Well, we thought — or maybe we just hoped — that at this point we’d be paying attention to a first place team. If you squint real hard, we are. This weekend, with two wins in Charlotte over what was supposed to be a pretty fierce AHL squad, the Rockford Icehogs are in 1st place in the Midwest Division. Yes, they’ve played at least two more games than their immediate chasers, and their point total would only land them sixth or seventh in the conference if they weren’t leading the division. But considering how bad the Hogs have been in the past few years, this is clearly a step forward. Of course, if the top club ever deigns to give us hockey again, the engine on this little revival will probably be ripped out. But hey, it’s more fun to talk about a winning team, no matter what level you’re referring to.

So, to the recaps then.