The Chicago Blackhawks finally found a way to stop the bleeding on Saturday night in Dallas. Tyler Bertuzzi scored twice as Chicago snapped a six-game losing streak with a hard-fought 4–3 (2-1) shootout win against the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center. Arvid Söderblom was sharp in goal with 28 saves, Alex Vlasic added two assists, and rookie Nick Lardis sealed the victory with the shootout game-winner after Ryan Donato also scored in the tiebreaker.
Playing without Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar, the Blackhawks earned their first win since Bedard left the lineup, improving to 1-5-0 in that stretch and showing resilience in one of their most complete efforts in weeks.
First Period (1–1)
Chicago delivered one of its strongest opening periods in weeks despite being shorthanded up front. The Blackhawks took a 1–0 lead at 3:20 when Tyler Bertuzzi snapped a shot into an open side of the net for his 17th goal of the season, finishing a perfect cross-ice feed from Alex Vlasic. The goal snapped a seven-game goal drought for Bertuzzi and came after Landon Slaggert won a key puck battle along the boards to help create the play.
Dallas tied the game at 11:31, though it appeared Arvid Söderblom never fully saw Nils Lundkvist’s point shot through traffic. Despite the equalizer, Chicago controlled much of the five-on-five play through 20 minutes, holding an edge in scoring chances (9–5) and high-danger chances (3–2). Slaggert brought noticeable energy in his return to the lineup, using his speed to create a 2-on-1 rush and generating two shots on goal.
The Stars hit the post twice in the period, but Söderblom remained steady, and the Blackhawks earned the better of the play overall. Dallas finished with a slight edge in shot attempts (17–16), while Chicago led the shots on goal 11–10 as the game headed to intermission tied 1–1.
Second Period (2–2)
Chicago continued to push early in the second period and was rewarded when Jason Dickinson gave the Blackhawks their second lead of the night with a terrific individual effort. Dickinson carried the puck through the neutral zone and ripped a precise shot past Jake Oettinger at 10:37 for his fourth goal of the season. Rookie defenseman Artyom Levshunov picked up the primary assist, his 16th of the year, but was beaten 55 seconds later on Dallas’ response.
As expected, the Stars pushed back, and Justin Hryckowian tied the game at 11:32 after slipping behind coverage, ending Chicago’s lead almost as quickly as it started. Despite the quick answer, the Blackhawks once again controlled much of the five-on-five play, finishing the period with an edge in scoring chances (9–6) and high-danger chances (5–4).
Through 40 minutes, Chicago remained competitive and structured, holding advantages in shot attempts (35–32), shots on goal (20–16), and overall scoring chances (17–15). The second period mirrored the first in many ways.
Third Period (3–3)
Dallas finally grabbed its first lead of the night midway through the third period as Mikko Rantanen capped off a strong push by the home team. After Arvid Söderblom made a huge save on a Jamie Benn breakaway just moments earlier — with Benn coming out of the box at the end of a Blackhawks power play — Chicago turned the puck over and lost Rantanen alone at the top of the crease. Rantanen buried the rebound at 11:18 for his 15th goal of the season and his third point of the night, giving the Stars a 3–2 lead.
That advantage didn’t last long. Just 67 seconds later, the Blackhawks answered back once again. Alex Vlasic fired a point shot that was blocked, but the puck kicked perfectly to Tyler Bertuzzi, who finished the play at 12:25 with a quick tap-in to tie the game 3–3. The goal was Bertuzzi’s second of the night and his 18th of the season, while Vlasic picked up his second assist of the game.
Dallas pushed late, hitting the post in the final 30 seconds of regulation, but Söderblom and the Blackhawks held firm. It was a valiant effort by an undermanned Chicago group, earning at least one point and forcing overtime in a season where extra time has rarely been kind to the Hawks.
Overtime
The five-minute, three-on-three overtime was evenly played, with both teams trading chances but neither able to find a winner. Chicago and Dallas each recorded two shots on goal in the extra frame, with Söderblom and Oettinger standing tall to force the game to a shootout.
Shootout
Ryan Donato and rookie Nick Lardis scored for Chicago in the shootout, with Lardis burying the decisive attempt to secure the win. Arvid Söderblom allowed a goal to Matt Duchene but shut the door on Jason Robertson and Wyatt Johnston, while Mikko Rantanen lost control of the puck on his attempt. The Blackhawks completed the comeback effort with a 4–3 shootout victory.
Shootout – Full Sequence
Dallas Stars
- Jason Robertson — Stopped
- Mikko Rantanen — Stopped (lost control of the puck)
- Matt Duchene — Goal
- Wyatt Johnston — Stopped
Chicago Blackhawks
- Teuvo Teräväinen — Stopped
- Ryan Donato — Goal
- Andre Burakovsky — Stopped
- Nick Lardis — GOAL (Game-Winner)
Inside the Locker Room
Jeff Blashill (Head Coach):
“I mean, listen, these are hard days,” Blashill said. “I’ve tried doing it a lot of different ways and it hasn’t always been great, so I thought, ‘Let’s try this.’ I felt it was the right move, and I thought we played fairly well throughout the game.”
Tyler Bertuzzi:
“Obviously, 17 of my 18 goals are right in the crease,” Bertuzzi said. “So I’ll keep going there and, hopefully, keep getting rewarded for going to the paint.”
Arvid Söderblom:
“It was a fun game to play,” Söderblom said. “They’re a great team with a lot of good players, but I think we competed, battled, and played right with them for the full 65 minutes.
