Nick Foligno scored twice and Colton Dach made his NHL debut in the Chicago Blackhawks’ 4-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens Friday at the United Center.
The win — which snapped a five-game skid — also took an exceptional performance goalie Arvid Söderblom, particularly in the second period.
It’s one win, but it at least partially erased the shame of their nationally televised loss to the St. Louis Blues in the Winter Classic at Wrigley Field.
“We had an honest conversation yesterday about how disappointed we were with the way we’ve been playing the past few,” Foligno said. “I’m really proud of every guy for stepping up tonight.”
Hawks interim coach Anders Sorensen gave a lot of credit to Söderblom, who made 35 saves.
“I thought he put on a show there,” he said. “They were hard saves too. A lot of lateral plays and one-timers and, yeah, he really kept us in the game. So really good for him, and really good for our group as well.”
Once again, the Hawks got off to a good start, though recent history has shown that doesn’t mean a whole lot.
Frank Nazar drew slashing and tripping penalties 1 minute, 58 seconds into the game to set up the Hawks on the game’s first power play.
The Hawks worked the perimeter before Teuvo Teräväinen found Tyler Bertuzzi for a back-door goal. Bertuzzi leads the team with 13 goals. Connor Bedard extended his point streak to six games.
It was the 24th time this season the Hawks have scored first. But the Habs answered on Cole Caufield’s goal with 1 minute, 36 seconds left in the period.
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Foligno put the Hawks ahead again on a redirect of Wyatt Kaiser’s shot, the only score of the second.
Early in the third, Pat Maroon tipped in a feed from Ryan Donato, but Montreal’s Emil Heineman answered with a power-play goal to pull within 3-2. However, Foligno salted the game away on a put-back after prematurely celebrating what he thought was a goal by Taylor Hall.
“My god, I celebrated two of them,” he said. “Vlasy (Alex Vlasic) hit both posts, then Hallsy. I’m just glad I got it off my stick and in the net because it looked like I was sweeping at it for about an hour.
“It was nice we got those bounces. It’s a huge goal at the time for us, just the way Hallsy carries it and hits Vlasy. Great shot by Vlasy and it’s nice to be able to put that one in and put the game way.”
Dach said of his debut, “It was awesome. Definitely a little nervous before I went on the ice for warmups, but it was all excitement.
“Emotions were flying. After that, I just started to play hockey.”
Here are four takeaways from the win.
1. Dach made an impact in his debut.
He also had a pretty active game. Dach took a team-high five shots on goal and dished out five hits – until the Canadiens’ Jayden Struble blasted him in the neutral zone.
The Hawks called him up from Rockford hoping he’d bring a physical element, and he delivered.
“I liked his game,” Sorensen said. “I thought some of the things that we’ve talked about that we needed to add around the net, and I thought he had four or five shots on net. He was involved around the net. And I thought his wall battle was really good.
“It was a good start for him.”
2. Dach’s rookie lap was a special moment.
Nazar was glad he could play alongside Dach, who was also his linemate in Rockford, in his NHL debut.
Nazar recalled his own debut and taking his rookie lap.
“It’s weird, it definitely goes by fast. It’s really awesome,” Nazar said. “The best part is just stepping on the ice. Just walking out of the tunnel, it’s quiet – boom, everything opens up. Hearing all the fans cheering and you’re out there by yourself. It’s just a surreal moment.”
Nazar had a goal in his debut – April 14 against the Carolina Hurricanes – and he wished the same for Dach. (Dach had a breakaway chance in the late second period, but couldn’t convert)
“Keep the tradition alive,” Nazar said.
Nazar had only this advice for Dach’s lap: “No bucket, that’s it.” Dach did skate it helmetless, so mission accomplished there.
“I was just trying to take it all in,” Dach said. “All the guys here said, ‘Take your moment and go out there and have fun.’ That’s what I was trying to do.”
3. The Hawks just can’t keep a first-period lead.
For the 10th time this season, the Hawks scored the opening goal only to cough up a goal to the other team later in the first period. What’s even more troubling? They have done that eight times since December.
Caufield’s follow-up to Bertuzzi’s goal with 1 minute, 36 seconds left in the period was the third time since December an opponent scored with less than 2 minutes left before the first horn, and the fourth time with less than 3 minutes remaining.
Here’s how those four instances break down:
- Jan. 3 vs. Canadiens: Bertuzzi scores 3:21 into the first; Caufield scores with 1:36 left
- Dec. 29 vs. Stars: Bedard scores 12:20 into the first; Jamie Benn scores with 2:48 left
- Dec. 15 vs. N.Y. Islanders: Ilya Mikheyev scores 9:08 into the first; Ryan Pulock scores with 1:17 left
- Dec. 12 at N.Y. Rangers: Bertuzzi scores 8:10 into the first; Will Cuylle scores with 43 seconds left
4. The Dach brothers joined an exclusive club.
The paths didn’t cross much on the ice, but Kirby and Colton took a picture together on the ice for posterity.
Dach didn’t recall saying anything to his brother, “but he did tell me to stay on my feet after I drew that one penalty (Alexandre Carrier cross-checking against Colton). Maybe a little talk there.”
Foligno added, “I actually had my brother (Marcus) make his debut against me in Ottawa (Dec. 20, 2011) when he was playing for the Sabres, so I thought that was really unique and pretty special, I got to witness another brother duo do that.
“I was thrilled for him.”
According to NHL Stats and Information, the Dachs became the eighth pair of brothers to play in the same game of one brother’s debut:
- 2025: Colton Dach* (Blackhawks) vs. Kirby Dach* (Canadiens)
- 2021: Tyce Thompson (New Jersey Devils) vs. Tage Thompson (Buffalo Sabres)
- 2020: Mikey Anderson (L.A. Kings) vs. Joey Anderson* (Devils)
- 2019: Cale Fleury (Canadiens) vs. Caydn Fleury (Carolina Hurricanes)
- 2017: Alex Nylander* (Sabres) vs. William Nylander (Toronto Maple Leafs)
- 2011: Marcus Foligno (Sabres) vs. Nick Foligno* (Ottawa Senators)
- 2007: Colin Stuart (Atlanta) vs. Mark Stuart (Boston Bruins)
- 1988: Kevin Miller* (Rangers) vs. Kelly Miller (Washington Capitals)
*-six of the 16 brothers are current or former Hawks
