Catch up with the Chicago Blackhawks following their 3-2 win over Tampa Bay. How will they maintain their current momentum?
The Chicago Blackhawks sit in the first wild card spot in the West with 10 points and a 4-2-2 record following a 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night.
Reality will eventually set in as the Hawks lead the league in PDO with a 1.056, meaning a heavy regression towards 1.0 will eventually arrive. But savor what we have for now.
Box Score: Blackhawks 3 – Lightning 2
Blackhawks at Lightning (Oct. 23) 5-on-5 heat mapCredit: NaturalStatTrick.com
Blackhawks at Lightning (Oct. 23) 5-on-5 Corsi GraphCredit: NaturalStatTrick.com
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Game Notes
Tampa Bay has issues to sort through, but that’s not Chicago’s problem. Spencer Knight had a spectacular performance in net (more on him in a second) as he led the Hawks to victory despite a heavy workload (3.74 expected goals against). But Knight wasn’t the only Blackhawk who deserves recognition. Frank Nazar blasted home his fourth goal of the season on the power play, and Ryan Donato scored two goals to bring his total to five. It wasn’t all pretty, however, as the Blackhawks’ hybrid defensive zone coverage led to extended time in their zone. Let’s crack into my notebook (yes, I have one and it’s red).
Spencer Knight
Spencer Knight is looking like he’s the real deal. Last night, he posted a .935 SV%, stopping 29 of 31 shots on goal. Knight now leads the league in goals saved above expected with 9.8. What’s encouraging about Knight isn’t the numbers; it’s his form. The saves that Knight makes are clear displays of athleticism, and Knight makes smart plays with the puck.
Apr 8, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Spencer Knight (30) looks on during the first period against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena.
Wyatt Kaiser
Wyatt Kaiser isn’t perfect; he made a dangerous giveaway in the neutral zone that led to a scoring chance for the Lightning. But he’s been the Blackhawks’ best defenseman to start the season. The numbers from last night aren’t pretty (an 11.81% expected goals share), but the plays he made are notable. The clip below displays why head coach Jeff Blashill’s philosophy of letting his defensemen defend the red line fits perfectly with Kaiser’s style (no. 44).
Hybrid Defense
The Blackhawks’ defensive zone structure created long moments in their zone—they had a 34.38% Corsi. The Hawks struggled to get the puck out or seemed confused on assignments. This comes with the territory of utilizing man-on-man defense. In a hybrid system, the Blackhawks play man-on-man above the dots and collapse to the house when the puck is below the dots. The benefit of a man-on-man is that it facilitates odd-man rushes should a player force a turnover up high. The Hawks looked decent when they collapsed and played tight, but playing pure zone defense might lead to even longer stretches in their zone. No one likes turtle hockey where they shell up and take shots. The Blackhawks just need to nail their assignments, and this will be a system that can work for them. However, some teams struggle with a hybrid (Oilers) and move to zone, while others (Hurricanes) thrive with a man-on-man.
Extra Observations
Colton Dach missed a completely wide-open net that would have given the Blackhawks an early lead. Dach has been on the fourth line after Blashill gave him a chance to play with Connor Bedard early in the season. Dach has a 36.67 xG%, the third lowest on the roster with over three games played.
Speaking of players with chances, Lukas Reichel played with Bedard on the first line. He finished the game with 13 shifts and the third-lowest average TOI at 5-on-5 (10:58). Reichel had one good game this season, where he scored two goals, and has since vanished. A tale as old as time. I think we know what Reichel is by now, right?
Artyom Levshunov had the second-lowest average 5-on-5 TOI last night with 8:58. Levshunov had a 50% Corsi and a 45.54 xG%.
Connor Bedard had three shots on goal and six shot attempts in all situations. He was quiet on the stat sheet last night, and I’m still waiting to see him rain goals. Keep shooting.
The Blackhawks play the Los Angeles Kings at home on Sunday at 6 pm CT. Noted: the Kings have also had a slow start.