Morning Bag Skate: Blackhawks Nick Schmaltz scores in Team USA’s World Championship pre-tournament win

The Chicago Blackhawks forward Nick Schmaltz scored a goal in the United States’ 5-2 win over Italy in the Americans’ lone pre-tournament game for the World Championship. Team USA opens tournament play against Germany on Friday.

HAWKS

**Hawks sign Kampf to 2-year ELC (SCH)

**Hawks need to pick a path despite limited options (SCH)

**Prospect Shalunov to stay in KHL for next 3 seasons (SCH)

**IceHogs 2016-17 team awards (SCH)

CENTRAL DIVISION

**RECAP: Preds top Blues, take 3-1 series lead (On The Forecheck)

**Preds recall 5 from AHL Milwaukee (On The Forecheck)

**Wild defenseman Scandella has hip surgery (Star Tribune)

**Wild’s Reilly improved, but didn’t get a fair shake (Hockey Wilderness)

**Coyle delivered on his promise but still left Wild fans wanting more (Hockey Wilderness)

NHL

**Stanley Cup playoff schedule, matchups (SBN)

**2017 NHL mock draft: Devils take Nolan Patrick with the No. 1 pick (SBN)

**Devils GM Shero won’t tip hand on either Patrick or Hischier (Sportsnet)

**Scouting combine sticks in Buffalo through 2019 (PHT)

**2017 Ted Lindsay finalists: Burns, Crosby, McDavid (PHT)

**RECAP: Rangers smother Senators, cut series deficit to 2-1 (Blueshirt Banter)

**Pittsburgh hockey media’s witch hunt on Ovechkin is dangerous (SBN)

**Penguins’ Crosby sidelined for Game 4 with concussion (Pensburgh)

**Ducks rule out Bieksa for Game 4, Eaves still questionable (PHT)

**Relax about Perry’s lack of production (Anaheim Calling)

**Leafs extend Zaitsev for 7 years, $31.5 million (Pension Plan Puppets)

**Report: Kings to sign KHL All-Star Fantenberg (PHT)

**Panthers to talk extension with Jagr’s agent this week (Sun-Sentinel)

**Neely defends Backes contract, which has 4 years left (PHT)

**Blue Jackets want to bring 2015 draft pick Gavrikov over from KHL (Columbus Dispatch)

**On Arizona’s Chayka, hockey media and myth of ‘hockey men’ (Five For Howling)

HOCKEY WORLD

**Team USA tops Italy in World Championship pre-tournament game (USA Hockey)

**Sportsnet’s Top 10 NHL draft prospect rankings for April (Sportsnet)

**Don Cherry criticizes class action lawsuit against OHL (Sportsnet)