Morning Bag Skate: Blackhawks drop first home game of 2015 playoffs, trail 2-1 in series

The Chicago Blackhawks dropped their first home game of the spring 2-1 to the Anaheim Ducks in Game 3 of the Western Conference Final on Thursday at the United Center. The Ducks now hold a 2-1 series lead in the best-of-seven series.

Nine games down, seven to go for the Hawks.

Here's the latest news:

Hawks

**Ducks hold off Hawks to grab 2-1 series lead (SCH)

**Concerns over Hawks' defensemen playing too much are overblown (SCH)

**Is this the first Hawks Artemi Panarin sweater? Probably (SCH)

**Five things from Hawks-Ducks Game 3: Anaheim dominates third period (CSN Chicago)

**Hawks lineup changes surprise, raise questions after Game 3 (CSN Chicago)

**Andrew Shaw making up for regular season in playoffs (ESPN Chicago)

Central Division

**Ken Hitchcock, Mike Babcock, pending free agents (St. Louis Game Time)

**Report: Alexander Burmistrov headed back to NHL (Pro Hockey Talk)

NHL

**Report: McLellan signs 5-year, $15M contract (Copper and Blue)

**Sabres receive permission to talk to Dan Bylsma (Die By The Blade)

**Jeff Blashill wants to be Red Wings next coach (Winging It In Motown)

**Michigan's Dylan Larkin signs entry-level deal with Red Wings (Winging It In Motown)

**Bruins sign Joonas Kemppainen to 1-year deal (Stanley Cup of Chowder)

**Flyers sign Aaron Palushaji from KHL (Broad Street Hockey)

Hockey world

**KHL hopes to expand into China ahead of 2022 Olympics (Associated Press)

**USHL: Yale's Dan Muse to be head coach of Chicago Steel (SBN College Hockey)

**NWHL's Dani Rylan has Gary Bettman's ear (Stanley Cup of Chowder)

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