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PHT Morning Skate: Remembering actor and hockey fan Alan Thicke

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A two-goal second period gave the Blackhawks a 2-1 lead over the Rangers as goalie Scott Darling stopped 33 of 34 shots to help Chicago keep the New York at bay at Madison Square Garden.

--Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid and Carey Price’s success is well-documented this season, but there are other MVP candidates that are flying under the radar. Here are five unsung heroes (so far) in 2016-17. It’s not surprising to see a Flyer, a Blue Jacket and a Senator on the list. (USA Today)

--Hockey players aren’t the only ones that travel to and from the minor leagues. We often forget this, but referees need to work on their craft in the minors too before making the jump to the NHL. And yes, some need to wait for injures to strike before getting a recall. “Some won’t get NHL games depending on how they perform in the AHL, but when you have injuries, you have opportunity, so quite a few guys have been given opportunity to work in the NHL this year,” Stephen Walkom told the Minneapolis StarTribune.

--Rangers forward Brandon Pirri put up great AHL numbers when he was in the ‘Hawks organization, but he never really got a fair shot to stick with the team. If you expect him to have hard feelings towards Chicago, guess again. “I wasn’t in their plans, but I was given an opportunity somewhere else, and that’s all I could ask for. They didn’t hold me back or anything,” Pirri said. (Chicago Sun-Times)

--The Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers met for the second time in four nights, and much like the first battle, the second one was a low-scoring affair. (Top)

--Here’s a pretty good fight between Panthers defenseman Dylan McIlrath and Wild forward Chris Stewart. McIlrath actually ended up scoring his first goal of the season later on in the third period. (Sportsnet)

--Actor Alan Thicke, who passed away on Tuesday, was a huge fan of the NHL. Learn about his acting career and how he went from being a Montreal Canadiens fan to rooting for the Los Angeles Kings. Thicke was also spotted at numerous league events, including All-Star games and award ceremonies. (Yahoo)

--Sticking with Alan Thicke, here’s some reaction to his passing from people in and around the hockey world: