The Chicago Blackhawks’ losing streak reached five games Saturday afternoon in Ottawa, where a decisive third period led to a 6–4 loss to the Senators at Canadian Tire Centre. Ilya Mikheyev snapped a 20-game goalless drought with a two-goal performance, and Nick Lardis provided a bright spot by scoring the first goal of his NHL career. The afternoon also took a difficult turn for Chicago when forward Frank Nazar left the game in the first period after taking a shot to the face and did not return, as Ottawa pulled away with three goals in the final frame.
Game Summary
1st Period
The opening period in Ottawa was busy, physical, and filled with video reviews as both teams traded momentum early. The Senators thought they had opened the scoring just 2:57 into the game when Tim Stützle appeared to score on a loose puck, but the Blackhawks challenged for goaltender interference. After review, the goal was overturned when Fabian Zetterlund was ruled to have prevented Arvid Söderblom from making the save.
Ottawa eventually broke through at 6:36 when Tyler Kleven threw a sharp-angle shot toward the crease that deflected off Söderblom and in, giving the Senators a 1–0 lead. Chicago challenged for goaltender interference a second time in the period, but the call on the ice stood, resulting in a delay-of-game penalty for an unsuccessful challenge.
The Blackhawks were dealt another blow midway through the period when forward Frank Nazar took a shot to the face at 5:11 and left the game. He did not return, shortening Chicago’s bench for the remainder of the afternoon.
Shot attempts: 14-24 OTT
Shots on goal: 8-12 OTT
Scoring chances: 7-11 OTT
2nd Period
Chicago found its offensive rhythm in the second period, answering every Ottawa push and tying the game three separate times.
The Blackhawks got on the board at 1:53 when Ilya Mikheyev finished a play that started with a long stretch pass from Wyatt Kaiser. Mikheyev beat Nick Jensen wide before sliding the puck five-hole on Leevi Meriläinen for his fifth goal of the season, tying the game 1–1 and snapping a lengthy scoring drought.
Ottawa responded at 8:02 on a short-handed goal after a turnover at the blue line by Teuvo Teravainen. Tim Stützle jumped on the loose puck and broke in alone, restoring a 2–1 Senators lead.
Chicago answered again on the power play at 9:55 when Andre Burakovsky fired a shot that deflected into the net for his sixth goal of the season, evening the score at 2–2.
The Senators moved back in front at 14:07 when Brady Tkachuk scored from the slot after Thomas Chabot intercepted a pass from Artyom Levshunov in the neutral zone, making it 3–2 Ottawa.
For the third time in the period, the Blackhawks responded. Mikheyev struck again at 18:32, finishing a cross-slot feed to tie the game 3–3, capping a strong second period where Chicago showed resilience and offensive push despite playing short a forward.
3rd Period
For the second straight game, the Blackhawks entered the third period tied, and for the second straight game, the lesson from Montreal did not carry over.
Coming off a loss to the Canadiens where Chicago allowed two goals in the opening five minutes of the third and watched the game slip away, the same script unfolded again in Ottawa. Just 31 seconds into the period, Jason Dickinson was assessed a minor penalty for roughing Nick Cousins, putting the Blackhawks shorthanded at a critical moment.
One minute later, veteran David Perron made Chicago pay. Perron one-timed a cross-ice feed from Claude Giroux on the power play at 1:45, beating Arvid Söderblom over the left shoulder to give Ottawa a 4–3 lead — the fourth time in the game the Senators were in front.
Less than four minutes later, the same scenario repeated itself. Perron struck again at 5:31, wiring a wrist shot over Söderblom’s blocker for his second goal of the afternoon and what would stand as the game-winning goal. The tally also marked the third point of the game for Tim Stützle, who continued to drive Ottawa’s offense.
Chicago briefly found life at 7:17 when Nick Lardis cut the deficit to one. Playing in just his fourth NHL game, Lardis took a centering pass from Alex Vlasic and chipped a backhand shot over Leevi Meriläinen’s blocker for the first goal of his NHL career, making it 5–4.
That was as close as the Blackhawks would get. With 3:50 remaining, Fabian Zetterlund sealed the outcome, snapping a wrist shot from the slot past Söderblom glove side at 16:10 after a setup from Ridly Greig, turning the lights out on any remaining comeback hopes.
Ottawa dominated the final frame, outshooting Chicago 18–3 in the third period and closing out a 6–4 win.
The game was marked by unusual moments as well, with the teams combining for three coach’s challenges for goaltender interference in the first two periods. Chicago was already short-benched after Frank Nazar left the game early in the first period after taking a shot from Jordan Spence and did not return. Ottawa also lost defenseman Tyler Kleven, who exited midway through the second period with a lower-body injury and is not expected to dress against Boston on Sunday.
From the Locker Room
Despite the loss, the Blackhawks found a positive moment late in the game when Nick Lardis scored the first goal of his NHL career in just his fourth game. The rookie reflected on the moment and credited his teammates for setting it up.
