired after the 2016 championship season, isn’t that far removed from his playing days. And “Grandpa Rossy” was close friends with several of the players he’ll now be managing.
“Me and Anthony (Rizzo) obviously are close,” Ross said during a fan session with the coaching staff. "Me and (Jon) Lester are probably are even closer. I do have some friends out there.
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“As their friend I’ve always told them the truth, I’ve always shot ‘em straight. I said last night, I truly believe this, it’s like being a dad. You love your kids, but when they get out of line you’ve got to kind of set them straight. And we’ll have those tough conversations.”
He added, "On the other side, I expect them to come in when I mess up and kind of hold me accountable. I want them in my office asking me why I did certain things and being able to explain myself.
“I think it’s a two-way street.”
8. David Ross’ former teammates don’t express any qualms about him being manager either.
Willson Contreras said during the “Cubs Talk” panel, “He doesn’t have any experience managing a big-league team, but he does have to the ability to keep people accountable. We’re going to adjust to his new rules.”
Willson Contreras is introduced during the opening ceremony of the Cubs Convention. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
Kyle Schwarber told reporters during Friday’s media session that he doesn’t expect his or other players’ relationship with Ross to be different.
“He was my mentor, as (he was with) a lot of people on this team,” Schwarber said. “Mentors you give a huge, immense amount of respect. Now he’s in that manager’s role, obviously we’re going to have his back like he’s going to have our back.”
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9. The Marquee Sports Network was called out for its heavily male roster.
After the roster of Marquee Sports Network analysts was introduced during the business operations update, one woman took note of that 12 of them were male and that one, former Rockies reporter Taylor McGregor, was female.
“With such a large female fanbase, why is there only one female on that team?” the fan asked President of Business Operations Crane Kenney. Her question received a round of applause.
“That’s a good point. I was thinking the same thing when I looking at the talent,” said Kenney, who noted that many of the analysts are former Cubs players. “But your point is a good one, and we’ll make sure the network has adequate representation.”
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For what it’s worth, earlier in the session a male fan from West Virginia asked about one notable omission.
“This is no offense to Taylor, but I think Kelly Crull should be part of the Marquee Sports Network,” he said to cheers from the crowd.
Crull reported on the Cubs for NBC Sports Chicago, but her contract expired in the fall. The Cubs ended their local broadcast arrangement with that channel when the team created Marquee, which it plans to launch Feb. 22.
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10. So StubHub and other ticket brokers are partially responsible for Cubs prices?
The Cubs staff said a heavy schedule of games in cold-weather March and April played a role in this season’s 2.5% ticket decrease.
But on Saturday they admitted the resale market was a factor too.
“We do look at that every year,” team President of Business Operations Crane Kenney said. “As every year goes on, it seems that the secondary market becomes liquid and more transparent; there’s a lot more data there. It’s also why you saw us reduce prices for the first time in a long time. We’re definitely cognizant of what’s going there.”
He said the team also is working with their ticket partners and using other methods to stop some of the re-sellers’ practices "that artificially depress prices sometimes,” such as large brokers snatching up blocks of tickets.


chicagotribune--2020-01-19--Guerin Prep president says school would have needed additional $6 million to stay open, parents caug

Guerin Prep president says school would have needed additional $6 million to stay open, parents caught off-guard; ‘It looked like it was deteriorating and no one cared’

“ If you would have gone there you ’ d see something was going on because it ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t have a lot of students and you could see that .
I @ @ @ @ @ private school and expensive but it looked like it was deteriorating and no one cared @ @ @ @ @ any excitement , ” Otero said .

