Blackhawks Fall to Senators in Overtime, Splitting Points

CHICAGO, Ill. — The Chicago Blackhawks couldn’t extend their winning streak to three games, falling 4-3 to the Ottawa Senators in an overtime showdown on Thursday night at United Center. Despite the loss, the Blackhawks secured a point in the standings. The Senators’ victory allowed them to leapfrog the New York Rangers, capturing the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Senators captain Brady Tkachuk opened the scoring just 1:54 into the first period, redirecting an Artem Zub shot past Blackhawks goaltender Arvid Soderblom for his 24th goal of the season. The Blackhawks responded mid-way through the opening frame when Ryan Donato capitalized on a misplay by Ottawa goaltender Linus Ullmark, tying the game with a quick backhander.

Shortly after, the Blackhawks took their first power play chance of the night and took advantage. Teuvo Teräväinen crashed the net, following up his own shot to bury the loose puck under Ullmark, putting Chicago ahead 2-1 with his 15th goal of the season.

The Senators equalized just over a minute later when Drake Batherson’s pass from behind the net deflected off Blackhawks defenseman Alec Martinez and hit the crossbar before David Perron batted it in from midair.

In the second period, Josh Norris struck for Ottawa, burying a booming one-timer from the right circle to give the Senators a 3-2 lead. The Blackhawks’ fourth line tied the game early in the third period when Craig Smith capitalized on a beautiful setup by Pat Maroon.

Overtime proved to be a challenge for the Blackhawks again this season. Just 46 seconds into the extra period, Tim Stutzle scored the game-winner, overpowering Wyatt Kaiser as he drove to the net. The goal was reviewed and upheld, leaving the Blackhawks upset on the bench. The NHL explained the ruling, stating, “Video review supported the referee’s call on the ice that the puck deflected off of Tim Stutzle’s skate and entered the net legally. Further, a challenge for goaltender interference confirmed that Kaiser’s actions caused the contact with Soderblom.”

With multiple goalies on the roster, head coach Anders Sorensen announced that veteran Petr Mrazek would be the odd man out as the team moves forward, opting for Knight and Soderblom between the pipes. “It’s tough when you have three, so you have to find some type of rotation,” Sorensen said. “We’re going to go with those two right now. Things can change, but those are the two guys.”

General manager Kyle Davidson is actively trying to trade Mrazek, but the task may prove difficult given the netminder’s contract status, which includes a $4.25 million salary cap hit for one more year and no retention slots available.

Colton Dach briefly joined Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar on the Blackhawks’ top line, following a successful return from the Rockford IceHogs where he had contributed with a goal and an assist in four games. Although the trio had some success in previous matchups, they were outshot 6-4 and produced just one scoring chance in 5:52 of 5v5 ice time before lineup changes were made.

“We really liked his game,” Sorensen commented about Dach. “He inserted himself physically in the game, and I thought he made a lot of little plays around the net. There were some nice plays made with Connor.”

Despite his efforts, Dach struggled to find his rhythm alongside Bedard and Nazar. He missed a prime scoring opportunity set up by Nazar in the second period, appearing to be overwhelmed by the pace of the top line. Though the line recorded a 52.3 CF% and generated four scoring chances, they lacked the offensive threat needed to secure a win.

With the upcoming roster decisions looming, it remains to be seen whether Sorensen will keep Bedard and Nazar together on the ice, or if he’ll tweak the lines further. The Blackhawks will look to regroup in their next matchup as they navigate the challenges of the season.