10 observations: Blackhawks routed by Blue Jackets for 5th straight loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
The Chicago Blackhawks were routed by the Columbus Blue Jackets 7-3 on Wednesday at Nationwide Arena for their fifth straight defeat.
Here are 10 observations from the loss:
1. Taylor Hall did not travel with the team and is being evaluated back in Chicago. He just can’t catch a break. Corey Perry was also a late scratch for unknown reasons. The Blackhawks were forced to play with 11 forwards and seven defensemen. And it didn’t go well.
2. It was an ugly start for the Blackhawks, who gave up the first goal for the fifth time in six games and found themselves in a 3-0 hole in the first period, against a Blue Jackets team that had lost nine in a row. Not ideal.
3. Connor Bedard and Adam Fantilli, the No. 1 and No. 2 overall picks in the 2023 NHL Draft, went head-to-head for the first time in their NHL careers. Bedard showed off that lethal shot of his by scoring his 10th goal of the season in the opening frame. Fantilli matched it with a beautiful spinning no-look pass to Patrik Laine, who made it 7-1. Both of them are special talents.
4. Laine was a healthy scratch last game. Johnny Gaudreau was benched in a game last week, as was Laine. Kent Johnson, a first-round pick in 2021, was benched and then sent to the minors earlier in the month despite being a full-time NHL player last season. Columbus has been a disaster this season, but you wouldn’t know it based off this game.
5. Adam Boqvist had appeared in only five games this season prior to Wednesday. He had zero points and was averaging 13:42 of ice time in those games. He drew into the lineup against his former team and registered two assists against them. His defenseman partner Zach Werenski had four assists. What a night for that duo.
6. Petr Mrazek will probably not want to review the tape of this game. The first goal was a tough one. The third one was just unfortunate, which went off the post then his back and in. He was eventually pulled in the second period after the fifth goal for Arvid Söderblom, who gave up two goals in relief. Mrazek has otherwise been very good this season.
7. Seth Jones’ cross-checking penalty in the first period was a pretty soft call. The Blue Jackets capitalized on that opportunity, which put them ahead 3-0. Jones looked dumbfounded when the official blew the whistle, and I don’t blame him.
8. Kevin Korchinski was promoted to the top power-play unit. There were three and a half power plays for the Blackhawks (one of them was about 50 seconds), but the first unit moved the puck well. I thought Korchinski looked comfortable there.
9. You want a positive? I got one. Boris Katchouk was flying in the first period. He recorded three of Chicago’s first four shots on goal and finished with five shots on goal, which ranked second on the team. And he wasn’t even supposed to be in the lineup.
10. I’m not sure whether the Blackhawks should flush the film after this game and move on quickly or let this one stew in their brains. This was a surprisingly bad performance.
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