Rare bad special teams night costs Blackhawks in loss to Flames

The Chicago Blackhawks dropped a frustrating game at the United Center on Thursday night, as they’ve dropped the first two games of their four-game homestand. The Calgary Flames felt like a team ripe for the picking. Not only have the Blackhawks beaten them twice already this season, but this was their final game of a five-game road trip, and they only had three wins in their 11 games.

None of that mattered as the Flames grinded out a 3-1 victory. Things started off well as Nick Foligno scored on the team’s first shot of the game, but they could not produce much of anything after that. In the end, a rare bad special teams night killed them.

The Blackhawks entered the night with the NHL’s second-best penalty kill, thanks to going a perfect 16-for-16 in 2026. However, they quickly gave up a goal to the 30th-ranked power-play. Then, later in the frame, they allowed a shorthanded, which turned out to be the game-winner. The Blackhawks generated only one shot on goal in eight minutes of power-play and it came late on their fourth opportunity.

“We’ve done a pretty good job of either winning games or putting ourselves in a really good position on special teams over the course of the season,” head coach Jeff Blashill said. “Tonight, we were minus-2 on special teams. It’s hard to win games without a great amount of firepower when you lose the special teams battle by two.”

Flames Finally Extinguish Connor Bedard

Connor Bedard returned to the Blackhawks lineup after sitting out Monday night with the dreaded stomach bug that seems to have finally run its course. He had to be excited to see the Flames’ logo on the visiting locker room this morning. He’s scored four goals and seven points in the first two games against Calgary this season, including notching his second career hat trick on Nov. 18.

The Blackhawks' young star was held off the scoresheet for the first time against the Flames, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying. He had three shots on goal on seven attempts and created scoring chances for Tyler Bertuzzi, Andre Burakovsky, and Matt Grzelcyk, but they weren’t able to convert. His best sequence came while setting up Burakovsky in the second period.

Bedard’s worst moment came on the shorthanded goal. While Burakovsky took a lot of heat for the turnover, Blashill pinned it on Bedard.

"We knew better than to make that late pass, to be honest with you,” he said. “That was in the pre-scout. They do step on that forward side, and we kind of played into their hands."

Ryan Donato Disappoints on New Line

Ryan Donato was rewarded with a four-year, $16 million contract after his career-best 31-goal, 62-point season last year. This season hasn’t been bad, by any means, but his scoring pace has dropped with 10 goals and 18 points in 46 games. Some regression was expected, especially after shooting at 17% last season. He’s shooting less this season and scoring at a 12.8% clip. He finished last season with 182 shots, but is on pace for only 139 shots this year.

Part of the reason for his dip in scoring and shots on goal is his role. He played in the top six for much of last season, but has bounced around the lineup under Jeff Blashill. He started the season on Connor Bedard’s line, but has moved all around and played on all four lines. Some nights he’s looked to provide offense, other nights he’s playing on a defensive and physical line.

Tonight, he got a chance to run with the kids by taking Teuvo Teravainen’s place on the line with Oliver Moore and Nick Lardis.

“Ryan can shoot the puck in the net,” Blashill said. “He’s a guy who can one-shot shoot it in the net. I think they’ve had some opportunities offensively that if they get the puck to Ryan, I think he’s a guy who can score on that line. But I also think he brings a little bit of it; it’s two young guys playing with a guy who’s got some veteran leadership to him, and he can take on that role. Turbo’s been with them a lot, Turbo’s out right now, and he can kind of fill a similar role. They’re not the same player, but they have similar experience levels.”

All that talk about shooting was just that…talk. Donato did not have a single shot attempt the entire night. The line only produced two shot attempts, with both coming in the third period. That is unacceptable, especially in a close game.

Donato did have a big moment late in the second period when he immediately defended Moore after he was hit in the neutral zone by Flames defenseman Kevin Bahl.

Nuggets & Tidbits

• How exciting was this game? The two teams combined for 12 high-danger 5-on-5 scoring chances, with each team having six. The Blackhawks had zero high-danger chances in the third period while chasing a goal.

• The fourth line had a very productive game. Not only did Foligno score the lone goal, but Landon Slaggert had another very effective game. He produced three of the Blackhawks' six high-danger chances. He has certainly looked better since returning from the Rockford IceHogs.

• Congratulations to Louis Crevier on playing in his 100th NHL game. His milestone night was an eventful one with a team-high four shots on goal on six attempts to go along with two hits and three blocked shots.

• The Blackhawks' second penalty kill late in the second period was a much better effort as they seemed to have the puck in the Calgary zone more than in their own. Ryan Greene had this between-the-legs chance for a shorthanded goal.

• You probably remember Joel Farabee injuring Frank Nazar with a deliberate cross-check during the first meeting of the season. Connor Murphy cashed in some receipts when Farabee asked him to dance in the second period, a decision he would immediately regret.

• Duncan Keith and his son sounded the goal horn before the opening faceoff, which got a great reaction from the United Center crowd. Later in the night, Keith was shown in a suite with his former teammate, Marian Hossa. Both are in town for a big weekend with the Banner Era night on Saturday, where they will be joined by numerous members of those three Stanley Cup teams they were a part of. I wouldn’t be surprised if they stick around for Monday’s game against Jonathan Toews and the Winnipeg Jets.