“I felt great tonight. I’ve been working a lot on breakaways and one-on-one situations, so to execute those plays the way I did gave me a lot of confidence — staying aggressive, not backing up too much, and challenging the shooter.”
Notes
- Bertuzzi snapped a six-game point drought, his first points since scoring in consecutive games on Dec. 7 and Dec. 10.. Tyler Bertuzzi leads the NHL in goals on the road with 14 goals this season
- Nick Lardis scored the first shootout goal of his NHL career in his sixth NHL game.
- Söderblom earned his first win since Nov. 18 vs. Calgary, ending a five-game winless streak.
- Landon Slaggert returned to the lineup after spending one month with Rockford (AHL).
- Alex Vlasic recorded his second multi-point game of the season, the first since Oct. 15.
- The Blackhawks have just one power-play goal in their last 18 opportunities over the past eight games.
Game Stats
| Chicago | Dallas | |
| Shots on Goal | 33 | 31 |
| Faceoff % | 43.1% | 56.9% |
| Power Play | 0/2 | 0/4 |
| Penalty Minutes | 8 | 4 |
| Hits | 29 | 16 |
| Blocked Shots | 13 | 14 |
| Giveaways | 13 | 18 |
| Takeaways | 6 | 5 |
Blackhawks Players Highlights
J. Dickinson 1 G 1 PTS +3 4 Hits TOI 17:55
T. Bertuzzi 2 G 2 PTS +2 2 HITS 3 SOG TOI 20:08
- Vlasic 2 A 2 PTS +1 2 BLK TOI 25:45
L. Slaggert 1 A 1 PTS + 2 TOI 14:53 5 HITS
- Soderblom 3 goals on 31 Shots . 903%
- Levshunov & T. Teravainen 4 SOG
L. Crevier & C. Dach 4 HITS
Three Stars of the Game
⭐ Tyler Bertuzzi (Chicago)
2 Goals
⭐⭐ Mikko Rantanen (Dallas)
1 Goal, 2 Assists
⭐⭐⭐ Jason Dickinson (Chicago)
1 Goal
My Takeaways
1. Veterans stepped up when it mattered
With Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar out of the lineup, the Blackhawks needed offense from their veteran core — and they delivered. Tyler Bertuzzi scored twice, Jason Dickinson added a goal, and both players made a significant impact on the outcome. Chicago simply cannot rely on young players alone in this situation, and the veterans answered the call with strong, responsible hockey.
Connor Murphy also deserves recognition. In what could be his final season with the organization, Murphy played one of his best games of the year, finishing with three blocked shots and providing steady defensive leadership. Overall, Murphy has quietly put together a solid season, and his presence was felt throughout the night.
2. Söderblom finally bounces back
After struggling in recent outings, Arvid Söderblom delivered a much-needed bounce-back performance. He made several big saves at critical moments, including key stops late in regulation and in overtime, keeping Chicago in the game when momentum briefly swung to Dallas.
In back-to-back situations, the Blackhawks need their backup goaltender to step up, and Söderblom did exactly that. He was calm, confident, and competitive — and his performance was a major reason the Blackhawks earned two points.
3. Prospects need more ice time
While winning is important, development must remain a priority during a rebuilding season. Players like Oliver Moore and Nick Lardis cannot be expected to grow if they are limited to ten minutes or less per night. For their development, they should be playing closer to 12–14 minutes consistently.
If young players are in the lineup, they need opportunities to play — even through mistakes. In my view, Moore and Lardis should be prioritized over veterans like Toninato and Lafferty. Development today is an investment in tomorrow, and ice time matters.
4. Slaggert and Dach made their presence felt
Landon Slaggert had an excellent return to the lineup after his stint in Rockford, recording one point, a +2 rating, three shots on goal, and five hits. It was easily one of his best performances of the season, and hopefully his time in the AHL helps him carry this momentum forward over the next few weeks.
Colton Dach also continued to show why he fits into this lineup. He finished with four hits, understood his role, and played exactly the type of physical, straightforward game the Blackhawks need from him. Dach knows what is asked of him — and he continues to deliver.
Final Thought
It was a very strong performance by the Blackhawks in Dallas on Saturday night. Needing a response after six straight losses, Chicago delivered its first win without Connor Bedard, and did so against a deep and disciplined Stars team.
The Blackhawks played with more energy and urgency, used their speed effectively, and were not afraid to play a physical, hard game. The veteran players led the way, setting the tone and providing the offense and stability the team needed in a difficult situation.
It was the type of complete effort the Blackhawks had been searching for — and a reminder that when they commit to their identity and compete for a full 60 minutes, they can still find ways to win
Next Game
The Blackhawks return home on Sunday, Dec. 28, to host the Pittsburgh Penguins at 6:00 PM CDT. Chicago will be playing the second game of a back-to-back and will look to improve on a tough trend this season, having gone 0-3-0 in back-to-back situations while being outscored 20–4 in those games.
KEEP READING:
Blackhawks Weekly Recap: (Week 1)
Blackhawks Weekly Recap (Week 2)
Blackhawks Weekly Recap (Week 3)
Blackhawks Weekly Recap (Week 4)
Blackhawks Weekly Recap (Week 5)
Blackhawks Weekly Recap (Week 6)
Blackhawks Week in Review:Week 7
Blackhawks Week in Recap (Week 8)
Blackhawks Week In Review: (Week 9)
Blackhawks Week In Review: (Week 10)
Blackhawks Week In Review: (Week 11)
Blackhawks October Report Card
Blackhawks: November Report Card
