Blackhawks blanked 6-0 by the Mammoth, it's gut check time

The Chicago Blackhawks faced the Utah Mammoth on the road for their second game of the 2026-27 season on Thursday, Oct. 1. It was a nostalgic game for the Hawks' new defenseman Ian Cole, as he played the last two seasons with the Mammoth. But Chicago was coming off a rather ugly 5-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday, and they were motivated to turn the tides the other way.

Blackhawks lineup & special teams

Tyler Bertuzzi - Anton Frondell - Patrick Kane

Teuvo Teravainen - Roman Kantserov - Nick Lardis

Ryan Donato - Frank Nazar - Oliver Moore

Cole Smith - Ryan Greene - Jordan Greenway

Alex Vlasic - Bowen Byram

Wyatt Kaiser - Artyom Levshunov

Ian Cole - Sam Rinzel

Arvid Soderblom/Spencer Knight

Scratches: Kevin Korchinski, Ethan Del Mastro, Andrew Mangiapane (lower body), Connor Bedard (IR)

The Blackhawks played most of the last two periods of their contest versus the Golden Knights without Mangiapane, who sustained a lower body injury and has since flew back to Chicago to get evaluated. This allowed for some different looks with forwards subbing in, and prompted the lines above. Here's some further explanation from head coach Jeff Blashill.

"I thought when Frondell & Bert & Kane were out there they had some good shifts, so we'll see if we can capitalize on that. Kantserov has got a lot of give-&-go, with a shooter in Lardis & a really smart player in Turbo. Frankie & Mooresy they have great speed with a shooter (presumably Donato) on that line. Then the most consistent line was the Greene line, so we left them the same."

Teravainen, who's been on the outside looking in through training camp and was a healthy scratch in Vegas, drew in on the second line for this contest.

The defensive pairings remained the same, and Arvid Soderblom got the nod for his first start of the season.

Power Play Units

PP1: Bertuzzi, Kane - Kantserov - Frondell, Byram

PP2: Donato, Moore -Nazar - Lardis. Rinzel

Penalty Kill Contributors

Teravainen, Cole, Frondell, Vlasic, Smith, Greene, Kaiser, Byram, Greenway, Nazar, Levshunov

Blackhawks Game Notes

• The Blackhawks got off to another rough start, playing hesitant and letting the Mammoth take control. Soderblom played with poise to start the game and kept game scoreless through most of the first period. But then the Mammoth broke through with two quick goals.

• The first tally was a power play goal by Dylan Guenther, with the penalty coming from Levshunov for holding. The second goal was scored just 40 seconds later, courtesy of Michael Carcone. Rinzel wasn't able to clear the zone and Carcone took advantage. At the end of the first period, the Blackhawks were down 2-0 in goals and 13-7 in shots on goal.

• The second period went even worse for the Blackhawks. About halfway through the frame, Nick Schmaltz sored for Utah to make it 3-0. Shortly thereafter Kane went to the box for high-sticking, but the Hawks killed off the penalty. However, Anders Lee found the back of the net a few minutes later to make it 4-0.

• The Blackhawks received their first power play of the game late in the second, but tempers were flaring by then. Both Nazar (cross-checking) and Moore (unsportsmaklike conduct) found themselves in the box after a scrum. Jack McBain was slapped with a cross-checking penalty as well.

• To add insult to injury, Guenther scored his second goal of the game on the ensuing power play. 5-0 for the Mammoth.

• One highlight of the second period for the Blackhawks was when Nazar hit the goalpost on this 2-on-1 breakaway. The Hawks did have a few better shifts at the end of the frame, taking a shoot-first mentality.

• Things got super feisty in the third period. MacKenzie Weegar delivered a hard hit along the boards to Moore, and Donato took exception and dropped the gloves with Weegar. Donato isn't usually one to fight, just showing the desperation and frustration the Blackhawks were feeling.

• Five goals wasn't enough for the Mammoth; they padded their lead with yet another goal late in the third, this time by Daniil But. It was deflected goal, making it hard to blame on Soderblom. It's really hard to blame any of this on Soderblom based on the poor play in front of him.

• Once it was all said and done, the Blackhawks fell 6-0 in what can only be called a really poor performance. What's wrong the the Blackhawks?! Is it the constant line blending by the coaches? Is it lack of structure. Is is lack of execution? I think it's safe to say it's a little bit of all of the above.

• We're only two games into the 2026-27 campaign for the Blackhawks, but it already seems like it's gut check time.

The Blackhawks next head to Buffalo to face the Sabres for the third and final game of this road trip on Saturday. It's an early game, with puck drop at 6 p.m. Central Time. Both Byram and Greenway will be pitted against their former teammates in this contest. Plus, the Blackhawks will see former teammate Louis Crevier on the opposing side for the first time.

Then the Blackhawks will finally head home, where they'll host the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday (Oct. 6) at 7 p.m. You won't want to miss this one, as it will be the Kane's first return as a Blackhawk to the United Center since 2023. Win or lose, there should be plenty of pomp and circumstance!

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