The Chicago Blackhawks rallied from a 1-0 deficit in the first period with two goals in the second, but they lost to the Nashville Predators 3-2 in a shootout Thursday at Bridgestone Arena.
The Hawks showed as much zip and battle as they’ve had since a 3-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche four games ago, but the fact that a fourth consecutive loss happened via shootout comes as little consolation.
“It’s always tough to lose, no matter what” said Arvid Söderblom, who had 39 saves. “Especially today, I feel like we played good as a team, I played good. Yeah, it sucks not getting the win.”
Connor Bedard scored for the second straight game and had a plus-2 rating.
Here are five takeaways from the Blackhawks’ fourth straight loss.
1. Could Frank Nazar be Bedard’s missing piece?
It should be no slight to Ilya Mikheyev, who has looked great alongside Bedard and Tyler Bertuzzi. But there was something about Bedard and Nazar that jumped off the ice.
It was the first time the former first-rounders Bedard (2023) and Nazar (2022) started on a line together, though they played together, along with Colton Dach, when the Hawks mixed lines Monday against the Calgary Flames.
While right winger Nazar didn’t record a point in that game, you can’t argue that the combination – along with left winger Tyler Bertuzzi – showed immediate chemistry.
Both of the Hawks goals against the Predators – by Bedard and Alec Martinez – came while the top line was on the ice.
Bertuzzi centered a nifty sauce pass to Bedard from the half wall, and Bedard wasted no time whipping it past goalie Juuse Saros for the Hawks’ first goal.
Martinez’s shot banked off the back wall and ricocheted in off of Saros.
Late in the third, the Bedard line generated a series of Grade-A chances, including a Bertuzzi breakaway and Nazar’s shot from point-blank range, but Saros shut them all down.
Overall, the line played 10 minutes together and had a 7-6 edge in scoring chances in five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick.
2. Swede goal left a bitter taste for the Hawks.
The Hawks came within four minutes of their first win against the Predators since March 16, 2023. And if you’ve been watching all season, you know where this is going …
Nick Blankenburg caught the Hawks defense napping on a stretch pass to Filip Forsberg. He tied the game on a rocket with 3 minutes, 3 seconds, left in regulation for the Predators on his 300th career goal.
“He’s always a good shot,” Söderblom said about his fellow native of Sweden. “Every time you face him, he’s going to be a threat and he can really shoot the puck.”
3. Söderblom’s bounce-back game ended in disappointment.
He had given up six and four goals, respectively, in his previous two starts, but this was a flashback to his 4-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens.
Better, even.
Söderblom made some outstanding saves during the overtime – the Preds outshot the Hawks 6-2 – but Nashville skaters went 3-for-3 in the shootout.
“I felt they were good moves,” Söderblom said. “They slowed me down a little bit, so maybe I faded back a little bit, stayed up a little bit more.
“There’s always stuff you can do different. I’ll take a look and see what I can improve.”
“Sody stood on his head,” Bertuzzi said. “I thought he played a really good game. Obviously it sucks. Didn’t get two points.”
4. Nazar had a great overall game.
The Hawks’ first shot on goal came courtesy of him, a short-side shot after Bedard caused a turnover.
Nazar later had a shorthanded breakaway after Jason Dickinson sprung him with a takeaway.
He couldn’t convert either, but he’ll learn as he faces more of these situations. The rookie center looked natural as Bedard’s wing, and the pair played off each other a lot.
If Sorensen even thinks about touching that line (at least for now), he might as well stay in Nashville.
“Frankie was great tonight,” Bertuzzi said. “He was really good on the forecheck, turning pucks over.”
Nazar also led the Hawks with six shots on goal.
5. The Hawks cracked under the third-period pressure – somewhat.
For once, the second period was the Hawks’ strongest – they scored two goals and allowed none to Nashville — but they couldn’t hold up in the third.
The Predators had a 76.9% Corsi-for advantage in five-on-five in the third and a 7-2 edge in high-danger chances. The pressure ultimately paid off with Forsberg’s tying goal.
Sorensen said, “First two periods were good and they pushed us back in the third. They kind of came at us in waves a little bit. But I thought we hung in there overall.”
