"The puck hit the back of the net Wednesday and, from the point, Patrick Sharp let out a whoop that echoed throughout the University of Denver's Magness Arena. The Blackhawks forward then threw both arms in the air and pumped them triumphantly.

Moments later, Jonathan Toews scored and raised his stick high on a short victory lap. It was merely a practice, and the moments did nothing to alter the reality of a six-game losing streak, but any discernible pulse in the team's comatose power-play unit was worth celebrating."