10 observations: Frank Nazar scores first NHL goal in debut as Blackhawks lose to Hurricanes in home final originally appeared in NBC Sports Chicago
Presented by National Insurance Agent Jeff Vukovich
O Chicago Blackhawks fell to the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 on Sunday at the United Center in the home final.
Here are 10 observations from the loss:
1. The Blackhawks were defeated in this game. The difference? Carolina went 2-for-3 on the power play and Chicago went 0-for-3. The Hurricanes scored the game-winner on the man advantage with 3:33 left in regulation, and that took the wind out of Chicago’s sails.
two. Frank Nazar announced he was leaving Michigan on Saturday after signing his entry-level contract with the Blackhawks. He was thrown into the fire on Sunday and made the night memorable. He scored his first NHL goal on his first shot in his first NHL game. It was an electric atmosphere at the United Center after he scored, which is no surprise.
3. Nazar’s goal deserved its own highlight. Let’s look at his general game. There were a few times early on where he looked around to make sure he was in the right place, but he became more comfortable as the game went on. He certainly didn’t look out of place in terms of skill. He also won five of 11 face-offs for a winning percentage of 45.5.
One thing I noticed is that he is very interested in the game. I’ve caught him a few times standing on the bench, super engaged in the action and always ready to act whenever his number is called. Another thing I noticed is that he went up to Petr Mrazek after Carolina’s first goal and patted the block to keep his head up. You love seeing that when he’s a young player. This shows confidence. It will be fun to watch for years to come.
4. Speaking of Mrazek, he kept the Blackhawks in it. He saved 2.0 goals above expected in two periods when the game was still 1-1 and deserved two points.
5. The Blackhawks had just five high-danger chances at even strength, according to Natural Stat Trick. His 16 shots on goal were the second fewest in a game this season. They had a hard time generating offense, which Carolina does with most teams.
6. Connor Bedard failed to get a shot on goal for the fourth time this season. One of those games was when he left because of a broken jaw. He only had one shot attempt in total. The Hurricanes kept him in check.
7. When Chicago’s fourth line of Tyler Johnson, Landon Slaggert and Taylor Raddysh were on the ice together at even strength, Carolina led 14-2 in shot attempts and 7-0 in scoring chances. This trio had a rough night.
8. Colin Blackwell was a healthy scratch to make room for Nazar. The same happened with MacKenzie Entwistle, with Taylor Raddysh returning to the lineup. Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson said he wanted to make sure everyone got in before the end of the season and that it wasn’t necessarily a decision based on performance: “It’s just a matter of numbers.”
9. The Blackhawks finished the season with a 16-21-4 record at home. Last season, they were 14-23-4. So, a slight improvement. Next year I imagine they hope to be above .500 at home.
10. The Blackhawks averaged 18,836 fans at the United Center this season, which ranked 5th in the NHL. Last season they averaged 17,167, ranking 20th. The fans showed up despite it being another difficult year. The Bedard effect.
