Bruins shut out Blackhawks, equal best start in their history at 6-0-0

The Chicago Blackhawks (2-5-0) suffered their third consecutive loss, with two of those games resulting in shutouts. Petr Mrazek made an impressive 40 saves.

What’s notable about Chicago’s losing streak is that it has come at the hands of the NHL’s last three undefeated teams: the Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche, and Vegas Golden Knights.

“We were solid for the majority of the game,” commented Chicago defenseman Jarred Tinordi. “However, we’ve had some lapses in our play, especially in our last two games, that other teams have been able to exploit. We’re currently facing tough opponents, and that’s what top teams do. We have stretches where we’re playing exceptional hockey, but occasionally, we have momentary lapses in our game that end up being costly.”

During the first period, Chicago’s Connor Bedard appeared to score a power-play goal at 6:44. However, the goal was overturned after the Boston Bruins challenged for an offside call. Upon video review, it was determined that Andreas Athanasiou did not keep the puck in the offensive zone on a prior play, resulting in an offside violation. Bedard, who was the first pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, had no shots on goal in 18:08 of ice time.

“Yes, it’s definitely frustrating,” expressed Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson regarding the overturned goal. “However, these types of situations occur throughout the season, affecting both teams. We managed to respond well after that setback and continued to play. But I must admit, I am getting tired. One year of facing a hard-working team is enough. This year, we want to strive for more. While I wouldn’t say that other teams outwork us from a work ethic perspective, it’s the physicality and intensity of the battles that I believe we need to match.”