The Latest Breaking News from Alex Stalock

The good news was Stalock hadn’t suffered another concussion, but the bad news was doctors didn’t know exactly what was wrong. Finally, a long string of tests revealed a presumed answer, allowing Stalock to plan to return to action during the Hawks’ upcoming road trip.

Thanks to Dach’s mental maturation and the Canadiens’ trust in him, he’s the team’s leading scorer since New Year’s Day. Meanwhile, Jonathan Toews remains away from the Blackhawks and Alex Stalock actually isn’t concussed.

Tyler Johnson will return Tuesday, Jarred Tinordi could return Friday and Alex Stalock and Jujhar Khaira are trending in the right direction. Jonathan Toews’ pattern of illnesses is becoming worrisome, however.

Stalock’s stellar goaltending and fun-loving personality were missed for seven weeks after his first concussion, and his terrible recent health luck continued with a collision in practice Monday.

Stalock made 22 saves to notch the Hawks’ first shutout victory in nearly a full calendar year, and Lukas Reichel played well in place of Kane on the Hawks’ top line.

CHICAGO — Opening their three-game road trip Tuesday night against the league’s worst team, the Lightning had plenty of opportunities to pull away from the Blackhawks at the United Center, but found themselves going into the final period of regulation still deadlocked at 1.

It has been 122 games since a Blackhawks defenseman scored a power-play goal. A particularly dismal power-play performance Saturday — 0-for-5 with two short-handed goals allowed — guaranteed the streak will extends into its third calendar year.

The Hawks were generally clean and efficient in all three zones Thursday. But an inexplicable error by Boris Katchouk and a continued lack of goal-scoring doomed them to a 3-1 loss.

ST. LOUIS — For a team, like the Blues, that is treading water in the standings, there’s no better opponent to come across than the Chicago Blackhawks.

Stalock saved 27 of 29 shots and led the Hawks to a win Friday in his first start since Nov. 1. But what the Hawks appreciate most about Stalock is that “even when he’s not perfect, he has a sense of humor about it,” coach Luke Richardson said.

“Winning is hard,” defenseman Connor Murphy said after the Hawks’ 4-2 defeat Wednesday, their 16th in their last 17 games.