The Chicago Blackhawks had a difficult night in Las Vegas, falling 4–0 to the Vegas Golden Knights. It marked the fifth time this season the Blackhawks have been shut out and the third time since February 4 that Chicago failed to score a goal in a game.
The night unraveled quickly for Chicago. Vegas scored three goals in just 4:27 during the middle of the first period, putting the Blackhawks in an early hole that proved impossible to escape. Chicago struggled to generate any real momentum early in the game and, despite a slightly better push in the second period, the offense could not find the back of the net.
One of Chicago’s strengths this season has been its penalty kill, but that unit also struggled in this game. The Golden Knights capitalized twice on the power play in five opportunities, marking the first time since December 7 that Chicago allowed two power-play goals in a game.
The loss drops the Blackhawks to 3-5-2 in their last 10 games, and their special teams struggles played a major role in this defeat. After two periods, Chicago trailed by four goals and never found a way to climb back into the contest.
Some familiar issues also resurfaced. Earlier this season the Blackhawks had difficulty clearing the puck from their defensive zone, and those problems appeared again in this game. Chicago spent long stretches defending and struggled to move the puck efficiently up the ice.
The team did think they had finally broken through early in the third period, but that moment was erased after a video review.
Good, Bad and Ugly
GOOD
Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar continued to play strong hockey. Both players created several of Chicago’s best scoring chances and were among the most dangerous Blackhawks on the ice despite the loss.
BAD
Chicago looked flat at the start of the game. After Vegas scored three quick goals, the Blackhawks struggled to respond. There were small bursts of effort later in the game, but the early deficit seemed to take the energy out of the team.
UGLY
Special teams were the biggest issue. Chicago went 0-for-4 on the power play while allowing two power-play goals to Vegas. In a game where the Blackhawks were already struggling to generate offense, losing the special-teams battle made the task even harder.
More Notes from the Game
There were still a few positives for Chicago. Artyom Levshunov and Andrew Mangiapane both had solid performances. Mangiapane continues to show he could be a good fit with the team, while Levshunov has been improving physically in recent games and has reduced some of the turnovers that affected him earlier in the season.
Levshunov actually appeared to score just 49 seconds into the third period with a slap shot from the left point. However, the play was overturned after Vegas challenged for a missed stoppage due to a hand pass. Video review confirmed the call and the goal was taken off the board.
After the Game
Spencer Knight made 28 saves for Chicago, which now sits at 25-30-11 on the season.
Blackhawks head coach Jeff Blashill acknowledged that his team was not at its best.
“Vegas played a really good game. I didn’t think we were quite on top of our game. Execution wasn’t there, and when you don’t have the puck enough you end up defending a lot. They’re a really good hockey team, and when you lose the special-teams battle it all adds up.”
Defenseman Alex Vlasic also pointed to the early goals as a key factor.
“They jumped on us quick. They’re hard to compete with once they get the lead. We’ve got to make sure we start games better.”
Next Game
The Blackhawks now turn their attention to a home-and-home series with the Minnesota Wild later this week.
Chicago will host Minnesota on Tuesday, before traveling to face the Wild again Thursday in Minnesota.
The Blackhawks will look to bounce back quickly and rediscover the effort that helped them win two straight games before this loss.
