Blackhawks Recap: Söderblom, ‘Hawks fall in shootout to Predators

The Chicago Blackhawks hit the road for a brief trip to Nashville to face the Predators. The game was the team’s annual Fathers/Sons/Mentors Trip, and many players had their dads or other family members in tow. Would they treat their special guests to a fun night on Broadway, or would the team’s losing ways continue?

Game Summary

After a decent start for the Blackhawks, the Predators went to the power play after Ilya Mikheyev flipped a puck out of play for a delay of game penalty. Seven seconds later, Steven Stamkos blasted a one-timer past Arvid Söderblom.

Before the next puck could even be dropped, Pat Maroon dropped the gloves with Michael McCarron. Both heavyweights landed some blows in a draw. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a goal and a fighting major have the same clock time, but both happened, officially, at 8:07 of the first period.

After a nice shift from the Frank Nazar–Connor Bedard–Tyler Bertuzzi line, the Preds would draw their second penalty of the game after Seth Jones high-sticked Justin Barron in front of the Chicago net. The Hawks would kill the penalty, but not before Nazar was denied on a shorthanded breakaway. Great save by Juuse Saros.

Nick Foligno appeared to have tied the game 14:51 into the period, but the goal was waved off for goaltender interference. Anders Sorensen challenged the play, as Foligno was pushed into Saros and was trying to vacate the crease, but the goal would not count. Saros’ stick was tied up with Foligno while in the crease, which prevented him from making the save. Sure…whatever. Who even knows, anymore?

Nick Foligno's goal is waved off for goaltender interference. Chicago challenged and the call on the ice was confirmed. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/Vf9WhvmPE5

— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) January 17, 2025

Because of the failed challenge, Nashville would head to their third power play of the period, but the Hawks would kill it off.

The first period would end 1-0 Preds, but the Hawks ended the frame with an 8-5 shot advantage and a 15-16 shot attempt disadvantage despite being behind shorthanded three times.

Thirty-two seconds into the second period, the Hawks would be shorthanded for the fourth time, as Alec Martinez was tagged for interference. Mikheyev would draw a penalty in the Preds zone, and the teams would skate four-on-four for :38. The Preds would kill off the Hawks’ 1:22 powerplay, but Chicago would tie the same soon after.

Bedard took a great feed from Bertuzzi on the backhand. Bedard walked in and sniped home his 13th of the season.

1:27 later, the Hawks would get some of the puck luck that’s eluded them for most of the season. Martinez sent a point shot wide of the Nashville net, but the puck caromed off the back boards, off of Saros, and into the net. It was weird, but it counted. 2-1 Hawks.

AND THEN THERE WERE TWO pic.twitter.com/hxCMMcg8ax

— Blackhawks on CHSN (@CHSN_Blackhawks) January 17, 2025

After 40 minutes, the Hawks had a 2-1 lead and had put together one of their better efforts of the season. They held a 27-20 shot attempt advantage at 5v5, but were outshot 16-7 in the second. Would that take its toll in the third?

Nashville came out flying and had a 5-0 scoring chance advantage 5:00 into the period. 10:00 into the period, shot attempts were 17-3 Nashville. It was a recipe for disaster, and the Preds’ tying goal felt like a matter of time.

The Hawks got their best chances 11 minutes into the period when Bertuzzi got a breakaway, then Nazar got a point-blank chance, then moments later, Bertuzzi ripped a one-timer. Saros stopped all three shots.

Three missed opportunities for the Hawks, and the inevitable came with 3:03 to go when Nick Blankenburg hit Filip Forsberg with a long stretch pass, setting him up for his 300th career goal. 2-2.

After a late Söderblom save on a Roman Josi shot, and a stressful overtime period, the game would head to the shootout.

Nyquist: Goal
Teräväinen: Goal
O’Reilly: Goal
Bedard: No Goal
Stamkos: Goal

Nashville wins 3-2 in the shootout.

Jay’s Final Thoughts

• I loved the line combos in this game, especially the Nazar-Bedard-Bertuzzi line. Bedard hasn’t had the chance to play with a player like Nazar. Yes, he’s had talented linemates like Taylor Hall and Teuvo Teräväinen, but Nazar has the speed and ability to attack and carry the puck, unlike Hall and Teuvo at this point in their careers. So fun to watch. At 5v5, the had a 11-9 shot attempt advantage, a 9-3 shot advantage, and 79.72 xGF%.

• I also liked the Colton Dach–Lukas Reichel-Foligno line. It gave Reichel the same setup as the Maroon-Reichel-Craig Smith line, with a little more skill on his wings. They finished with five shot attempts for and nine against, while Reichel finished with one shot attempt and one hit in the game.

• The Blackhawks were clearly trying to beat Saros five-hole the entire game, including on Bedard’s shootout attempt. The puck got through but trickled wide. Other than that, Saros’ was rock solid in defending that shot.

• Seth Jones had a nice bounce-back game. He finished the night with an assist, +2, two shots, five shot attempts, two hits, a takeaway, and a blocked shot. He also defended several odd-man rushes brilliantly. It was good to see him respond from his worst stretch and worst game as a Hawk.

• Ultimately, it’s another loss for the Blackhawks, but hopefully, they can look at their overall game and take positives away from it. “It’s always tough to lose, no matter what,” Söderblom said after the game. “But especially today. I felt like we played good as a team, and a good game by myself. It sucks not getting the win.”

Nuggets and Timbits

• CHSN shared this graphic during the game…

• Bedard has nearly identical home and road stats, up to the shots on goal. Thanks to my Greek brother Charlie Roumeliotis for the pic.

• The Bedard-Nazar-Bertuzzi line had 12 of the Blackhawks’ 23 shots in regulation—five each for Bertuzzi and Nazar and two for Bedard.

• Söderblom is now 0-for-9 defending shootout attempts. He hasn’t stopped a single shot. That seems almost impossible, doesn’t it?