ANALYSIS: Regula Nets First NHL Goal as Blackhawks Fall to Flames

For the second straight game, Chicago dug themselves too big of a hole to climb out of in a 5-2 defeat to the Calgary Flames on Monday night -- the scoreboard more lopsided than the game as a whole in what was a 3-2 contest until the visitors netted a pair of empty-net goals late.
But a slow start and a 3-1 hole after the opening period was too large a deficit to battle back from against the Pacific Division leaders.
"First period we were sleepy, we spotted them a couple goals," interim head coach Derek King said. "After that I thought we were good. It wasn't a 5-2 hockey game for us. A couple of empty netters there (against) us, but it wasn't a 5-2 game. I thought we played well in the second and third… I liked our effort for two periods."

POSTGAME LINKS
GAMECENTER: CHI vs. CGY
RECAP: Blackhawks Fall to Flames, 5-2
HIGHLIGHTS: Blackhawks vs. Flames
GALLERY: Blackhawks vs. Flames
"We played alright at times. I think all year we've kind of been doing that," added Tyler Johnson, who scored his first goal since late October after missing the majority of the season. "We make the game a little too difficult, in my opinion, sometimes, and good teams make you pay for that. I don't necessarily think it's effort or anything like that, but we change the way we play a little bit and good teams don't do that.

REGULA'S FIRST

After a strong stretch of games in his latest NHL stint, rookie Alec Regula found his first NHL goal, and first NHL point, in the second period with a shot from the point that rang off the iron, off the back of Flames netminder Jakob Markstrom and in.
"I think I owe Markstrom a steak dinner on that one," Regula joked after the game. "I felt like I've been kind of around it (my first goal), so it's nice to get that."

Dylan Strome was quick on the retrieval for the puck that will go home with the defenseman to commemorate the milestone. Regula's mom decided at the last minute to drive in for Monday's game and was in the building for her son's first goal.
"(He) was good," King said of the young defenseman. "Regs just continues to get better and better."
A point-per-game player (27G, 33A in 60 GP) over his final season with the OHL's London Knights in 2019-20, the offensive-minded defenseman has been focusing on his complete game over his first two pro campaigns. He explained last week how he feels his most confident in his all-around play in recent weeks.
"Throughout the year, I've had parts of my game that feel good and others that don't and it's kind of been up and down a little bit, but I think right now, I feel like I'm playing my best hockey and I feel really good about it," he said. "I think I'm defending well, doing good on the PK and also contributing offensively and on the power play."
That comfort in all situations has continued at the NHL level, playing in his fourth straight game on Tuesday. The rookie continues to draw big minutes at even strength while being entrusted into power-play and penalty-kill situations as well.
"You always want to play as much as possible. It's definitely a different animal up here (in the NHL), those kind of special teams. Getting to feel it out a little bit is nice and seeing how I fare with the other guys out there. It's always nice to be out and put in those situations.

REICHEL TO ROCKFORD

After logging just over nine minutes of ice time on Monday night -- the lowest total of his most recent NHL stint -- Lukas Reichel's NHL season is done and the rookie will be assigned to the AHL's Rockford IceHogs for the rest of the campaign, King confirmed after the game.
"He was alright," he said of Reichel's game against the physical Flames. "He showed a couple things out there, he's getting there -- he needs to get stronger, he needs to win more puck battles and play with some pace. He's not skating as fast as he can."
With the IceHogs closing in on a playoff spot for the first time since 2018 and losing a few pieces up front over the weekend in Manitoba, not only will the playoff race be more beneficial in the long run for the rookie, but adding a crucial offensive piece could help put Rockford over the edge in the hunt for the postseason.
"He's going to get some meaningful hockey in and help them because they've got a couple bodies banged up now," King said. "They're missing a couple key guys. He's going to help them solidify that playoff spot."

INJURY WOES

The Blackhawks were already without Kirby Dach (right shoulder) for the second straight game and lost another forward, MacKenzie Entwistle, to a right shoulder injury just minutes into Monday's contest.
Towards the end of his third shift of the night, Entwistle took a hit from Calgary's Trevor Lewis while reaching to keep and puck in along the near-side boards and immediately went to the Blackhawks locker room in pain.
Neither are expected to travel with the team on the upcoming three-game trip to Arizona, LA and San Jose.
"He's got to get more tests tomorrow," King said of Entwistle. "He's sort of stiff kind of all over, so he is probably not coming on the trip.
"Dacher, too -- he's feeling better, but not quite ready, so he'll probably stay home."
Chicago might also be without defenseman Connor Murphy (concussion protocol) for the rest of the season, King said Monday morning. The blueliner has been out since early in March 12's game in Ottawa and although he has returned to skating within the last two weeks, could opt to not rush a return in the final two weeks of the year, all things considered.
"It's looking that way," King said of Murphy potentially remaining out. "He skated a couple days ago when we were here (at the United Center) and said he felt pretty good. It's probably going to be (his) decision, where it's 'Yeah, let me get a couple more games in before the season ends.' Or he's just going to say, 'You know what, it's not worth it right now,' especially the position we're in. Either way you've got to respect his decision."