Every Monday, we bring you the Blackhawks Weekly Recap, covering everything from the NHL roster to the AHL Rockford IceHogs and top prospects in the system.
We’ll review the week’s results, highlight standout performances, and close out with our Three Stars of the Week across all levels.
This recap covers games from Monday to Sunday (Week 7).
NHL: Blackhawks This Week (1-3-0)
Game 1: Blackhawks 5 – Flames 2
Chicago opened Week 7 with another strong performance against Calgary, beating the Flames for the second time this season and extending their point streak to six games. The Blackhawks controlled long stretches of the night, answered every push from Calgary, and closed the game with confidence — something this young group has been building toward.
Connor Bedard delivered his second career hat trick, becoming the fourth player in franchise history with multiple hat tricks before turning 21. He scored once in the second period, twice in the third, and now has 11 goals in his last 11 games. Bedard also wore the “A” for the first time with Nick Foligno out of the lineup — and he didn’t just wear it, he produced like the go-to star this team needs.
Chicago jumped ahead on a Ryan Donato goal late in the first, then Bedard made it 2–0 in the second with a great burst of speed on a loose puck he tucked through Dustin Wolf one-handed. Calgary pushed back late in the second and tied it early in the third, but the Blackhawks didn’t panic. Bedard answered just 1:55 later to restore the lead, ripping a far-side shot from the right circle after a great cross-ice feed from Ryan Greene.
Oliver Moore, called up earlier in the week, made a big impact as well. He scored on a clean 2-on-1 with Frank Nazar to make it 4–2 — his best game in the NHL so far — before Bedard sealed the win with an empty-netter from his own zone.
Arvid Söderblom was solid when needed, making 19 saves and controlling rebounds well behind a team that protected the middle of the ice far better than recent games.
Coach’s Take:
This was a strong team win. Chicago protected the lead, kept their composure when Calgary tied it, and responded immediately. Bedard’s second hat trick is the headline, but the effort level across the lineup stood out — from Nazar, Moore and Donato up front, to Rinzel and Crevier making plays at key moments. It’s the kind of game you want to see from a young team learning how to close out wins.
Game 2: Kraken 3 – Blackhawks 2
Chicago let a winnable game slip away on Thursday, falling 3–2 to Seattle after carrying a 2–0 lead into the third period. It marked the first time this season the Blackhawks have lost a game when leading after 40 minutes, and the way it unfolded will sting.
The Hawks played a strong, structured first half of the game. Tyler Bertuzzi, returning from injury, opened the scoring early in the second on a crisp passing play from Frank Nazar and Teuvo Teravainen. Teravainen then made it 2–0 on the power play, finishing a one-handed setup from Bertuzzi at the crease.
But the night shifted late in the first when Andrei Burakovsky left the game after taking a hit from Ryan Lindgren that knocked his helmet off. He did not return and was ruled day-to-day, eventually missing the rest of the week. Without him, Chicago’s top-six rotation and transition game noticeably thinned.
In the third, the Hawks fell into a defensive shell. Instead of pushing for a third goal to put the game out of reach, they sat back, played on their heels, and tried to protect the lead. That opened the door for Seattle. The Kraken dictated the entire period, outskating and outworking Chicago while generating long offensive-zone shifts.
Seattle scored three unanswered: a double-deflection to make it 2–1, a Shane Wright tip to tie it, and the eventual game-winner on the power play after Connor Bedard took an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Chicago managed just four shots in the entire third period and never regained momentum.
Spencer Knight stopped 24 shots, but the Blackhawks were overrun once the ice tilted.
Coach’s Take:
Chicago had this game in their hands but stopped pushing in the third. You can’t sit back in this league — protecting a lead isn’t the same as defending passively. Losing Burakovsky hurt the depth, and Seattle took full advantage. A tough lesson for a young group learning how to close out games.
Game 3: Sabres 9 – Blackhawks 3
There’s no way to dress this one up — Chicago got run out of the building in Buffalo. On the second half of a back-to-back, without Burakovsky, and still shaken from blowing the Seattle game the night before, the Blackhawks delivered easily their worst performance of the season.
