The Chicago Blackhawks opened their season Tuesday night in Las Vegas, but it was not the start they were looking for. The Vegas Golden Knights gave Ryan Craig a win in his first game behind the bench, defeating the Blackhawks 5-2 in a game that exposed some of Chicago’s biggest concerns heading into the new season.
Craig, who coached the Henderson Silver Knights of the American Hockey League for the previous three seasons, was hired on June 17 to replace John Tortorella. His first NHL game as a head coach ended with a convincing victory, while the Blackhawks left Las Vegas with plenty to think about.
Jack Eichel led the way for Vegas with a goal and two assists and was arguably the best player on the ice. Victor Olofsson, Trevor Connelly, Noah Hanifin and Mark Stone also scored for the Golden Knights.
Ivan Barbashev, Shea Theodore and Brayden McNabb each recorded two assists, while Carter Hart stopped 24 shots.
A Difficult Start for Chicago
The Blackhawks did not start the game well. There was very little cohesion or chemistry in the opening period, and Chicago struggled to generate anything offensively. It took nearly 13 minutes before the Blackhawks registered their first shot on goal, with Dominic Lardis finally putting one on Carter Hart.
Vegas, meanwhile, had already fired 15 shots toward the Chicago net. The Golden Knights opened the scoring on the power play when Victor Olofsson ripped a wrist shot past the Blackhawks goaltender. At 15:22, Trevor Connelly made it 2-0, scoring the first NHL goal of his career.
Vegas controlled much of the first period, and Chicago looked like a team still trying to find its identity.
Blackhawks Show Some Life in the Second
Chicago came out better in the second period and finally found a way onto the scoreboard. At 12:23, Jordan Greenway cut the Vegas lead to 2-1, giving the Blackhawks some momentum. But that momentum did not last long.
Jack Eichel restored Vegas’ two-goal advantage at 15:12, making it 3-1 heading into the second intermission. Chicago also lost a key player during the period. Andrew Mangiapane left the game after playing only one shift in the second period.
After the game, Blackhawks head coach Jeff Blashill said he did not expect Mangiapane to play during the team’s upcoming road trip, although he did not have a timetable for his return. That could become an important storyline for Chicago moving forward.
Kane Gives Chicago Another Chance
Patrick Kane, making his return with the Blackhawks, gave Chicago some life again in the third period. Kane cut the Vegas lead to 3-2 with his first goal of the season. It was also his eighth goal in a Blackhawks season opener, moving him past Denis Savard for the second-most opening-night goals in franchise history, behind only Bobby Hull’s 11.
For a moment, Chicago had an opportunity to make this a hockey game. But Vegas responded again. Just 48 seconds after Kane’s goal, Noah Hanifin restored the Golden Knights’ two-goal lead, making it 4-2.
The Blackhawks did play better in the third period. They generated more pressure and showed more energy, but it was not enough to complete the comeback. Mark Stone eventually sealed the victory with an empty-net goal, giving Vegas the 5-2 win.
Coach Frenchy’s Take
Let’s be honest: this was not a great performance from the Blackhawks. They looked like a team still in preseason mode.
There was a lack of cohesion, a lack of chemistry, and, at times, too many bad decisions with the puck. Vegas looked more organized, more comfortable and simply more prepared to play an NHL game. And that concerns me.
When you compare this year’s opening-night lineup with the team that started last season, nine players from last year’s opening-night roster are no longer with the team, while Teuvo Teravainen also did not play tonight. That’s a significant amount of change.
This is a young Blackhawks team with a lot of inexperienced players, and games like this could happen more than once during the season. You are not going to win many hockey games when you allow 37 shots, including 28 through the first two periods.
The Golden Knights were able to spend too much time in Chicago’s zone, and the Blackhawks struggled to establish their own game.
Kane Cannot Be Asked to Do Everything
I also have concerns about how Patrick Kane is going to be used this season. Kane played more than 21 minutes tonight, and I don’t believe Blashill can consistently ask him to play that kind of workload throughout the season.
Kane is a veteran player, and Chicago needs him to be productive when it matters most. If you push him too hard every night, there is a risk that he will be exhausted by the middle of the season. The Blackhawks need to find the right balance. They cannot expect Kane to carry the offensive burden every night.
A Couple of Positives
It wasn’t all negative. I thought the fourth line had a good game and brought some energy when Chicago needed it.
I also liked what I saw from Frank Nazar. He showed flashes of speed and skill and looked comfortable competing at this level. Those are small positives, but on a night like this, you take them.
It’s Only One Game—But…
Let’s not overreact. It is one game. The Blackhawks have 83 more games to play, and nobody should be making major conclusions about this team after one night.
But at the same time, you cannot ignore what we saw. Chicago has a lot of work to do. They need to improve their chemistry. They need to make better decisions with the puck. They need to be more competitive in the defensive zone. And perhaps most importantly, this young group needs time to learn how to play together.
There will be nights when the inexperience shows. Tonight was one of those nights.
The good news? There is a long season ahead, and the Blackhawks will have an opportunity to respond immediately. Chicago returns to the ice Thursday night in Utah at 8:30 PM CT. The season has only just begun—but there is already plenty of work ahead for the Blackhawks.
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