The Chicago Blackhawks saw their five-game point streak come to an end on Sunday night, falling 3-1 to the Los Angeles Kings at the United Center. The game slipped away early in the second period, where a few costly mistakes led to too many odd-man rushes — and that was all the Kings needed.
Early Momentum, Then a Collapse in Transition
The first period looked promising for Chicago. The Hawks outshot the Kings 11-6, controlled possession, and played a structured game. Connor Bedard opened the scoring with a sharp redirection at 7:04, giving Chicago a 1-0 lead.
But early in the second, everything fell apart. Defenseman Sam Rinzel lost the puck high in the offensive zone, leading to a two-on-one and a goal by Alex Laferriere to tie the game. Just 84 seconds later, Kevin Fiala turned a breakaway into a wraparound goal, putting the Kings ahead 2-1.
From there, Los Angeles slowed the game down — exactly the way they like it. Tight structure, limited space, and no room to create.
“It’s completely self-inflicted,” said Jason Dickinson, who returned from injury. “Just stupid plays that could easily be corrected if we showed a little more poise and didn’t panic in those moments.”
Coach Jeff Blashill agreed, saying the issue wasn’t system-based — it was about decision-making.
“You can’t try to make something out of nothing in terms of puck management,” Blashill said. “We stopped taking what was given.”
Power Play Problems Continue
The Blackhawks’ power play remains one of their biggest issues. They went 0-for-5 against Los Angeles and managed just four shots on goal with the man advantage. Over their last three games, they’re just 1-for-13, dropping to 23rd in the NHL.
Even Bedard didn’t sugarcoat it:
“Our power play was terrible tonight. That didn’t help,” he said. “It kind of takes the momentum out a little bit.”
Blashill mentioned the team made small tweaks to their breakout setup, but so far, the adjustments haven’t paid off.
Kings’ Veteran Discipline Ends the Streak
he Kings were the more patient and experienced team. After taking a 2-1 lead in the second period, they shut the game down — limiting Chicago’s time, space, and holding them to just 12 shots the rest of the way.
An empty-net goal by Joel Armia at 18:52 sealed the 3-1 victory.
“It’s about time,” said Kings defenseman Joel Edmundson, celebrating LA’s first regulation victory of the season. “We’ve been playing a lot of tight games. It feels good to close one out.”
The loss dropped Chicago to 4-3-2, while the Kings improved to 4-3-3 and extended their point streak to five games.Bl
Blackhawks Injuries and Missed Opportunities
Tyler Bertuzzi missed the game with an undisclosed injury and is listed day-to-day.
Ilya Mikheyev left early in the third after a hard fall into the boards and did not return. Coach Blashill said the injury doesn’t appear long-term, but his status for Tuesday is uncertain.
But against a disciplined team like Los Angeles, the Hawks learned a tough lesson — you can’t give away rush chances and expect to recover.
Stats of the Game
| Team Stats Overview | LAK | CHI |
|---|---|---|
| Shots on Goal | 22 | 23 |
| Faceoff % | 44.4% | 55.6% |
| Power Play % | 0% (0/3) | 0% (0/5) |
| Hits | 14 | 24 |
| Blocked Shots | 8 | 8 |
| Giveaways | 19 | 11 |
| Takeaways | 4 | 6 |
| Corsi For % (CF%) | 53.75% | 46.25% |
| High-Danger Chances (HDCF) | 60% (9–6) | 40% (6–9) |
| Expected Goals For % (xGF%) | 55.1% | 44.9% |
Blackhawks By the Numbers
Connor Bedard: 1G (3) – 1 PTS (8) – TOI 23:37 – 3 SOG – 62.5% FO
Teuvo Teravainen: TOI 22:37 – 5 SOG – 2 Hits
Arvid Söderblom: 2 GA on 21 shots – .905 SV%
Three Stars of the Game
1️⃣ Kevin Fiala (LAK)
2️⃣ Alex Laferriere (LAK)
3️⃣ Connor Bedard (CHI)
Final Thoughts
1️⃣ Self-Inflicted Mistakes Cost Blackhawks the Game
The Hawks were their own worst enemy. A few costly turnovers — especially from Rinzel and Dickinson — completely flipped the momentum early in the second. Against the Kings’ structure, that’s a death sentence.
2️⃣ Power Play Needs Urgency
The lack of puck movement and traffic in front of the net continues to hurt this team. Too much hesitation, not enough execution. You can’t rely on one player to fix it — it needs to be a five-man unit with purpose.
3️⃣ Learning Moments for a Young Blackhawks Core
Bedard called the Kings “boring,” but this kind of game teaches patience — how to win when there’s no space and no rhythm. The Hawks have talent, but until they master discipline and puck management, veteran teams like LA will make them pay.
Next Game: Tuesday, October 28 – at home vs the Ottawa Senators (8:45 PM EDT)