Buffalo came out flying, swarming pucks, winning every race, and setting the tempo from the opening shift. Chicago, meanwhile, never found its legs, never found structure, and never found any pushback. This one was over early, and only got uglier.
The Sabres struck three times in the first period, including a rebound goal from Josh Doan and a high-slot power-play redirect from Bowen Byram. Tyler Bertuzzi gave the Hawks a brief spark late in the first, but even that couldn’t slow the avalanche coming the other way.
The second period was a collapse. Buffalo scored twice in eight seconds, then added another minutes later. Chicago’s defensive coverage fell apart completely — blown assignments, late rotations, missed box-outs, zero support for Soderblom. And while the goaltender wasn’t sharp, he also got left out to dry with chance after chance from point-blank range.
Bertuzzi added a second goal on the power play early in the third, but the Sabres piled on three more to close out the 9–3 final. At no point did the Hawks look competitive; they were chasing the game from the opening drop.
It was a full-team failure: no legs, no detail, no energy, no execution. A brutal reminder that even with progress, this group is still young, inconsistent, and vulnerable when the structure breaks.
NOTES:
Connor Bedard did record a milestone despite the blowout — his first assist was the 100th of his NHL career in just 171 games. At 20 years and 127 days, he becomes the youngest player in Blackhawks history to reach 100 assists, passing Eddie Olczyk. The helper also gave him his 30th point in 21 games, making him only the second Hawk in 30 years to hit that mark so quickly, joining Patrick Kane.
Coach’s Take:
There’s not much to analyze — Chicago didn’t show up. The effort, the intensity, the focus were nowhere near NHL level. Back-to-back or not, this was unacceptable. The only option is to bury the tape, regroup, and respond.
Game 4: Avalanche 1 – Blackhawks 0
Chicago finished the week with a far better effort, but still came up empty in a 1–0 loss to Colorado — their third straight defeat. It wasn’t anything like the Buffalo meltdown. This time, the Blackhawks played a tight, structured game, created quality chances, and matched the league’s hottest team shift-for-shift. They simply couldn’t solve Scott Wedgewood.
The storyline of the night was the return of Jason Dickinson, who played his first game after missing ten straight with an upper-body injury. He brought energy, physicality, and stability down the middle, finishing with five hits and helping the Hawks regain some of the structure that was missing in Buffalo. His timing wasn’t perfect, but his presence clearly helped settle the lineup.
Chicago actually carried the first period, outshooting Colorado 11–2 and generating multiple Grade-A looks, including a point-blank chance from Frank Nazar that Wedgewood robbed. The Hawks did just about everything right — except finish.
The Avalanche pushed back in the second, and the game’s only goal came late in the period after a costly mistake. Spencer Knight’s breakout pass went directly to Tristen Nielsen in the slot, leading to a rebound that Cale Makar hammered in from the left circle. Knight was otherwise excellent, stopping 25 shots and giving Chicago a chance all night.
The Hawks pressed hard in the third — creating rushes, driving the middle, and forcing Wedgewood to make several difficult stops — but never cashed in. It was a frustrating result, but also a needed response after the blowout in Buffalo.
Coach’s Take:
Chicago played well enough to win. They were connected, competitive, and disciplined. If they repeat this effort, they win most nights. This was simply a case of running into a hot goalie and one mistake ending up in the back of the net. A tough loss, but a much better performance.
Team Performance Overview
| Category | Week 7 | Season | NHL Rank |
| Record | 1-3-0 | 10-8-4 | 24th |
| Goals For | 10 | 69 | 12th |
| Goals Against | 15 | 61 | 12th |
| Goal Differential | -5 | 8 | |
| GF/GP | 2.50 | 3.14 | 13th |
| GA/GP | 3.75 | 2.77 | 8th |
| Power Play | 20.0 | 24.2 | 7th |
| Penalty Kill | 75.0 | 83.3 | 8th |
| Shots/GP | 23.0 | 24.9 | 30th |
| Shots Against/GP | 26.5 | 30.9 | 28th |
| Faceoff % | 47.5 | 46.8 | 27th |
Blackhawks Player Highlights
Connor Bedard 3G 2A 5PTS TOI 21:01 GWG FO%: 64.4 13SOG
Tyler Bertuzzi 3G 1A 4PTS TOI 20:42 8SOG
Frank Nazar 3A 3PTS TOI 20:04 10SOG
Sam Rinzel 3A 3PTS TOI: 13:46 4SOG
Ryan Greene 2A 2PTS TOI 19:18 9SOG
IceHogs Weekly Summary (Record: 1–2–0)
It was another grinding week for the Rockford IceHogs — a team that continues to battle in every game but still struggles with consistency. At times, the offense dried up. Other nights, defensive breakdowns or missed assignments cost them momentum. And despite strong pushes, especially in third periods, Rockford couldn’t string together the full 60 minutes needed to secure more points.