To keep operating, Guerin Prep would have needed a multi-million dollar Hail Mary, the school’s president said a day after announcing the Catholic school would close its doors at the end of this school year.
“We would need $6 million to stay open another four years and be given the opportunity to turn things around,” said Tom Bednar, who has been president of Guerin Prep, in River Grove, for the past year and a half.
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Bednar explained Friday that school officials made the announcement this week because applicants for next year’s freshmen class were waiting for acceptance letters — letters that he said they did not send out.
“That was our motivation for the timing of the announcement,” Bednar said. “We did not want to send out acceptance letters and then have to tell them a week or two later that we are not going to be open.”
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In a press release Thursday, Bednar said the school’s board of directors made the difficult decision to cease operations, which he described as a “very sad and difficult decision.”
Bednar cited three major factors that led to the decision to close the school that educated students for almost 60 years: a steady decline in enrollment, increasing need for student financial aid and lower-than-expected fundraising results.
“In 2015-16, we had 400 students. This year we dropped to below 250. That’s a loss of 150 students and tuition is more than $10,000 so that’s $1.5 million at least in revenue loss,” Bednar said.
Pressed for exact numbers, Bednar said tuition at Guerin currently is $11,450 plus a few fees and mandatory fundraising that pushes it to $12,400.
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Jim Dohoney, the parent of a junior, said he attended a school meeting Thursday evening and suggested the school do a phase-out, in which they would stop accepting freshmen next year.
“There was some discussion of that but it just didn’t seem feasible," Bednar said. "You also lose that high school experience if you only have one class or two classes that are finishing up. That’s usually a diminished experience and most people advise against doing that.”
Another parent upset by the news was Selinet Otero, whose son Michael Pagan is a freshman at Guerin.
“I’m very frustrated because it took us some time to choose this school. We had other options. My son was accepted at the Disney II magnet school but turned it down to attend Guerin. I doubt if that’s an option for next year because we said no when they offered,” Otero said.
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Guerin Prep's Dance Team members seek donations for new dresses for some of their performances at GuerinFest in August 2018. (Jon Langham / Pioneer Press)
She added that while she was caught off guard by the announcement, in hindsight she could see signs of trouble.
“If you would have gone there you’d see something was going on because it’s a pretty big school but it didn’t have a lot of students and you could see that. I understand it’s a private school and expensive but it looked like it was deteriorating and no one cared. There wasn’t any excitement,” Otero said.
Guerin Prep was known as Mother Theodore Guerin for most of its existence, and was an all-girls Catholic high school until 2004, when the neighboring Catholic all-boys Holy Cross High School closed. Guerin leaders decided to make the school co-ed, and changed its name to Guerin College Prep in 2005. It is not run by the Archdiocese of Chicago.
Combining the schools led some, like 1989 graduate Karen Tarczynski, who grew up in Chicago’s Galewood neighborhood, to believe that the school was in the black.
“I thought they were doing a lot better, especially once they transformed to Guerin Prep and took the boys on,” Tarczynski said.
Since 1961, when the school was founded by the Sisters of Providence, an order of nuns, more than 20,000 young women and men from Chicago’s Northwest side and the surrounding suburbs graduated from Guerin, Bednar said.
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After the closing, the school’s land will be returned to the Archdiocese of Chicago, which gave the land to the Sisters of Providence with the condition that it be used to educate students, Bednar said.
As for what will happen to the land after the school year, Sue Thomas, spokesman for the Archdiocese of Chicago, said, “There are no plans for land use right now.”
Several front row seniors were the first to get their diplomas May 24, 2017, at Guerin College Prep. (Jon Langham / Pioneer Press)
The Chicago Tribune previously reported that developers are planning to build townhouses and condos on a portion of the former Holy Cross High School’s land.
Bednar said the school had been losing students for several years, which affected its budget in several ways — loss of money from tuition and loss of donations because of donors’ fears.
“Most of the time when people are giving to a school they are looking at enrollment trends. If it’s not going up, they are are less inclined to support a school with a downward trend,” Bednar said.
Before heading Guerin, Bednar was president of St. Francis High School in Wheaton for nine years. A Kansas City native, he has lived in the Chicago area since 2003.
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As for launching a fund-raising campaign to save the school, he said a large campaign was considered a year ago but sputtered early and was shut down shortly after beginning.
“For a major campaign, you always begin with a silent phase to see if you can get roughly 40 percent of your goal through key donors before going public. We made an effort to reach out to a good number of people and we weren’t getting the response that we needed to turn things around,” Bednar said.
When that didn’t work, the school tried to boost enrollment by creating programs like a fine arts academy and a computer science academy, to no avail. In another effort to stay alive, the school also cut costs, Bednar said.
“Our budget this year was $4 million. We reduced costs by $500,000 over last year and last year we reduced it by $250,000 from the previous year.”
Another problem was what Bednar called the “growing gap of affordability,” the fact that about 75 percent of students required financial aid — and that the school was unable to raise enough money to cover that.
“We required $1.6 million in financial aid but we only raised $900,000, so there’s that gap that created stress on the school’s budget,” Bednar said.
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Now, with the announcement that the school will close for good, students who are not graduating this year will have to find a new school next year. To assist them, transition teams will be available, the press release said.
The school’s staff, who were notified Tuesday during a 2 p.m. faculty meeting, were “sad and disappointed,” Bednar said. He added that they will be provided assistance to help in their job searches.
He offered assurance that the current students will continue the year as normal.
“We want to finish strong this year. We are continuing to prepare students for college. They are still being challenged in the classroom to do well in their writing and critical thinking, and developing their math and science abilities,” Bednar said.
As for the 20,000 alums of the school, Bednar said he is planning an all-class reunion later in the spring at the school. He did not yet know the date.