“It was a pretty special moment, obviously,” Lardis said. “Great play by ‘Vlasser’ to kind of just get the puck to the net. I guess that’s kind of just one of my strengths, just being at the right spots at the right time in the offensive zone.”
Veteran forward Ilya Mikheyev, who scored twice and snapped a 20-game goalless drought, spoke about the bigger picture and the challenge of learning how to close out games.
“Of course, it’s frustrating,” Mikheyev said. “But we need to learn how to play. Because the best teams play a whole 60 minutes. We’re growing up and it takes time. I’ll say it again — it takes time. But we need more confidence that we can play hard and push back.”
Head coach Jeff Blashill pointed to the decisive third period and the impact of losing a key forward early in the game.
“A little disappointed,” Blashill said. “Obviously disappointed. You’re sitting in a position in the third period, tied game, and we got outplayed in the third.”
Blashill also highlighted how the early loss of Frank Nazar tested the team’s depth.
“You lose ‘Frankie’ early, so one of the things that leads to consistency is depth,” Blashill said. “Our depth is getting tested, and guys in those roles have to ultimately play at a higher level.”
Notes
- Ilya Mikheyev snapped a 20-game goalless drought, scoring twice in the loss.
- The Blackhawks have now lost five consecutive games and have just one win in their last eight outings.
- Andre Burakovsky scored on the power play, snapping a five-game stretch without a power-play goal.
- Arvid Söderblom has now lost his last five starts, posting a 5.80 goals-against average and an .832 save percentage during that span.
- After scoring 31 goals last season, Ryan Donato has gone 11 straight games without a goal.
- Chicago allowed 40 or more shots for the fourth time this season, including this game.
- The Blackhawks are now 0-4-0 this season without Connor Bedard, and 3-14-1 overall in games he has missed.
- This marked the fifth time this season the Blackhawks have allowed six or more goals in a single game.
Game Stats
| Stat | Blackhawks | Senators |
| Shots on Goal | 24 | 40 |
| Faceoff % | 40.3% | 59.7% |
| Power Play | 1 / 3 | 1 / 7 |
| Penalty Minutes | 26 | 10 |
| Hits | 21 | 29 |
| Blocked Shots | 17 | 8 |
| Giveaways | 15 | 7 |
| Takeaways | 5 | 5 |
Three Stars of the Game
1. Tim Stützle (OTT) — G: 1 | A: 2 | P: 3
2. David Perron (OTT) — G: 2 | A: 0 | P: 2
3. Ilya Mikheyev (CHI) — G: 2 | A: 0 | P: 2
My Takeaway
When you score four goals on the road, you should normally win the game. Instead, the Blackhawks left Ottawa with another loss, and once again the difference came down to goaltending.
Arvid Söderblom continues to struggle. He finished the game with an .850 save percentage and has now lost his last five starts, posting a 5.80 goals-against average during that stretch. Chicago doesn’t need perfection, but it does need timely saves — and those simply haven’t been there. With Spencer Knight carrying the load, the Blackhawks need stability from the backup position. Right now, Söderblom isn’t providing it.
The situation becomes even more concerning when you look at the bigger picture without Connor Bedard. On this three-game road trip without him, the Blackhawks went 0-3-0, were outscored 13–7, and outshot 102–64. That margin tells the story — Chicago is chasing games instead of controlling them.
The injuries only deepen the problem. With Ryan Lazar out for at least a month and Bedard sidelined until the end of the month, the Blackhawks are without their top two centers. Chicago has now lost seven of its last eight games, and the lineup depth is being exposed night after night.
As a result, the Blackhawks are now tied for last place in the NHL with 32 points, after Nashville, Vancouver, and Seattle all picked up wins. Yes, they are still six points ahead of where they were at this point last season and just five points out of a playoff spot — but that margin disappears quickly when parity across the league is this tight.
Lineup usage also deserves scrutiny. If Artyom Levshunov is playing more than 23 minutes a night, it’s hard to justify Nick Lardis being limited to roughly eight minutes. With only 11 forwards dressed, there is no reason Lardis shouldn’t be playing double-digit minutes. He logged just 13 shifts despite scoring his first NHL goal.
The ripple effect was felt on the top line as well. Ryan Greene, filling in for Nazar, struggled alongside Tyler Bertuzzi and Andre Burakovsky, with the trio combining for a minus-11 night.
Now the challenge shifts to leadership. Head coach Jeff Blashill and general manager Kyle Davidson will need answers — quickly. Keeping this group competitive and connected without its top two centers will take adjustments, accountability, and creativity.
Because effort alone isn’t enough — and this road trip made that painfully clear.
Next Game
The Blackhawks return home Tuesday, December 23, when they host the Philadelphia Flyers at the United Center. Puck drop is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. CDT.
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