Game Summary
The Chicago Blackhawks opened their 100th anniversary home season with emotion and intensity — but discipline issues cost them again in a 3–2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night at the United Center.
Montreal went 2-for-10 on the power play and scored the game-winner with just 15 seconds left in regulation when defenseman Kaiden Guhle threw a puck toward the net that found its way past Spencer Knight.
The Blackhawks (0-2-1) received goals from Sam Rinzel and Connor Bedard, while Frank Nazar and Teuvo Teräväinen each collected two assists. Knight made 25 saves and kept the Hawks in the game despite facing ten penalty kills.
“That’s a really hard game to get any rhythm going,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “Anybody that killed penalties played so many minutes.
Then you’re trying to get the guys who don’t kill back into rhythm. Some of them barely touched the ice five-on-five. It’s just a tough game to manage.”
How It Happened
First Period:
Montreal controlled much of the opening 20 minutes, drawing four power plays and outshooting Chicago 8–6. According to Natural Stat Trick, the Canadiens held a 21–9 edge in shot attempts and a 12–6 advantage in scoring chances.
Spencer Knight was superb, keeping the score 0–0 and erasing several quality looks from Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki.
Second Period:
The penalty parade continued as Montreal earned five more power plays, bringing the total to nine through two periods.
On their fifth attempt, Caufield opened the scoring at 2:45, batting in a rebound from Zachary Bolduc on the man advantage.
Chicago answered at 4:32 when Sam Rinzel joined the rush and snapped a wrist shot over Samuel Montembeault’s blocker for his first NHL goal.
Midway through the frame, Connor Bedard scored his second goal of the season, redirecting Frank Nazar’s shot on the power play to make it 2–2. Montreal led 14–11 in shots and 14–4 in high-danger chances through 40 minutes.
Chicago answered just two minutes later. Sam Rinzel, jumping into the rush from the right point, snapped a perfect wrist shot over Samuel Montembeault’s glove at 4:32 for his first NHL goal.
At 9:15, the Hawks tied the game 2–2 on the power play. Teräväinen found Nazar in the slot, whose shot deflected off Connor Bedard’s body and into the net for his second goal of the season — his first on the power play.
“It kind of feels like a weight off your shoulders,” Rinzel said of his first career goal. “I’d had chances before this. It’s nice to finally get one and build some confidence.”
Third Period:
Chicago outshot Montreal 12–10 in the final frame and had two power plays, but generated only two shots on goalduring those opportunities.
The Hawks played their most structured period at even strength but couldn’t find a finishing touch. In the closing seconds, Kaiden Guhle fired a low shot from the blue line that deflected through traffic and past Knight at 19:45, giving Montreal the 3–2 win.
By the Numbers
- Final Score: Canadiens 3, Blackhawks 2
- Shots on Goal: Montreal 28 – Chicago 27
- Power Play: CHI 1-for-4 (25%) | MTL 2-for-10 (20%)
- Penalty Kill: 8-for-10 (80%)
- Faceoffs: 20/52 (38.5%)
- Hits: Colton Dach – 6
- Shots: Ryan Donato – 6
- Top TOI (F): Teuvo Teräväinen – 20:34 (2 assists)
- Low TOI (F): Lukas Reichel – 6:41 | Sam Lafferty – 4:43
- Frank Nazar: 18:28 TOI, 2 assists, 3 drawn penalties
- Sam Rinzel: 25:58 TOI, 1st NHL goal, 2 SOG, 3 blocks
- Spencer Knight: 25 saves on 28 shots (.909 SV%)
Healthy scratch: Artyom Levshunov
“Development isn’t just playing — it’s learning how to do things the right way,” Blashill said. “He’ll play plenty.”
