The Chicago Blackhawks rolled out the red carpet at the United Center on Saturday night, honoring franchise legends as part of their Centennial “Banner Years” celebration. The crowd was buzzing as Duncan Keith, Marian Hossa, Brent Seabrook, Andrew Shaw and a host of other Stanley Cup champions returned to the ice they once dominated. But once the puck dropped, the nostalgia gave way to a harsh reality - the Blackhawks dropped their fourth straight at home, falling 5-2 to the Boston Bruins.
Let’s break down what happened on the ice, and what it says about where this young Blackhawks team stands right now.
A Hot Start - Then It Slipped Away
The Blackhawks didn’t exactly come out of the gate flying. They went more than 11 minutes without a shot on goal, while the Bruins peppered Arvid Söderblom early with eight shots of their own.
Even a power play couldn’t jumpstart the offense - at least not right away. The first unit looked out of sync, but the second group finally found some rhythm.
Right after the power play expired, Ryan Greene buried a loose puck to open the scoring. It was a much-needed tally for the 22-year-old, who hadn’t scored a traditional goal since late November.
He’s been generating chances, no doubt, but the puck just hadn’t been going in. So when he finally lit the lamp again - assisted by Andre Burakovsky and Connor Bedard - it had to feel like a weight off his shoulders.
Just two minutes later, Wyatt Kaiser stepped into the slot and ripped one home, doubling the lead. Nick Foligno made a strong play along the wall to set it up, and Kaiser didn’t hesitate.
That goal gave him five on the season - the most among Blackhawks defensemen. For a guy known more for his defensive reliability than his offensive flash, that’s an impressive stat.
Louis Crevier, another stay-at-home type, sits right behind him with four. Maybe there’s a friendly blue line goal race brewing in Chicago.
A Tale of Two Periods
After that promising first period, the wheels came off. The Bruins took control in the second and never looked back, scoring five unanswered goals - three in the second, two more in the third - to put the game out of reach.
The Blackhawks, meanwhile, struggled to generate much of anything offensively. The crispness they showed early disappeared, and their structure started to unravel.
Veteran forward Jason Dickinson didn’t sugarcoat it after the game.
“We were playing very predictable, and now it seems we’re trying to make one extra move or one extra play. Where we were getting success was crashing the net or pucks low to high, and then just working systematically through that.
Now it feels like we’re one step away, or one bounce away, or one guy’s reading a little bit differently than the next. We’re just a little bit disconnected.”
That disconnect has been a theme lately. There’s effort, there’s talent - but there’s also hesitation, and overthinking. Head coach Jeff Blashill echoed that sentiment.
“When you’re pressing a little bit, instead of taking what’s given to you, you’re hoping that there’s an extra play because you want to score. I think when we’ve found success, when you have opportunities to attack, you have to attack.”
It’s a familiar growing pain for young teams. The Blackhawks have flashes of cohesion and confidence - like that first period - but they’re still learning how to sustain it over 60 minutes.
Moore, Donato & Lardis Show Some Promise
One bright spot in this one? The line of Ryan Donato, Oliver Moore, and Nick Lardis. As the game wore on, they started to click - and Blashill took notice.
“I thought they all kind of had a little bit of jump going. They are a fairly talented group, and I thought Mooresy had a lot of jump, to be honest with you. He was kind of the engine on that line, which I think he’s got to be.”
Moore’s numbers backed up the eye test. He finished with one shot on goal, three total shot attempts, a hit, a blocked shot, and won four of six faceoffs - good for 67%. For a rookie still finding his footing in the NHL, that’s a solid night.
Moore and Lardis have been developing chemistry since coming up through the system, and with Teuvo Teravainen sidelined due to injury, Donato has stepped in as the veteran presence on their wing. His energy and experience could be key in helping that line become a consistent contributor.
Other Notables from the Night
- Artyom Levshunov logged a team-high 25:42 of ice time. That’s a heavy load for the 20-year-old, and while there were some strong moments, there were also some learning ones. Blashill pointed out that Levshunov is still figuring out how to balance his aggressiveness with his defensive responsibilities.
“If he’s going to attack the game, he’s got to make sure he’s not giving up goals. I think he can do both, but he’s 20 years old. He’s trying to figure that out.”
- Connor Murphy reached a milestone, playing in his 535th game with the Blackhawks - surpassing none other than Marian Hossa, who was in the building for the celebration. Murphy is now the longest-tenured player on the roster, currently in his ninth season in Chicago.
- Connor Bedard led the team with six shots on goal and eight total shot attempts. He’s been back for four games since returning from a shoulder injury and has three assists in that span, but is still searching for his first goal since coming back. The chances are there, and with the way he’s shooting, it feels like only a matter of time.
- Injury Updates: Frank Nazar took part in some drills during practice on Jan. 17.
He’s been ruled out for Monday’s game against Winnipeg, but his return appears to be close. Teuvo Teravainen remains day-to-day with an upper-body injury.
What’s Next?
The Blackhawks have dropped four straight at home and continue to battle inconsistency - a word that’s become synonymous with their season. But there are glimmers of potential, especially in the play of young players like Moore, Greene, and Kaiser. The challenge now is turning those flashes into something sustainable.
They’ll get another shot Monday against the Winnipeg Jets - and with the legendary Jonathan Toews in the building, it might just be the spark they need to snap out of this funk.