chicagotribune--2020-01-19--Royal Caribbean cruise line says Indiana grandfather leaned out window, so he knew it was open befor

Royal Caribbean cruise line says Indiana grandfather leaned out window, so he knew it was open before his granddaughter’s fall

Anello has insisted that he did not know the window was open when he lifted Chloe to the window , @ @ @ @ @ allow her to bang on the glass like she did at her brother ’ s @ @ @ @ @ “ CBS This Morning ” in November that he was trying to stand Chloe on @ @ @ @ @ when she plunged from the open window .
He also said he ’ s colorblind @ @ @ @ @ he didn ’ t realize the tinted window was open .

MIAMI — An Indiana man charged with negligent homicide in his young granddaughter’s fatal fall from a cruise ship’s open window in Puerto Rico leaned out of that window for several seconds before he lifted the child up to it and she fell, the cruise operator alleges in a court filing.
Royal Caribbean Cruises’ Jan. 8 filing in U.S. District Court in Miami comes in response to a lawsuit the parents of Chloe Wiegand filed in December, accusing the operator of negligence in her death by allowing an 11th floor window in the ship’s children’s play area to be open.
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Royal Caribbean, which is seeking the lawsuit’s dismissal, lays the blame for the child’s fatal fall on her 51-year-old grandfather, Salvatore Anello. He was charged last year in Puerto Rico with negligent homicide in her July 8 death.
In its filing, the company says that Anello, of Valparaiso, Indiana, was "reckless and irresponsible" in his granddaughter’s fall from the open window on Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas ship.
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It says surveillance video on the ship shows Anello leaning out of the open window for about eight seconds just moments before he lifted his granddaughter, who would have turned 2 in December, up to the window, from which she fell to the dock far below.
"This is a case about an adult man, who, as surveillance footage unquestionably confirms: (1) walked up to a window he was aware was open; (2) leaned his upper body out the window for several seconds; (3) reached down and picked up Chloe; and (4) then held her by and out of the open window for thirty four seconds before he lost his grip and dropped Chloe out of the window,” the court filing states.
"His actions, which no reasonable person could have foreseen, were reckless and irresponsible and the sole reason why Chloe is no longer with her parents," the cruise line said.
Michael Winkleman, an attorney for the girl's family, said that Royal Caribbean's motion is “baseless and deceptive,” The Indianapolis Star reported.
Anello has insisted that he did not know the window was open when he lifted Chloe to the window, saying he did so to allow her to bang on the glass like she did at her brother’s hockey games. He told “CBS This Morning” in November that he was trying to stand Chloe on the window’s railing when she plunged from the open window. He also said he’s colorblind and that may be why he didn’t realize the tinted window was open.
“I just never saw it. I’ve been told that that’s a reason it might have happened,” he said, referring to the eyesight condition.
Anello’s attorney, José G. Pérez Ortiz, told The Indianapolis Star in November that surveillance video of the incident is consistent with the grandfather’s assertion that he believed the window was closed.
“My client thought that the window was closed,” Ortiz said. “Nothing in the video is inconsistent.”
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A spokeswoman for Royal Caribbean Cruises, Melissa Charbonneau, said in a statement Friday that the girl’s death was “undeniably a heartbreaking tragedy that has prompted a criminal prosecution of Chloe’s step-grandfather and a civil lawsuit brought by the Wiegand family attorneys."


