Presented by Nationwide Insurance Agent Jeff Vukovich
The Chicago Blackhawks fell to the Detroit Red Wings 4-2 on Wednesday at the United Center in the 2024 preseason opener.
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Here are 10 observations from the loss:
1. The Blackhawks and Red Wings each played their first preseason game of the season, and it was evident. It was a bit of a sloppy game on both ends. But that's what preseason is for, to iron out the kinks. Great to have hockey back.
2. The Blackhawks went 0-for-4 on the power play. The first unit of Connor Bedard, Tyler Bertuzzi, Teuvo Teravainen, Taylor Hall and Seth Jones was zipping the puck around on the first one of the game. But the five of them cooled off after that.
3. Hall played his first unofficial game for the first time since Nov. 19 after undergoing ACL surgery last season, which was more than 10 months ago. He was itching to get going. He looked a little rusty but not too bad. If he can return to form quickly, that will be a major boost for the Blackhawks this season, needless to say.
Chicago Blackhawks
4. Petr Mrazek started in goal and played two periods. He looked solid, stopping 20 of 22 shots for a save percentage of .909. Mitchell Weeks played the third period and gave up two goals on six shots.
5. Frank Nazar and Nick Lardis have been very good together all training camp. Colton Dach has been the left winger on that line but Hall slid into that role for this one. They had a tough night together but it's just one game so I wouldn't read too much into it.
6. Connor Bedard played on a line with Bertuzzi and Teravainen. That line definitely has potential and it showed when Tervainen scored his first unofficial goal after scoring on a backhand. Bedard registered the primary assist.
7. AJ Spellacy getting a crack at center between Ryan Donato and Craig Smith felt like a reward for his strong showing at the prospect showcase and early part of camp. He made his presence felt in the first period by laying a hit on Lucas Raymond, which prompted Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin to take a run at Spellacy immediately after. You could tell Spellacy played football growing up by the way he hits.
Smith, by the way, scored Chicago's first unofficial goal of the season. He signed a one-year deal with the Blackhawks on July 1.
8. Jones has been skating on a pairing with Alec Martinez all training camp. It looks like they're going to start the season together, which is interesting. They started slow in this game but finished fine.
9. Patrick Kane didn't travel to Chicago for this game, but there were quite a few former Blackhawks that did: Alex DeBrincat, Erik Gustafsson, Olli Maatta and Tyler Motte, and all four of them had at least a point. Motte and Maatta each scored a goal, and DeBrincat and Gustafson each recorded an assist. I imagine Kane will play against the Blackhawks on Friday in Detroit.
10. The Blackhawks made their first wave of roster cuts on Tuesday, sending forwards Martin Misiak, Alex Pharand and Marek Vanacker along with defenseman Ty Henry back to their respective junior teams. The camp roster is at 49 players after beginning with 53.