Blackhawks Postgame Musings: Fourth line, Dach lead third-period comeback against Blues

The Chicago Blackhawks picked up their first win of the preseason by beating the St. Louis Blues 4-2. They trailed 2-0 heading into the final frame, but the momentum was building throughout the second period. Goals from Dominic Toninato, Gavin Hayes, Oliver Moore, and Jason Dickinson gave the Blackhawks the come-from-behind victory.

Two of the three things I was looking for before the game were improved defensive play and greater discipline. The defense and puck possession improved as the game progressed, contributing to the third-period comeback. The Blackhawks took only two minor penalties, compared to five against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday.

“I thought in the first half of the game, our play without the puck was good,” head coach Jeff Blashill said. “I thought structurally, we did some good stuff, but our play with the puck was sloppy. But, we kept working and we got better as the game went along.”

Fourth Line Changes the Momentum

Tonight’s fourth line of Toninato, Martin Misiak, and Hayes was the best trio on the ice. Their shift about three minutes into the second period got the Blackhawks going. They crashed the net and mixed it up after the whistle.

Credit to Blashill, who put them right back on the ice as quickly as he could. He also gave them time on the second power-play unit during two effective chances late in the second period. The line got rewarded for its hard work in the third period. Toninato scored the Blackhawks’ first goal off the skate of Blues defenseman Logan Mailloux. He came in on the forecheck, 27 seconds later, and set up Hayes’ game-tying goal.

The Blackhawks had only five high-danger scoring chances at 5-on-5, and three of them came from this line. All three of these guys will be heading to Rockford, possibly as soon as tomorrow, for the start of training camp. IceHogs head coach Jared Nightingale might have a good line combination set to go for the opening night of the American Hockey League season.

Colton Dach Has Made the Opening Night Roster

There is no doubt that head coach Jeff Blashill is a big fan of forward Colton Dach. He wants him to be an old-school power forward, and that is precisely what he was against the Blues. Offensively, he was around the crease all game long, while clearing out bodies in front of goaltender Spencer Knight defensively.

Late in the second period, Mailloux hit Sam Lafferty as the whistle blew, and Dach jumped right in to defend his teammate. His big hit on Oskar Sundqvist set up the game-winning goal, as four Blues started pushing and shoving while Moore went down the ice to score. Credit to Moore for realizing the whistle hadn’t blown and taking advantage of the situation.

Dach finished his night with a shot on goal, a fight, six hits, and a blocked shot. He’s doing everything Blashill wants him to do, and there is no doubt that he will be in the lineup against the Florida Panthers on Oct. 7.

Nuggets & Tidbits

• Lukas Reichel was far more noticeable in his second game of the preseason. After only one shot attempt against the Red Wings, he had two shots on goal, five shot attempts, and a hit. He was a key contributor to two effective power plays in the second period. His 57.14 Corsi for percentage (CF%) was tied for the highest on the team. At 5-on-5, the Blackhawks had six scoring chances with Reichel on the ice, while only allowing two. More of this, please.

• Ethan Del Mastro struggled early in this game, but improved as the Blackhawks took control. He got caught up high on the Blues' second goal and lost backdoor coverage a few shifts later, which nearly led to another St. Louis tally. The Blues had four 5-on-5 high-danger scoring chances while he was on the ice. However, the folks at Hockey Stat Cards said he was the most impactful Blackhawks defenseman.

• Ryan Greene’s stat sheet isn’t very impressive overall, with only one shot on goal. However, he was the best Blackhawk at the faceoff dot, winning 13 of his 22 draws (59%). In the third period, with the game tied 2-2, he made a really nice back check to help prevent a scoring chance. Success at the dot and heady defensive plays will get him to the NHL sooner rather than later.