Morning Chirps: Reichel & Athanasiou need to stay together

The Chicago Blackhawks tried to accomplish something against the Buffalo Sabres they pulled off only three times last season: win consecutive games. Unfortunately, another slow start cost them in a 4-2 loss to even up the homestand at 1-1-0.
Tage Thompson, who hit the post earlier in the first period, opened the scoring with a shot from 45 feet out. Arvid Soderblom could do nothing on Buffalo’s second goal when Connor Clifton’s shot banked off Wyatt Kaiser and Beck Malenstyn’s skates before finding the back of the net.
Craig Smith’s first goal with the Blackhawks tied the game early in the second period. Lukas Reichel picked up his first point of the season with the primary assist, a crisp ...