The IceHogs finished the week 1–2–0, bringing their season record to 8–9–1–1 (18 points), currently sitting 4th in the Central Division. The effort level is there, the compete level is high, but the execution still comes and goes.
One bright spot: Nick Lardis, who had a fantastic week. The rookie winger totaled 4 goals over the three games, scoring in all situations — even strength, power play, and late-game pushes. His shot is becoming one of Rockford’s most dangerous weapons, and he’s quickly emerging as a go-to offensive option.
Special teams were a roller coaster — the power play came alive in the OT win against Texas (2-for-4), but couldn’t convert in the other matchups. Defensively, Rockford had games where lapses turned into goals against, especially in third periods.
Still, with the chances they’re generating, the Hogs are close. With a little more finishing and sharper defensive structure, this group can turn narrow losses into wins quickly.
Game 1: IceHogs 1 – Griffins 5
Rockford opened the week with a tough 5–1 loss to Grand Rapids, a game that slipped away as the Griffins took control over the final forty minutes. After a competitive first period, Grand Rapids completely dominated the second and third, scoring three times and firing 27 shots over the last two frames, finishing the night with 36 total.
The Griffins built a 2–0 lead early with goals from John Leonard and Amadeus Lombardi, capitalizing on breakdowns around the Rockford net. In the second, Grand Rapids extended the lead on a power play blast from Eduards Tralmaks, while Rockford struggled to clear pucks or establish any zone time.
Both teams eventually struck on the man advantage, with Jamie Engelbert deflecting in Rockford’s lone goal late in the third on a shot from Gavin Hayes. But by then, the Griffins had already added two more — a seeing-eye point shot from William Lagesson and a slot finish from Carson Bantle — putting the game out of reach.
Sebastian Cossa was a major factor, turning aside 24 of 25 shots and denying several quality chances that could have given Rockford life early. Meanwhile, the IceHogs couldn’t slow Grand Rapids’ cycle, lost too many battles in their own end, and spent most of the night chasing.
It was a decisive, lopsided performance from the Griffins, and the IceHogs had no answers over the final two periods.
Game 2: IceHogs 4 – Stars 3 (OT)
Rockford delivered one of its best comeback efforts of the season on Friday, storming back with three goals in the third period and eventually knocking off the Texas Stars 4–3 in overtime.
The IceHogs trailed 2–0 after forty minutes, struggling to generate momentum at even strength despite matching Texas shot-for-shot. Both teams finished the night with 29 shots, but special teams proved to be the difference.
Texas opened the scoring in the first on a backdoor tap-in, then doubled the lead late in the second when Curtis McKenzie beat Drew Commesso from the left circle. The game felt stalled — until the third period completely flipped.
Just seconds into the final frame, a five-minute major to Texas gave Rockford life. Nick Lardis wasted no time, threading a long wrist shot through traffic to cut the deficit to 2–1. Minutes later, with the IceHogs back on the power play, Lardis hammered home a one-timer from the far dot to tie the game — his second of the night and a perfect execution of Rockford’s man-advantage setup.
The IceHogs’ special teams continued to shine. With just over two minutes left and shorthanded, Joey Anderson created a turnover and fed Nolan Allan for a slick backhand finish to give Rockford its first lead of the night. The Stars tied it seconds later with the goalie pulled, sending the game to overtime, but Rockford closed the job.
Halfway through OT, Aidan Thompson jammed home a rebound at the crease to seal the victory and complete the comeback.
The difference in the game? Special teams dominance. Rockford went 2-for-4 on the power play, while Texas went 0-for-4, giving the IceHogs the edge they needed after a slow start.
