In their final game before the break, the Chicago Blackhawks traveled to Missouri for a Winter Classic rematch with the St. Louis Blues. The Chicago lines on Saturday were the virtually the same as Friday, save for the change in net. Arvid Soderblom got the start against the Blues. Both teams were wearing their Winter Classic jerseys. If this game was the Winter Classic, the viewership for the Winter Classic would not have been so low.
Blackhawks lines in warmups at Blues are as expected:
Slaggert-Bedard-Donato
Teravainen-Nazar-Mikheyev
Kurashev-Foligno-Bertuzzi
Maroon-Reichel-SmithMartinez-Jones
Vlasic-Murphy
Del Mastro-BrodieSoderblom
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) February 8, 2025
First period
The Blackhawks got off to a hot start in this one. Craig Smith scored the game’s first goal.
Pat Maroon sets up Craig Smith, who scores his 7th goal of the season. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/TmtXRxZoa8
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) February 9, 2025
Less than a minute later, Ryan Donato continued on his heater. He is as hot as burnt toast according to teammate Seth Jones.
Ryan Donato continues to stay hotter than burnt toast for his 4th goal in 3 games and 19th of the season. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/kAMHqO4WwR
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) February 9, 2025
The Hawks led 2–0 after the first period.
Second period
The Blues rallied back in the second period. Philip Broberg fired a slapper past Soderblom to cut the lead. Nathan Walker scored second later to tie the game.
With the Hawks reeling late in the period, Mathieu Joseph scored the Blues’ third goal of the game.
The second period ended with the Hawks down 3–2.
Third period
Alec Martinez tied the game for the Hawks early in the third period.
Alec Martinez scores his 2nd goal in 3 games and 4th of the season. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/HWu8hejaYH
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) February 9, 2025
Cam Fowler of the Blues broke the tie less than a minute later. St. Louis lead lasted for less than two minutes before Teuvo Teravainen scored the equalizer.
Teuvo Teravainen’s shot goes off Ryan Suter’s stick and in for his 12th goal of the season. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/KAFTCU5jyf
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) February 9, 2025
Five minutes later in the period, Ilya Mikheyev decided to to his best Connor McDavid impression and scored on a nice power move.
Look at the speed of Ilya Mikheyev, who scores to hit the 10-goal mark on the season. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/tH8yp6InQI
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) February 9, 2025
Robert Thomas scored for the Blues four minutes later to tie the game. This game headed to overtime.
Overtime/shootout
In the overtime, no team was able to find the twine of the net, so this wild contest continued to the shootout.
FINAL after a 10-round shootout: Blues 6, Blackhawks 5
Neighbours: saved
Bedard: saved
Schenn: scored
Teravainen: scored
Holloway: saved
Donato: saved
Kyrou: saved
Smith: saved
Thomas: saved
Reichel: saved
Buchnevich: saved
Nazar: missed
Bolduc: saved
Mikheyev: saved
Walker:…— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) February 9, 2025
The Hawks fall to the Blues 6–5 in the shootout.
Analysis
This game was not Soderblom’s best game in net through 65 minutes. Before this start, Soderblom had been solid in net for the majority of the season. Hopefully the break will help reset and be ready.
Donato continued his points run as Kyle Davidson’s trade demands presumably continue to go up. The right thing to do is trade a guy on a heater for maximum value. However, part of me hopes we could see more of Donato, Connor Bedard and Landon Slaggert.
Speaking of Slaggert, only Slaggert and Philipp Kurashev were not used in the shootout by the Hawks. Anders Sorensen said he did some background and that is why they did not get attempts.
Bedard continued his point streak and now has the third-most points by an active player before turning 20. Bedard continues to excel despite the national media and Blackhawks fans’ criticism of his game.
The Blackhawks’ next game is Feb. 22 against the Columbus Blue Jackets.