Uninspired Blackhawks get KO'd by Flyers

There was a lot of excitement heading into tonight’s game for Chicago Blackhawks fans with another recent high draft pick making his NHL debut. However, that excitement apparently didn’t trickle down onto the ice, as the Blackhawks were run out of the Xfinity Mobile Arena 5-1 by the Philadelphia Flyers.

For the second straight game, the Blackhawks gave up a goal in the opening minute. Unlike against the New York Islanders, things went downhill fast, and they weren’t able to recover. Two careless turnovers early in the game ended up in the back of their net, and the game was essentially over at that point.

The Blackhawks never had it tonight. They played an uninspiring brand of hockey tonight. They were sloppy with the puck, disjointed and unaware defensively, and showed very little interest in getting physical. A night like this makes a team grateful for another game tomorrow, as they will hop a train to the Big Apple to take on the New York Rangers.

“We made a couple of tough errors that end up in the net, so now it’s a grind,” head coach Jeff Blashill said. “Now you’re fighting momentum on the road. I thought we clawed our way back a little, but then we made another couple of tough errors. Collectively, we didn’t have enough guys close to their best. It’s a hard league when you don’t have that.

Sacha Boisvert Gets the First One Out of the Way

For the second straight game, the Blackhawks were led out of the locker room by a young man taking his traditional rookie lap. On Tuesday, it was Anton Frondel. Tonight, it was Sacha Boisvert. With the 2024 first-round pick’s debut, eight of the 11 first-round picks made by general manager Kyle Davidson have now played in the NHL.

Boisvert had a little more time to soak it all in before taking the ice. He signed his contract back on March 16, but couldn’t play until his visa was approved, which didn’t happen until Tuesday morning. The extra time around the team allowed him to get familiar with his new teammates and the coaching staff’s expectations of him.

“I feel good. A little nervous, obviously, he said before the game. “That’s normal, it’s my first game. I’m excited to hopefully get a team win tonight and see what it's all about being out there with all those guys.”

Blashill didn’t really change the messaging he used ahead of Frondell’s first game.

“Just go be who you are,” he said. “He’s been around the team a little bit longer, but we haven’t had a full practice. So, you’ve just got to go play on his instincts and play to his strengths. That’s important. Part of his strengths is that he can make an impact on a physical shift, at least disrupting plays and getting in on the forecheck. Being a power forward. Getting to the net hard. He’s obviously got a really good shot.”

We didn’t get a great look at Boisvert tonight. His ice time was limited to 9:03, mainly because of a lot of special teams play in the first two periods. He finished with a shot on goal, two shot attempts, a hit, and went 2-for-4 at the faceoff dot. He also picked up his first NHL penalty with a hooking minor late in the opening period. Blashill said he did a “solid job” in his limited time.

“It was a lot of fun to be out there with those guys,” Boisvert said after the game. “It was a great experience, and it gives a guideline on what I know and what I don’t know in the system.”

Second Line Falters in Philly

Nick Lardis and Frank Nazar have been gelling over the last two games, which has some excited about a potential long-term dynamic duo. It’s been a very small sample size, but what we’ve seen so far has been very good.

Before today’s game, Lardis admitted that his second NHL stint has been a bit easier for him. Already knowing the guys in the room and being familiar with the systems made the transition from the AHL to the NHL smoother the second time around. That has also boosted his confidence, which is a big part of his recent production.

“The opportunity I’m getting here now is great,” Lardis said. “Obviously, it helps with confidence. I just want to continue with that and keep going.

The second line started the game but wasn’t nearly as effective as they were against the Islanders. In fact, they had the toughest time of the Blackhawks’ four lines. Their 26.32 Corsi percentage (CF%) was by far the lowest on the team. They were outchanced 9-2, and the Flyers held a 5-0 advantage in high-danger scoring chances. The trio combined for only six shot attempts, but it’s hard to shoot when you never have the puck. This is part of a young team. One night, your line looks like world-beaters; the next, you barely make an impression.

Nuggets & Tidbits

• Louis Crevier left the game late after taking Nick Seeler’s skate blade to the face. Blashill said Crevier “should be fine” and that he avoided a more severe injury. That’s good news because this looked very scary.

• Ilya Mikheyev came into tonight’s game with goals in back-to-back road games. He had a couple of prime chances in the first period to change the momentum, including a breakaway, but he was unable to capitalize on them. He produced three individual scoring chances, including one on the penalty kill, but wasn’t able to finish.

• It would be one thing if Andre Burakovsky were just snake bitten, but still producing positive plays and scoring chances. But he’s not doing that. He’s a liability on the ice right now. His blind backhand pass into the middle of the ice that led directly to the Flyers’ game-winning goal was inexcusable. This is a play that gets you benched in U16 hockey, but he jumped right back over the boards for his shift after this atrocious play.

• Connor Bedard had the Blackhawks' lone goal, hitting 30 for the first time in his young career. He also tied his career high of 67 points on the play. He joined his buddy Macklin Celebrini as the second player 20 or younger to score 30 goals this season. The last time this happened was when Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine accomplished it during the 2017-18 season. He is the third Blackhawk to record a 30-goal season at age 20 or younger, joining Jonathan Toews (34 in 2008-09) and Eric Daze (30 in 1995-96).

• Anton Frondell was one of the few bright spots for the Blackhawks tonight. In addition to his accidentally-on-purpose beautiful assist on Bedard’s goal, he was very noticeable. I’ve been impressed with his knack for being in the right places at the right times. He’s shown off his smarts and his strength, as we see in the play below. Once he and Bedard become more familiar with each other, the Blackhawks could have something special for years to come. Frondell’s second game ended with four shots on goal, six shot attempts, a hit, and two blocked shots.