A huge character win for Rockford, sparked by urgency, special teams execution, and a relentless third period.
Game 3: IceHogs 2 – Texas Stars 5
The IceHogs’ push for a second straight win in Texas fell short, as the Stars pulled away with a decisive third period to hand Rockford a 5–2 loss on Saturday night.
Rockford had flashes of strong play throughout the night and even outshot Texas 29–25, including an impressive 17-shot barrage in the third period. But every time the IceHogs gained momentum, Stars goaltender Remi Poirier shut the door. He was outstanding down the stretch, turning aside multiple high-danger looks to preserve the lead.
Texas opened the scoring late in the first and doubled their advantage midway through the second. Nick Lardis responded with a perfectly placed shot off a setup from Kevin Korchinski, cutting the deficit to 2–1 after 40 minutes.
The IceHogs entered the third with pace and urgency, but the Stars capitalized instead—striking for three goals in the final frame, including two empty-netters. Lardis added his second of the night in the closing minutes, but the comeback attempt ran out of runway.
Special teams weren’t a factor in this one, as both clubs went 0-for-0 on the power play, making it a pure 5-on-5 contest.
Despite the loss, Rockford’s third-period pressure and shot volume were positives—but they simply couldn’t solve Poirier enough times to erase the deficit.
Three Stars of the Week
Blackhawks
1️⃣ Connor Bedard 3G 2A 5PTS TOI 21:01 GWG FO%: 64.4 13SOG
2️⃣ Tyler Bertuzzi 3G 1A 4PTS TOI 20:42 8SOG
3️⃣ Frank Nazar 3A 3PTS TOI 20:04 10SOG
IceHogs
1️⃣ Nick Lardis 4 G 4 PTS
2️⃣ Nolan Allan 1 G 1 A 2 PTS
3️⃣ Aidan thompson 1 G 1 A 2 PTS
Prospects
1️⃣ Mason West and Edina have won the Minnesota state championship!
2️⃣ Marek Vanacker (OHL) – 3 G | 3 A | 6 PTS
3️⃣ Roman Kantserov (KHL) – 2 G | 2 A | 4 PTS
Final Thoughts
It was a tough week across the organization, as both the Chicago Blackhawks and Rockford IceHogs faced similar struggles. For the Blackhawks, this was easily their most difficult stretch of the season, especially on the defensive side of the puck. Allowing 15 goals in four games is never a recipe for success, and the loss to Buffalo was the low point.
That said, outside of that Sabres game, Chicago still played meaningful, competitive hockey — and for a rebuilding team, that continues to be the most important part. The effort, structure, and buy-in remain strong, even if the results didn’t follow this week.
In Rockford, the IceHogs posted their second straight 1–2–0 week, and the theme was similar: effort wasn’t the problem, but timely offense was. The Hogs were competitive in every game, yet they struggled to finish chances and couldn’t consistently generate scoring when they needed it. With back-to-back weeks below .500, the urgency to rediscover their offensive touch is starting to grow.
Both teams showed fight. Both teams stayed in games. And both teams have clear areas to clean up moving forward — but that’s the nature of development. Plenty to build on, and plenty to correct as they enter a new week.
Schedule Next Week
Chicago Blackhawks (NHL)
- Wed, Nov. 26: Minnesota Wild at Blackhawks — 7:30 PM CDT
- Fri, Nov. 28: Nashville Predators at Blackhawks — 7:00 PM CDT
- Sun, Nov. 30: Anaheim Ducks at Blackhawks — 2:30 PM CDT
Rockford IceHogs (AHL)
- Wed, Nov. 26: Chicago Wolves at IceHogs — 7:00 PM CDT
- Fri, Nov. 28: Milwaukee Admirals at IceHogs — 7:00 PM CDT
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 October Report Card
Looking for discussion? Check out our forums section and weigh in on what’s happening around the NHL!
Keep these coming Frenchy so much good info, thank you
Thanks, my friend. I just wish I had more time to write even better articles. The schedule is crazy when you’re following every NHL game and trying to keep up with everything.
good job Coach !! . Always like the AHL report
L
Thank you! Really glad you enjoyed it.