Blackhawks Postgame Musings: Special teams struggle, as Connor Bedard keeps firing away

The Chicago Blackhawks lost 3-2 to the Minnesota Wild in the penultimate preseason game. Both teams dressed essentially their opening night lineups, so the game had a regular-season feel to it. A little extra snarl definitely got the ire up on both sides.

The Blackhawks got two first-period goals, with Frank Nazar scoring his fourth of the preseason and captain Nick Foligno cashing in off a redirection. Unfortunately, they gave up three power-play goals in the middle frame. The Blackhawks dominated the third period, but could not find the equalizer.

“It’s nice,” Foligno said. “It feels like hockey. Not to be rude, but the other games felt like chaos. You work on your systems, and you’ve got guys where they’re not supposed to be. So, this game felt like two teams that are down to the numbers and NHL teams. The guys are excited to get to the first game of the season.”

We are, too, Nick. We are too.

Landon Slaggert Slides Right In

Landon Slaggert made his preseason debut after missing most of training camp due to illness and a minor muscle strain. He was inserted onto the third line with Jason Dickinson and Ilya Mikheyev, and the trio clicked. They weren’t just being the defensive shutdown line, but they also provided some of the best 5-on-5 offensive pressure of the night. They were the only line to have positive possession numbers with a 54.5 Corsi for Percentage (CF%)

Slaggert was engaged from his very first shift. His speed was a difference maker. He and Mikheyev had a 2-on-1 rush early in the second period. Later in the middle frame, Slaggert used his speed to draw a holding penalty on Zeev Buium. He was driving the net and getting to the dirty areas of the ice – a solid all-around game. He was limited to just 9:34 of ice time, as he’s easing his way into game shape. He finished with a shot on goal, a hit, and a 58.3 CF%. The Wild did not have a single high-danger scoring chance at 5-on-5 when the third line was on the ice.

Special Teams Struggle Again

The difference in this game was on special teams. The Wild went 3-for-4 on the power play in the second period, while the Blackhawks failed to score on either of their chances. The Blackhawks are now 0-for-9 on the power play over the last two games.

“I felt we didn’t win enough faceoffs on it (the power play),” head coach Jeff Blashill said after the game. “That’s one area we’re going to have to look at. It’s hard if you’re constantly having to get it in the zone. You’re wasting 30 seconds, plus you have to get it in the zone. Once we’ve been in, there have been good moments, but it’s still a work in progress.”

Momentum and confidence are key factors in the success of special teams. I was hoping to see the Blackhawks build both of those up tonight before starting the regular season. Last season, they were ranked 29th out of 32 teams in penalties drawn. With the influx of team speed, they should draw a lot more penalties this season. Hopefully, they can start turning that into pucks in the back of the net.

Nuggets & Tidbits

• Connor Murphy didn’t do much that showed up on the scoresheet, but he led by example. He brought the physicality right from the get-go. He was getting under Minnesota’s skin with some big hits and was right in the middle of every post-whistle scrum. That’s a veteran leader chomping at the bit to play games that matter.

• Sam Lafferty did not get any shorthanded time. One of the reasons the Blackhawks reacquired him in the offseason was his ability to kill penalties. If he isn’t going to be used in the role, I’m not sure how much value he brings to this team. With that said, he was very effective early against the Wild, establishing the forecheck and hunting pucks. Foligno got a few shorthanded shifts, but as the season goes on, I’d put Lafferty there instead, just so the captain doesn't wear down before Christmas.

• Connor Bedard is in a shoot-first mentality, and that is precisely what the Blackhawks need. He has 19 shot attempts in the last two games. He was an absolute beast in the third period when the Blackhawks held a 14-7 advantage in 5-on-5 shot attempts. While his linemates, Andre Burakovsky and Ryan Donato, might not look great on paper, he is playing with two skilled and savvy veterans who know their job is to get Bedard the puck. It’s worked well in the preseason; now let’s see if it carries over to the games that count.

• Sam Rinzel was second on the team with six shots on goal. He is confident with his shot and will fire it off from anywhere on the ice. Foligno’s goal was a deflection of a Rinzel shot from the right point. If he keeps up that mentality, he will rack up a lot of assists from traffic in front. Plus, the defensive play he made on Kirill Kaprizov to prevent an empty-net goal was special.

• Nolan Allan had a third strong performance, and, if I were in charge, he’d be in the lineup against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday. He looks more confident and decisive than he did at any point during his NHL stint last season.

• Finally, if this postgame quote from Foligno doesn’t have you feeling encouraged, I don’t know what will.

""Because of the way we're coached, I think it's coming really fast. The attention to detail of the information that we're getting, it's direct, it's purposeful, and it allows us to attain it as fast as possible.""