The Chicago Blackhawks bounced back from a sluggish preseason opener in Detroit with a spirited comeback win on Saturday night in St. Louis. Powered by young legs, timely veteran contributions, and steady goaltending from Spencer Knight, the Hawks erased a two-goal deficit and stunned the Blues with four unanswered goals in the third period for a 4–2 victory.
It was exactly the type of response head coach Jeff Blashill was looking for: better structure, harder work shifts, and glimpses of a new team identity beginning to form.
First Period: Blues Jump Ahead
The Blackhawks entered this game hoping for a stronger start after looking tired and hesitant in Detroit.
With more NHL regulars dressed against a veteran Blues lineup, expectations were higher — but the first period was still a struggle.
Chicago managed just five shots on goal compared to St. Louis’ 14. Breakouts were sloppy, and the Hawks were guilty of overthinking plays rather than executing with pace.
Six minutes in, Dalibor Dvorsky rifled a shot through traffic that beat Knight clean. The young goalie likely wanted it back, but he was also screened by Louis Crevier, who struggled with positioning on the play.
Ethan Del Mastro, one of the more noticeable Hawks in the opening frame, skated a team-high 8:15, logging two hits and helping stabilize a blue line that was still finding its footing.
Ryan Greene, meanwhile, showed poise in the faceoff circle, winning 7 of 9 draws.
Lukas Reichel, back in a top-six role, was quiet in the first, skating 5:37 without making much of an impression. Nick Lardis, playing his first preseason game, also had a quiet start.
The Hawks trailed 1–0 after 20 minutes, with little offensive rhythm to show.
Second Period: More Energy, But Blues Extend Lead
Just 52 seconds into the second, breakdowns in coverage burned Chicago again. Jake Neighbours slipped a pass to Brayden Schenn, who was left all alone in front to bury a shot past Knight, doubling the Blues’ lead.
It was a frustrating lapse. “Somebody has to communicate there,” one observer noted, and Blashill echoed the sentiment postgame. Knight had no chance.
But the Hawks settled in after that. Gavin Hayes delivered a gritty period — crashing the net, mixing it up with Blues defenders, and later standing up Cam Fowler in the neutral zone to create a turnover.
Hayes’ willingness to grind in bottom-six style roles is exactly what the Hawks need from him long term.
Knight redeemed himself after the shaky first goal, making a string of big saves to keep Chicago within striking distance. His lateral quickness and positioning stood out, calming his teammates in front of him.
Kevin Korchinski flashed his puck-moving skills with several long outlet passes and handled the second power-play unit confidently.
The Hawks drew two man advantages in the period; the first was ineffective, but the second showed more life, especially from the Reichel–Lardis combo.
Del Mastro continued his strong night with a blocked shot on the PK and steady defensive play, finishing two periods with 14:38 TOI, leading all Blackhawks defensemen.
Chicago matched St. Louis with 11 shots in the frame, out-attempting them 25–16. The Blues still led 2–0 after 40 minutes, but the Hawks were showing signs of growth.
Third Period: Youth Takes Over
Everything changed in the third.
Early on, Sam Lafferty nearly got the Hawks on the board with a short-handed chance, firing wide on a break against Jordan Binnington. That set the tone for a more aggressive period.
At 11 minutes, the dam broke. Veteran Dominic Toninato scored on a setup from Lafferty and Connor Murphy to cut the lead in half.
Just 27 seconds later, Toninato was in on the forecheck again, feeding Hayes for the game-tying goal. Suddenly, momentum belonged to Chicago.
Then came the turning point: Colton Dach laid a thunderous, clean hit in the neutral zone, sparking a scrum as Blues players jumped him.
While the melee unfolded, Oliver Moore scooped up the puck, raced the other way, and buried a go-ahead goal.
The bizarre scene left Moore celebrating alone while his teammates brawled behind him. “I didn’t even know what was going on,” Moore laughed postgame.
“I shot the puck, I scored, and I looked back waiting for my teammates to celebrate — they were all in a fight. Nothing like that’s ever happened to me before.”
Dickinson sealed the win with an empty-netter, capping a four-goal barrage in the final 10 minutes. The Hawks, who were just 2–35–3 when trailing after two periods last season, found a way to reverse the script.
Coach & Player Reactions
“I thought early our play without the puck was good, but our play with the puck was sloppy,” Blashill admitted. “As the game went along, we supported each other better.
It makes it way easier if everybody wants the puck. By the third, we were playing faster, tape-to-tape, and it showed.”
On the power play, which finished 0-for-3: “We had chances. The second and third units moved it well, but we didn’t bury. It’s still early, but we’ll build on that.”
On Knight’s debut: “He was really sharp. He kept us in it when we were giving up chances early. That’s what a real good goalie does.”
Moore credited Dach’s fight and physical play as the spark. “That really brought the juice,” he said. “When a guy sticks up like that, it fires everyone up. From that moment, everything clicked.”
Stats & Standouts
- Shots: St. Louis 14–5 in 1st, but Hawks stormed back with 21 shots over the final 40 minutes. Final tally: 30–29 Blues.
- Power Play: 0-for-3, but signs of life late in the 2nd.
- Faceoffs: Greene excelled, winning 13 of 22 (59.1%).
- Spencer Knight: 31 saves on 33 shots (.939), steady after early goal.
- Del Mastro: Team-high 23:25 TOI, +2, 3 hits, 2 blocks. Quietly effective all night.
- Moore: Team-high 4 shots, GWG in highlight-reel sequence.
- Dach: 6 hits, tone-setting physicality.
- Murphy: 2 points (+2), 21:17 TOI, 3 blocked shots. Steady veteran presence.
- Toninato: 1G, 1A, sparked comeback with veteran poise.
- Lafferty: Key assist, energy on PK, helped turn tide.
Three Takeaways
- Veterans Set the Standard Toninato, Lafferty, and Murphy led by example, showing young teammates how to grind through adversity. Their timely plays in the third period stabilized the team and opened the door for the kids to shine.
- Kids Step Into Roles Moore’s speed, Dach’s physicality, Greene’s faceoff strength, and Hayes’ gritty forecheck all stood out. Each showcased traits that project to long-term NHL value.
- A Rare Comeback Chicago managed just two comeback wins when trailing after two periods all last season. Pulling one off in preseason may not count in the standings, but it speaks volumes about character and buy-in. Blashill has preached an identity of never quitting, and the Hawks delivered exactly that.
Roster Moves
Before puck drop, Chicago trimmed its training camp roster:
- Assigned to Rockford (AHL): Paul Ludwinski, Taige Harding, Dmitry Kuzmin, Ryan Mast
- Released from PTO, assigned to Rockford: Brett Seney, Cavan Fitzgerald, Andrew Perrott
The roster now sits at 42 players (24 forwards, 12 defensemen, 6 goalies). Expect more cuts as preseason progresses.
Looking Ahead
The Blackhawks return to action Sunday evening on the road against the Minnesota Wild (6 PM EDT).
With two preseason games in the books, the coaching staff will continue to rotate players and evaluate which prospects are closest to sticking with the NHL roster.
After their resilient comeback in St. Louis, the Hawks have something to build on — a combination of veteran leadership, youthful energy, and strong goaltending that could help shape the foundation of the season ahead.
Home › Forums › Blackhawks Rally Past Blues With Four-Goal Third Period