chicagotribune--2020-01-19--3 takeaways from the Blackhawks’ 6-2 win over the Maple Leafs, including why Dominik Kubalik might h

3 takeaways from the Blackhawks’ 6-2 win over the Maple Leafs, including why Dominik Kubalik might have have a 2nd career as a designated hitter

`` I ( wanted it ) maybe a foot or two lower on the ice , '' Toews said .
@ @ @ @ @ my intention .
Just kind of floated one in there and , as they say @ @ @ @ @ a good player a bad pass .
I tried my best on that one and @ @ @ @ @ to get a stick on it .

TORONTO — All this attention over a mistake.
Dominik Kubalik didn’t do anything wrong, he simply struck the ball where Jonathan Toews pitched it and batted it into center field for a single.
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Sorry, that's hit the puck where it was passed and shot it into the net for a goal.
As natural as the pitch — or pass, whatever — to Kubalik looked when he scored his second goal in Saturday’s 6-2 win over the Maple Leafs, Toews wasn’t trying to throw batting practice when he unleashed a toss that was pretty darn close to 60 feet, 6 inches.
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"I (wanted it) maybe a foot or two lower on the ice," Toews said. "That was more of my intention. Just kind of floated one in there and, as they say, you can't give a good player a bad pass. I tried my best on that one and he still found a way to get a stick on it.
And what did Kubalik think of the goal?
"I don't know what happened there," he said. "I was just going to the net and tried to hit it and it went in. I think it was actually a nice goal."
Everything is going right for Kubalik now — and everything is going right for the Hawks, who arrive home Sunday to face the Jets with a four-game win streak and a growing confidence that their season is just getting started.
Here are three takeaways from Sunday's win:
1. The Blackhawks are oozing confidence.
Nobody was marching around the locker room demanding respect. Nobody challenged reporters who may or may not have written the Hawks had almost no chance to make the playoffs.
What the Hawks did after drubbing the Maple Leafs was what Jeremy Colliton has been telling them to do all season: Look to the next game, the next shift and not any further than that.
“We feel good about ourselves and believe in what we’re doing,” Jonathan Toews said. “But we got to earn that feeling every day. It’s important we just don’t think it’s going to happen because we’re playing better. There’s work that goes into it. We’ve got to prepare and then you got to compete when it’s time. I think overall we’ve been doing that.”
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The Hawks weren’t given much credit for winning three straight against the Ducks, Senators and Canadiens — but that didn’t matter to them. They took all the points they could and used the wins to build up their confidence.
Going into Scotiabank Arena and leaving with a shockingly easy win over a potentially powerful team also desperate for wins may be the sign this team needed that they’re for real. Or maybe they already know it and the rest of us haven’t figured it out yet.
"We're taking it one game at a time and I think we're doing a great job of focusing on the task at hand," Toews said. "Whatever situation we find ourselves in we're playing good hockey. It's fun. I think we're playing a complete game right now. We're showing each other what our potential really is if we play the right way."
That language isn’t being used by accident. Colliton constantly talks about doing the right things day in and day out while focusing on process rather than results. The players seem to be listening, and Colliton plans to keep telling them not to take their foot off the pedal.
"We're definitely not in a position where we can cruise," Colliton said. "We got a big one tomorrow against a team we're trying to chase down. (Our) home record and our home performance has been wanting so far this year. So it's an opportunity to build on some of the good things we've been doing.
"I think we've been better at home but not to the level we should be. We should use that energy that we get and that comfort to push. That's what we'll expect (Sunday)."
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2. Brandon Saad’s return from injured reserve could not have gone any better.
Played a seamless 17 minutes, eight seconds in his first game spraining his right ankle on Dec. 19? Check.
