Eight minutes had passed in the first period Thursday night. The Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins went back and forth, with the Bruins leading 1-0 in their home opener.
Hawks forward Colton Dach skated behind the net and passed the puck to André Burakovsky, but not before taking a huge hit into the glass. Burakovsky slid the puck to an open Connor Bedard, who launched a one-timer into the net for his first goal of the season.
It was only one game, but moving Dach to the top line brought promising results. The Hawks are showing they can compete, but they’re still looking to turn their efforts into a victory, falling to 0-1-1 with a 4-3 overtime loss at TD Garden.
After not appearing on the scoresheet in the season-opening loss to the Florida Panthers, Bedard finished with two points Thursday. In the second period, captain Nick Foligno won a faceoff and Bedard collected the puck. He found Louis Crevier, who scored to put the Hawks up 2-1.
Dach, 22, entered training camp without any certainty of a roster spot. He brought energy to the preseason games by dropping his gloves, being chippy with opponents and letting his presence be known during his shifts.
The 2021 second-round pick played 25 games with the Hawks last season and had two goals, five assists and 27 shots on goal while averaging 12 minutes, 8 seconds of ice time. He spent much of camp on the fourth line with Foligno and Ryan Greene but stood out enough to earn a promotion.
Ryan Donato, who had a career-best 62 points in 2024-25, was moved to the third line Thursday with Jason Dickinson and Ilya Mikheyev. Burakovsky kept his spot on Bedard’s other wing.
Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (98) celebrates his goal with teammates during the first period against the Bruins on Oct. 9, 2025, in Boston. (Rich Gagnon/Getty Images)
The Hawks tried many line combinations with Bedard during his first two seasons. First-year Hawks coach Jeff Blashill said he saw what Dach did in camp and that earned him his elevation.
“We haven’t force-fed him opportunity,” Blashill told reporters before the game in Boston. “He’s continued to demand more opportunity, and that’s the way you want it.
“He’s been physical, he’s been a big power winger, but he also has soft hands and can make plays. He’s somebody who eventually will find his way up the lineup and hopefully do a good job there.”
Burakovsky scored his first goal as a Hawk in the third period. He collected a centering pass from Artyom Levshunov and launched a shot to tie the score at 3.
An exciting third period featured high energy from both teams. Plenty of shots flew, most of them saved by Hawks goalie Arvid Söderblom and Bruins counterpart Joonas Korpisalo.
The goalie duel continued in overtime. Korpisalo turned away a breakaway opportunity with Frank Nazar and Bedard, to the disbelief of both forwards. Fraser Minten scored the game-winner 2:12 into OT on a two-on-one.
Bruins goalie Joonas Korpisalo makes a save against the Blackhawks’ Connor Bedard in overtime Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025 in Boston. (Rich Gagnon/Getty Images)
Hawks defenseman Alex Vlasic returned to the lineup after missing the opener due to being cut by a skate in a preseason game. It was a welcome sight for Sam Rinzel, who logged more than 25 minutes of ice time against the Panthers. The two will be a high-potential top pairing for the Hawks.
Dickinson was absent from the bench after taking a hit in the neutral zone in the second period. He didn’t return and Blashill didn’t have an update on the center’s condition postgame.
The Hawks will play four of their next five games at the United Center, starting with Saturday’s home opener against the Montreal Canadiens (6 p.m., CHSN).