Down its young phenom and a host of other expected key contributors, the Chicago Blackhawks shook all of that off to deliver a 4-3 win at home on Sunday over the Calgary Flames — just like we all expected.
Colin Blackwell opened the scoring with this nifty goal at the 4:32 mark of the first period:
The lead held for about nine minutes until Nazem Kadri was left wide open for this easy tap-in goal:
Early in the second, Calgary went up 2-1 on this power-play tally from Andrew Mangiapane:
Chicago tied the game up when Philipp Kurashev helped the Hawks gain possession with a faceoff win in the offensive zone and then ultimately finished the play with this wrist shot:
That tie game became a 3-2 Chicago advantage on this tally from Nikita Zaitsev a few minutes later, which took a fortunate bounce off a Calgary skate into the net:
Calgary controlled the puck early in the third period but could not get one past Petr Mrazek. With about five minutes remaining, Blackwell scored on the power play for his second of the game, making it a two-goal lead for the Hawks.
Kadri added his second goal of the game 42 seconds later to make for a frantic finish:
But Calgary would get no closer, as the Blackhawks held on for a 4-3 win to snap a five-game losing skid.
Notes
- Blackwell talked about it during his interview during the first intermission, but this upcoming stretch of games with Connor Bedard and so many others out does give opportunities for some of the less-heralded players to make their case for larger roles upon return of all those injured players. Blackwell’s certainly made a strong case in his first game, but he’s not the only one who’s likely to get more ice time than they have this season — and perhaps at any point of their careers. Lukas Reichel and Philipp Kurashev having some big games would be a wonderful development, considering their younger ages and yet untapped potential. Guys like Blackwell may not be around for the next 10 years because of their age, but they could certainly earn another season or two with this team if they shined during these expanded roles.
- We could look back at this season as the one which let us all know that Alex Vlasic is going to be, at minimum, a solid NHL defenseman for the next decade-plus.
- The Petr Mrazek trade value meter continues to point north. It’s not like the Blackhawks are going to land a top-five pick at the deadline in exchange for his services, but the idea that Mrazek could be an attractive option for a contending team in desperate need of goalie help seemed rather far-fetched when he arrived in Chicago. But it also wouldn’t spoil the entire rebuild if Mrazek was brought back for another season or two after his current contract expires this summer.
- Any games the Blackhawks win over the next month are going to feel like an anomaly, given the state of the roster. This one was fun. But don’t be surprised if there’s a few blowouts along the way, though. That next game against McDavid and Draisaitl, in particular, seems like it could get ugly in a hurry.
Game Charts
Three Stars
- Colin Blackwell (CHI) — 2 goals, 1 assist
- Nikita Zaitsev (CHI) — 1 goal, 1 assist
- Petr Mrazek (CHI) — 28 saves on 31 shots
What’s Next
The Blackhawks remain at home and host the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m.