Scored in the first period to get that sometimes pesky initial goal out of the way early? Check.
Joined in on all the fun? Big check.
The Hawks are a better team with Brandon Saad than without him, but it wasn’t lost on him that they went 8-4 in his absence, or 9-4 if you count the game in which he was injured. He agreed with a suggestion the team was in a much more stable situation than when he left.
It coincided with a difficult three-week period in which Calvin de Haan and Brent Seabrook were lost for the season, and Andrew Shaw suffered a concussion that he shows no signs of returning from.
"I had some time to watch some games when I was out obviously and ... our team is looking like (it has stabilized)," Saad said. "We're starting to build these wins and coming back I just wanted to be a part of it and keep it simple out there because we're playing the right way now."
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Saad played on a line with Ryan Carpenter and Patrick Kane, and the trio had a strong night. They were the only Hawks' line to have more scoring chances for than against (12 to 8) at even strength all night.
Kane picked up the 999th point of his career and had the primary assist on Saad’s goal, but it was Carpenter forcing a turnover that got the play started.
POINT NO. 999 FOR KANER 🚨🚨🚨 pic.twitter.com/oqp31YNt8o — BlackhaWWWWks Talk (@NBCSBlackhawks) January 19, 2020
“I wanted to keep it simple and play good hockey early on,” Saad said. “For me to get a goal out of the way too it always gives you that confidence. Playing with some good players out there too so that always helps.”
3. Corey Crawford is out of his slump.
After going 2-8 with an .885 save percentage in 11 appearances from Nov. 30 through Jan. 9, Corey Crawford appears to back to his old self.
Wednesday’s 32-save performance in a 4-1 victory over the Canadiens was followed up with Saturday’s 31-save outing to win his second straight start.
The timing is excellent because the Hawks are going to need both Crawford and Robin Lehner in a brutal February that includes 11 of 14 games on the road. The Hawks have been terrific away from the United Center lately, taking seven of eight games.
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The hard part will be the three sets of back-to-back games during the month. Jeremy Colliton has shown no inclination to let either goalie start on consecutive days, so Crawford should be used frequently.
Lehner will start on Sunday against the Jets, then will likely get the net on Tuesday against Joel Quenneville’s Panthers.
Here is coverage from Saturday’s game:
Blackhawks fans not only will have a chance to see Patrick Kane pick up his 1,000th career point Sunday at the United Center, they’ll welcome home the NHL’s hottest team.
Drake Caggiula scored 21 seconds into the game, Jonathan Toews had two goals and two assists and Brandon Saad scored in his first game back after missing a month with an ankle injury in the Blackhawks’ 6-2 rout of the Maple Leafs for their league-best fourth straight victory.
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The Hawks improved to 23-20-6 and pulled within four points of the Canucks — who played the Sharks late Saturday — for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.
Kane’s first-period assist moved him within one of 1,000 points, but that’s a story for another night — perhaps Sunday when the Hawks play host to the Jets.
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Saturday’s win belonged to every other Hawks player, it seemed.
Rookie Dominik Kubalik scored twice in the second period to give him 20 goals on the season and nine in his last seven games. His second Saturday came on an incredible play in which Toews sent a long, backhanded, cross-ice pass to the opposite side of the net, and Kubalik somehow hit the puck in midflight past goalie Frederik Andersen.
The Hawks scored three times in each of the first two periods, never letting the Leafs back in the game. Corey Crawford stopped 31 shots for his second straight win after dropping six of his previous seven starts.
Toews’ season-high four points gave him 12 in his last five games and 798 in his career. Caggiula had his second straight game with a goal and an assist, and Erik Gustafsson added a pair of helpers for his first multipoint game since the season opener in Prague.
As great as the individual efforts were, the most important outcome was picking up two points against a tough opponent to sweep a three-game trip and win for the seventh time in eight road games.