The Latest Breaking News from Seth Jones

Johnson played just his 50th Hawks game in two seasons Friday, having missed 82 due to a variety of ailments. He has remained positive and mentally engaged through it all, though.

The Hawks’ 4-3 victory Friday made Stauber the first Hawks goalie ever to win his first three starts. Caleb Jones, Andreas Athanasiou and Boris Katchouk all enjoyed big nights, as well.

This year’s All-Star weekend in Florida lacked energy and pizzazz. But Jones still looked like one of the more eager participants Saturday, tallying three points.

Jones enjoyed his most productive stretch this month since spring 2018 with the Blue Jackets. However, his tendency to “back up” on opponents’ offensive zone entries remains an issue.

The Hawks’ streak of six wins in seven games — now firmly in the past after consecutive lethargic losses — did move them out of last place in the NHL, but only barely. With 36 games left, there’s plenty of time to slide back down again.

Jones scored both the game-tying and game-winning goals, doubling his season goal total in a four-minute span, as the Hawks rallied for a 4-3 victory.

Cech joined Hawks practice on the ice Tuesday after some soccer antics with Mrazek and teammates Monday. The 40-year-old former Chelsea and Arsenal star now plays third-division professional hockey in England.

But the Horned Frogs are 12½-point underdogs, the largest spread for the season finale in nine years of the College Football Playoff.

McCabe played one of his best games Friday and has been arguably the Hawks’ best defenseman all season. But he has become the right player at the wrong time.

Someone from the last-place Hawks had to be chosen, and Jones was the lucky — or unlucky — man. He’s now headed to Florida on Feb. 3-4, but he remains dissatisfied with his actual performance this season.

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.