Game Stats (Official NHL Summary)
| Category | Canadiens | Blackhawks |
|---|---|---|
| Shots on Goal (by Period) | 8 / 10 / 10 | 6 / 4 / 12 |
| Total Shots on Goal | 28 | 22 |
| Power Plays | 2/10 (20%) | 1/4 (25%) |
| Hits | 16 | 22 |
| Blocked Shots | 8 | 16 |
| Giveaways | 14 | 15 |
| Takeaways | 4 | 8 |
| Penalty Minutes | 17 | 39 |
| Faceoff % | 61.5% (32/52) | 38.5% (20/52) |
Three Takeaways
1. Spencer Knight kept them alive.
Knight was the main reason Chicago was still tied heading into the final minute. Montreal outchanced the Hawks 14–4 in high-danger opportunities through two periods, and without Knight, the score could easily have been 4–2 or 5–2.
His rebound control and poise were impressive in a tough game to manage.
2. Discipline and faceoffs continue to be major issues.
Ten minor penalties and just 38.5% in faceoff wins — those two categories are defining this early-season stretch. The Hawks’ penalty killers did their job, but spending 20 minutes shorthanded limits any chance at sustained offense.
3. Nazar is the engine.
Frank Nazar continues to look like the Hawks’ best forward three games into the season. Two assists, a drawn penalty, and his relentless energy in transition stood out again. Every shift brings speed, creativity, and confidence.
Three Stars of the Game
1️⃣ Kaiden Guhle (MTL) — 1G, GWG, +1, 22:41 TOI
2️⃣ Cole Caufield (MTL) — 1G, 1A, 2 PTS, 5 SOG
3️⃣ Frank Nazar (CHI) — 2A, +1, 18:28 TOI
Final Thoughts
The Blackhawks have just one point in their first three games, but all three have been decided by a single goal. For a young roster still learning how to finish games, this week showed progress and potential.
Captain Nick Foligno said it best:
“We have to get comfortable in uncomfortable situations. Our details will decide if we win or lose.”
The compete level is there. The next challenge is turning that effort into execution — and results.
Next Game
The Blackhawks will be back in action on Monday, October 13, when they host the Utah Mammoth at the United Center. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. CDT.
I know we lost but i have to admit i thought we were the better team on the ice last night i rarely had that opinion last season.
I can see this team defense tightening things up in the slot, the double teams on the entries along the boards, penalty kill was outstanding i still think that puck was above the cross bar. They still have to guard against the puck battles along the boards and not get pinned by the opponent while the puck is then taken by the opponent into the middle of the ice.
The diving might work during the regular season but come playoff time the Habs will be one and done.
Thanks for your comment! You’re absolutely right — we can clearly see improvements from this team. These are meaningful games, and every one so far has been decided by a single goal. For a rebuilding group, that’s exactly what you want to see.
The penalty kill was excellent, the physical play much improved, and overall the structure under Blashill looks tighter. It’s not perfect yet, but there’s visible progress on both sides of the puck.
I’d still like to see better faceoff results and defensive zone coverage, but for the first week of the season, it’s a solid start. They easily could have earned at least two points by now.
Have a great day — the best is still to come!
If the refs don’t do their job we will continue to lose faceoffs, i don’t know why the opponent is allowed to not have their feet square to the face off and we seem to get kicked out of the dot when we don’t?
Every time the ref would correct the foot work of the Habs player we usually win that face off.
I get called out for this but i feel the younger you are the more veterans can get away with against the younger players, i can’t wait till these players get older so the refs stop nit picking them.
Penalties are really concerning for this team and has been for some time. I was hoping with this new coaching staff they would address their undisciplined way of playing. It kills any momentum they have during the game.
On the 10 penalties, 4 of them were for tripping — and that simply shouldn’t happen. Then 2 were for high sticks and 1 for cross-checking. Absolutely, discipline is crucial.
Usually, referees in the NHL tend to call penalties on rookies or young players, but yesterday it was the veterans — Lafferty, Murphy, Grzelcyk. Veterans need to lead by example. Those mistakes kill the momentum of the game.
Thanks for your comment!
Absolutely and that’s what is frustrating. They should or ought to know better. This coaching staff better start to clean it up.