The Chicago Blackhawks had to take a cup-half-full approach in the first three games of the regular season. Florida, Boston and Montreal all escaped the Hawks with one-goal wins.
After the defeat by the Canadiens — one where the Habs scored with 15.7 seconds left in regulation — fans left United Center deflated as the game results didn’t match the glory of the pregame centennial celebration. That wouldn’t keep this team down, at least on head coach Jeff Blashill’s watch.
“The answer is we have to do it ourselves, this is life (and it’s) not always easy,” Blashill said pregame. “You don’t just lace ’em up and win a hockey game, you have to find a way to dig in and win. We’re responsible for our morale, so we can keep our own morale up.”
The best way to boost morale is to win. After four games, the Hawks did just that.
The Hawks gained their first victory of the season with a 3-1 win over the Utah Mammoth. It’s the first win for Blashill as a head coach since he was the bench boss with the Detroit Red Wings.
“I really like this group, I like them as people, I like them as competitors (and) I like them as athletes,” Blashill said. “They’re a group that ultimately wants to be great.
“It was disappointing over the first three games (where) we had moments of good hockey and put ourselves in position to win and not. For me personally, it’s a good feeling to get that one out of the way and hopefully there’s many more to come.”
The teams entered the second period scoreless after an uneventful first. Ilya Mikheyev squeaked a goal past goaltender Vitek Vanecek to give the Hawks a 1-0 advantage. He sealed the win with an empty net tap-in, his second goal of the game.
Goaltender Spencer Knight’s hot start continued as he turned 22 shots away. He has saved 81 of 88 total shots this year en route to his 50th win as a starter.
“I don’t really like to focus on just winning the game, I think the process matters,” Knight said. “The more we focus on that, the more we’ll be in positions to win hockey games.”
After Utah’s JJ Peterka tied the game a minute into the second period, the Hawks used a power play to take the lead back for good. Left winger André Burakovsky launched a shot from a Nick Foligno assist for his second goal of the season. It was a perfect way to celebrate playing in his 700th NHL game.
“I saw they were collapsing down there and I was trying to find the open ice,” Burakovsky said. “Really good vision from (Foligno) to find and see that open ice for sure.
“It’s a really good group and I really enjoy being here. I’m super excited to be a part of this group and getting more comfortable every day.”
Center Jason Dickinson returned from an upper-body injury. He missed the Hawks’ home opener due to a hit taken in Boston. He earned a point on assisting Mikheyev’s first goal of the night.
“I spent the first period finding my game again and getting back into the rhythm of things, remembering my routes and how to play as a center iceman again,” Dickinson said. “You have to get back into it quickly and get yourself going.”
Defenseman Artyom Levshunov returned to the lineup after being a healthy scratch versus Montreal. The 2024 No. 2 draft pick was the seventh dressed defenseman for the Hawks. He almost got an assist on Mikheyev’s goal, but it was switched to center/winger Ryan Donato and Dickinson.
“He did what I think could make him special and that’s be really strong in his own end, being able to skate himself out of a little bit of trouble and then make a little breakout pass,” Blashill said of Levshunov. “He was decisive, so I thought he did a really good job coming back in.”
Left winger Lukas Reichel was absent from the lineup after debuting against the Habs on Saturday. He played six minutes and 41 seconds against Montreal.
Burakovsky received a puck for his 700th NHL game played. So did Blashill for the win, but don’t expect any champagne to be popped.
“He probably holds things close to his chest,” Dickinson said. “He’s got a good poker face if he was emotional.”
The Hawks travel to St. Louis to face the Blues at 6 p.m. on Wednesday.
