At the United Center on Friday night, the Chicago Blackhawks let a two-goal lead slip away and saw a potential game-winner from Tyler Bertuzzi wiped out by a controversial call. Despite Spencer Knight’s strong effort in net, the Hawks fell 3–2 in a shootout to the Vancouver Canucks — a game full of emotion, frustration, and lessons learned.
First Period — Hawks Start Strong, No Revenge Fight
Heading into the night, many expected fireworks after last season’s promise of “revenge” from Kiefer Sherwood toward Jason Dickinson for his hit on Filip Chytil. But the expected fight never came.
Instead, the Hawks came out flying. Chicago opened the scoring when Ryan Donato converted on the power play midway through the period — his second of the season.
Late in the frame, Tyler Bertuzzi made it 2–0 at 19:14, following his own rebound and finishing in tight.
The Blackhawks dominated much of the play, controlling puck possession and forecheck pressure. Vancouver managed a few late chances, but Knight stood tall to preserve the lead.
Shots on goal: Chicago 15 – Vancouver 13.
“That’s the start you want at home — energy, physicality, and execution,” said coach Jeff Blashill.
Second Period — Canucks Opportunistic in Limited Chances
Momentum shifted in the second. At 6:49, with Donato in the box for slashing, Vancouver cut the lead to 2–1 on the power play — Jake DeBrusk scoring his first of the season on a quick rebound.
Just over six minutes later, at 13:42, Max Sasson tied the game 2–2, redirecting a pass from Filip Hronek while battling Dickinson in front of the net. Those two goals came on only four shots in the period for the Canucks.
The Hawks still pushed back, firing 10 shots, but Kevin Lankinen was sharp and kept the score even. Chicago led the shot count 25–17 after 40 minutes but couldn’t solve Vancouver’s goaltender.
“We got too passive,” Blashill admitted. “We kind of gave them life when we didn’t need to.”
Third Period — Disallowed Goal Defines the Game
The third period had everything — intensity, controversy, and missed chances.
The moment everyone will remember came with 5:12 left when Bertuzzi appeared to score his second of the night, jamming a loose puck over the line. But the goal was waved off for goaltender interference after review.
Referee Kelly Sutherland ruled that the puck was partially covered under Lankinen’s pad and was considered dead before it crossed the line — even though the whistle had not yet blown.
“I’d challenge that 10 out of 10 times again,” Blashill said.
Bertuzzi added: “I won’t comment because I’ll probably get fined. It wasn’t that great of a call.”
Chicago lost the challenge and went short-handed. They then had to kill another power play late after Connor Bedardtook a penalty with just over two minutes left. In total, Vancouver had three power plays in the third, but the Hawks’ penalty kill — led by Knight’s sharp goaltending — stood firm.
Despite being outshot 12–7, Chicago generated dangerous chances late, including a Crevier crossbar that could have been the difference.
Overtime — Knight Keeps Hawks Alive
The Canucks controlled most of the first two minutes of overtime but didn’t create much until Pettersson got free in the slot. Knight made a huge glove save to keep the Hawks alive.
Bedard, who stayed on the ice for over two minutes, helped push back with a late rush, forcing Lankinen into one last big stop. Neither side could break through.
Shootout Summary
- Teravainen (CHI) — Saved
- Pettersson (VAN) — Missed
- Bedard (CHI) — Saved
- Garland (VAN) — Saved
- Nazar (CHI) — Saved
- DeBrusk (VAN) — Crossbar
- Donato (CHI) — Saved
- Boeser (VAN) — Scores (glove side)
Final Score: Vancouver 3 – Chicago 2 (Shootout)
Postgame Comments
“They’re on the back half of a back-to-back,” Blashill said. “When we go up 2-0, that’s when you just can’t give them life.”
Connor Murphy: “The puck was partially covered, so they looked at it as dead. I get the call, but I’ve seen others count. It could’ve easily gone our way.”
Bertuzzi: “I think everyone saw what happened. I’ll leave it at that.”
