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RECAP: Blackhawks’ comeback flames out, fall 6–4 to Calgary

  
RECAP: Blackhawks' comeback flames out, fall 6–4 to Calgary
Dustin Wolf of the Calgary Flames defends against Ilya Mikheyev of the Chicago Blackhawks at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Dec. 21, 2024 in Calgary, Alberta. (Photo courtesy of Gerry Thomas / NHLI via Getty Images)

The Chicago Blackhawks came into Saturday afternoon having won three straight games for the first time in two years. They were managing to put goals in the net, getting excellent goaltending and otherwise playing their best hockey of the season so far.

Seth Jones and Petr Mrazek checked back into the lineup versus the Flames, having missed time due to injury.

The Blackhawks would roll out the following lines versus the Flames:

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First period

The first started off with a fair amount of puck movement by both sides. Nine and a half minutes in, Mrazek made a tremendous save on Jake Bean to keep things knotted up at zeroes. That unfortunately would not last for the whole period. With the Blackhawks on the power play, Jonathan Huberdeau got sprung up the left boards. He kept Frank Nazar at bay and backhanded the puck past Mrazek, making it 1–0 Flames. The home team did not let up. Forty-seven seconds later, Nazem Kadri stole a pass from Kevin Korchinski. With the Blackhawks’ defense backing up, he put a wrister on net and quickly made it 2–0 Calgary. It just kept getting worse for the Blackhawks in this frame, as Connor Murphy would take a dumb penalty on Huberdeau again and he was granted a penalty shot.

Mrazek stood tall and managed to keep that one out of the net, sending the Blackhawks to the intermission down 2–0.

Second period

This period took a little while to get going. Ten minutes in, the Blackhawks looked like they might be right back in it. Tyler Bertuzzi got a good pass up to Taylor Hall in front of the benches. He skated in and got the puck across to Connor Bedard, who one-timed the puck to the back of the net, 2–1 Flames.

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This second period was all Flames after that. Twenty-eight seconds after Bedard scored, Calgary got the goal right back. Jakob Pelletier got the puck over to Connor Zary, who had the easiest tap-in of his season, 3–1. Just under two minutes later, the Flames were on the power play due to some retaliation on the part of Ryan Donato. They made quick work of that, with Matthew Coronato tucking home another easy goal, 4–1 to the home team. Unfortunately, that goal put an end to the Hawks’ remarkable penalty-killing streak, which had climbed to over 30 consecutive kills before the Coronato tally. The worst goal to let in was the next one, though. Bean took a shot that got knocked down on the way through to the net. Blake Coleman got a stick on it to deflect it to the ice, making it 5–1 Calgary. This one looked like it was all but over.

Third period

Less than a minute into the third, it was clear that the Blackhawks got a talking to in the locker room between periods. Fifty-seven seconds in, Bedard put the puck across to Bertuzzi, who was tied up in front of the net. He fell over, freed himself and put the puck past Dustin Wolf, making it 5–2.

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Bertuzzi would end up with the next one, too. On the two-man advantage, with some good puck movement, it found its way down to Bedard again. He once again fed Bertuzzi on the far side of the net, making it 5–3, and bringing the Blackhawks back within two.

At the 18:52 mark of the frame, the Blackhawks were back in it officially, but running out of time. Ilya Mikheyev continued his hot streak, potting his seventh of the year, making it really closer than it looked like it would have been, 5–4 Calgary.

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Unfortunately, that was all that the Blackhawks were able to muster. Mikael Backlund put home an empty-netter for the Flames, putting this one away and giving the Flames the 6–4 victory.

Analysis

The Blackhawks won the most faceoffs of any game that I have seen them play this season, which is a great thing to see in a team, as that is often the easiest way to get things going on offense. The game as a whole was sloppy. The first and second periods were both lacking in terms on having enough effort on defense and following your man. Sixty-eight penalty minutes is quite a lot of time there too, as Martin Pospisil was taking hits on people he should not have, and forcing the Blackhawks to retaliate, forcing that total up ever higher.

Overall, it a good performance for a loss, especially seeing them fight to get back into the game in the third period.

The Blackhawks’ next game is on Monday night in Minnesota to take on the Wild. Coverage will be on CHSN at 7 p.m. CST.

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