Categories: What's New

Blackhawks lose in overtime to depleted Predators

Tanner Jeannot and the Predators beat the Blackhawks 3-2 on Friday night. | AP Photos

The Hawks were facing a Predators team missing eight players because of COVID-19 that was skating in the second half of a back-to-back, but couldn’t take advantage.

The Blackhawks were facing a Predators team missing eight players because of COVID-19 that was skating in the second half of a back-to-back.

They couldn’t take advantage.

Tanner Jeannot scored 58 seconds into overtime to give Nashville a 3-2 win Friday night. The Hawks were 0 for 5 on the power play and mustered 19 shots on goal.

“We were just off,” interim Hawks coach Derek King said. “Our passes weren’t flat. We were bobbling pucks, we turned a few pucks over. It was just one of those games where it just wasn’t clicking for us.”

Even at full-strength, Nashville tries to trap in the neutral zone and frustrate their opponents. The Hawks struggled to get through against a Predators group playing a handful of call-ups from their AHL affiliate.

“They played a hard game,” center Kirby Dach said. “They play a boring game, they trap you up, there’s not a lot of ice out there to make plays. We just didn’t stick with it long enough.”

At least a couple centers who have had trying starts to the season showed some positives.

The Hawks got a point thanks to Jonathan Toews, whose third goal in four games tied it at 2 in the third. Dach’s first-period score was his second in 22 games.

Good to be around
King said Jujhar Khaira (concussion protocol) skated Friday and is feeling “a lot better,” though the Hawks have to be very careful with him. Still, King and the Hawks relish his presence.

“He’s a great guy,” King said. “The personality, it’s just nice having him around the room and the guys are swarming to him and I think just seeing him on the ice, it was nice to see him getting back and getting up and running again.”

Reese Johnson (fractured right clavicle) is also around the team and King quipped that he’s “getting his free breakfast every morning.” Like Khaira and Tyler Johnson, King said it’s great having Reese Johnson around.

“The guys with the bad shrimp, stay away,” King said. “The guys that are getting some rehab and getting ready to get back, love having them around the locker room.”

Roster bits
Calvin de Haan (non-COVID-19 illness) and scratch Brett Connolly did not play. Kurtis Gabriel made his Hawks debut and Erik Gustafsson returned to the lineup after getting scratched Wednesday against the Capitals.

King said Gustafsson didn’t like the scratch but understood it.

“He’s been around long enough and obviously Caleb [Jones] comes in and [scores] the game-winner and an assist and played well,” King said. “That’s just the way it happens. Again, it’s like the Connolly thing. Somebody had to come out and your number was drawn. That’s all. Not based on play.”

Family pride
Defenseman Seth Jones got a kick out of seeing his brother score the Hawks’ game-winning goal Wednesday.

“That was awesome,” Seth Jones said. “Jumped in the play, used his legs to get up there and it’s great to see his first as a Hawk. Especially in a game like that against a great team. That was a big win and I’m happy for him.”