NOTES: The Canucks have won 11 straight games against the Blackhawks. The Blackhawks activated forward Landon Slaggert off injured reserve.
He has not played this season because of a lower-body injury. He could make his season debut against the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday.
Game Stats
| Category | Blackhawks | Canucks |
|---|---|---|
| Shots on Goal | 33 | 32 |
| Faceoff % | 58.2 | 41.8 |
| Power Play | 1/3 | 1/6 |
| Hits | 19 | 26 |
| Blocked Shots | 10 | 10 |
| Giveaways | 13 | 11 |
| Takeaways | 6 | 2 |
| CF % (5-on-5) | 56.15 % | 43.75 % |
| xGF % (5-on-5) | 59.91 % | 40.09 % |
| HDCF % (5-on-5) | 58.33 % (14-10) | 41.67 % (10-14) |
By Numbers
Tyler Bertuzzi — 1 G (2), 1 PTS, TOI 19:02, 9 shot attempts, 6 shots on goal, 77.8% on faceoffs.
Ryan Donato — 1 G (2), 1 PTS, 3 shots on goal.
Connor Bedard — 0 points, TOI 25:01, 7 shot attempts, 4 shots on goal, 42.9% on faceoffs.
Ilya Mikheyev — 0 points, TOI 20:43, 7 shot attempts.
Alex Vlasic — 0 points, TOI 24:47.
Sam Rinzel — 1 A (1), 1 PTS, TOI 20:56, 2 shots on goal.
Artyom Levshunov — 1 A (2), 1 PTS, TOI 13:47.
Spencer Knight — 2 goals allowed on 32 shots, .938% SV%
3 Stars of the Game (NHL Selection)
1️⃣ Tyler Bertuzzi (CHI) — 1G, 1 PTS, dominant night
2️⃣ Kevin Lankinen (VAN) — .939 SV%, clutch saves
3️⃣ Brock Boeser (VAN) — Shootout winner
My 3 Takeaways
1️⃣ Team Effort
Since the beginning of the season, the Blackhawks are playing meaningful hockey every night. This is the second time in six games they’ve gone to extra time and the fourth game they’ve lost by one goal.
The difference from last season? They don’t give up. The effort is consistent, and you can see Blashill’s impact. It’s not always pretty, but they battle for a full 60 minutes.
2️⃣ Spencer Knight Again and Again
We talk about meaningful games — and Spencer Knight is a big reason why. He has only one win, but three of his games have save percentages above .919: .938, .955, and .918.
His GAA is 2.22 and SV% .924, with a GSVA above +5. These are elite numbers for a young goalie finding his rhythm.
3️⃣ It Was Good, But Not Great
At 2-2-2 after six games, there’s still room for improvement. Discipline is a major concern — the Hawks have had only one game where they had more power plays than the opponent. In three of six games, they’ve taken 5+, 6, and even 10 penalties.
Most are stick-related: hooking, slashing, or high-sticking.
Bedard, though playing well, already has five minor penalties, often in the offensive zone. He needs better control.
Shift management is another issue. Some players, especially Bedard, are taking shifts over a minute long. That’s on Blashill to manage.
The coach also made some questionable late-game choices — like using Greene and Reichel in key moments — but overall, his structure and system are working.
The team plays hard, stays competitive, and is becoming much more fun to watch.
My Final Thought
The effort is there. The compete level is there. The execution will come. This team has taken a real step forward from last season — they battle, they believe, and they’re earning respect every night.
The structure from Blashill, the growth from young players, and the goaltending from Knight all show that Chicago is building something special. The next challenge is learning how to finish games and turn effort into wins.
Next Game: Sunday, 6:00 PM CDT vs Anaheim Ducks.
KEEP READING:
Blackhawks Monday Recap: NHL Opening Week
Hawks Search For The Right Fit Beside Bedard
Blackhawks Begin Their Next Chapter in Florida
Looking for discussion? Check out our forums section and weigh in on what’s happening around the NHL!
