The Chicago Blackhawks open a three-game road swing through the Tri-State area on Monday night at Madison Square Garden against the struggling New York Rangers. The Blackhawks were coming off a 4–2 loss at against the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday, which marked the debut of interim head coach Anders Sorensen. Looking to get him his first NHL win, the Blackhawks started Arvid Soderblom in goal against the Rangers’ Igor Shesterkin. The game also marked the return of Kevin Korchinski to the Hawks’ lineup after being recalled from Rockford on Sunday along with goaltender Drew Commesso, who served as the backup to Soderblom. Petr Mrazek was placed on the injured reserve with a groin injury.
First period
The Blackhawks scored first for the 17th time this season when a Mika Zibanejad turnover led to Taylor Hall setting up Tyler Bertuzzi for his sixth of the season.
hall + bert = 🚨 pic.twitter.com/qYoJz9MuZ2
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) December 10, 2024
Late in the period, Will Cuylle tied it at 1–1 with a shorthanded goal. Sam Carrick rushed down the ice and drove the net. Soderblom left a big rebound that Cuylle pounced on for his 10th of the season at 19:17. The game was tied after 20 minutes.
Second period
The Hawks regained the lead when Connor Bedard fed Hall on a 2-on-1 for his sixth of the season at 6:16.
DECK THE HALLS pic.twitter.com/GMl1lCd1f1
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) December 10, 2024
The Hawks took a one-goal lead into the locker room after two periods.
Third period
There was no scoring in the third, but the final frame was a microcosm of the entire game, as the Hawks consistently pressured the puck and played an overall strong road game to earn a 2–1 win and make Sorensen the first Swedish-born head coach to record a win in the NHL.
Analysis
It was a strong start to the Hawks’ three-game road trip in a hostile environment. The Hawks were clearly the better team from start to finish, as they played with more energy and were strong defensively. Soderblom continued his strong start to the season with 29 saves. In his return to the big club, Korchinski had a strong game, including one play where he skated stride for stride with former Blackhawk forward Artemi Panarin and defended him well.
The Hawks get a few days off before a Thursday night game at UBS Arena against the New York Islanders. Puck drop is at 6:30 p.m. CST on CHSN with the radio call on 720 WGN.