The shorthanded Chicago Blackhawks, led by Drew Commesso, shutout the Nashville Predators on the road 3-0 on Saturday night.

Friday’s game at the United Center was the Chicago Blackhawks’ first loss in 2026. With a number of players battling the flu, it would be easy to turn it in on the second half of a back-to-back in Nashville on Saturday. Instead, the Hawks battled, shutting out the Nashville Predators 3-0 at Bridgestone Arena.

Both teams turned in a scoreless first period, but the Hawks opened it up on the power play in the second frame. After Teuvo Teravainen drew a penalty on Oliver Moore’s breakaway attempt, the Hawks got to work on the man advantage. A nice zone entry led to the puck finding Connor Bedard. The Blackhawks superstar walked to the crease and dished a beautiful little pass for the easy Tyler Bertuzzi tap-in goal.

The rest of the period was the Drew Commesso show. The young goaltender was spectacular in this one. Picking up his first NHL shutout, Commesso stopped 12 shots in the middle frame, keeping the Hawks in front.

With around nine minutes remaining in the third, the Hawks found insurance. Kevin Korchinski threw a puck around the boards back to Bedard–who began the sequence. Bedard found an oncoming Nick Lardis in the slot and the young sniper found top corner for his fourth goal of the season.

Story continues below.

More Sports News

.wp-block-group__inner-container:has(> .embla),
.wp-block-group:where(.alignfull) > .wp-block-group__inner-container:has(> .embla) {
width: calc(100vw – (var(–side-spacing) * 2)) !important;
}
.embla {
position: relative;
overflow: hidden;
}
.embla__container {
display: flex;
flex-wrap: nowrap;
gap: 0 !important;
width: 75%;
}
.embla__slide {
margin-inline-end: var(–column-gap);
}
.embla__arrow,
.embla__arrow:active,
.embla__arrow:target,
.embla__arrow:hover,
.embla__arrow:focus-visible {
display: none;
position: absolute;
top: 50%;
transform: translateY(-50%);
width: 40px;
height: 40px;
margin: 0;
padding: 0;
line-height: 0;
background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75);
color: var(–color-primary);
border-radius: 100vw;

svg {
width: 24px;
}
}
.embla__prev {
left: 0;
}
.embla__next {
right: 0;
}
]]>

The Preds had extended time with the empty net, but Bertuzzi intercepted a pass and gave way to Ryan Greene for the tap-in. The 3-0 win was a story of resilience for the Hawks, and an incredible first career win for Drew Commesso, who posted a 36-save shutout.

Oh, Oh, Commesso

Drew Commesso was spectacular for the Hawks. Playing both ends of the weekend back-to-back, the young goaltender stepped up when the team needed him most. He stopped all 36 shots, picking up his first win in the NHL. No Spencer Knight and Arvid Soderblom meant an extended look for one of the Hawks’ top prospects.

Although forgotten as an organizational option, Commesso was a second-round pick back in 2020. He’s quickly showing the front office that he could be Robin to Knight’s Batman, making Soderblom’s future something to watch. The Hawks have exceptional goalie depth, which makes the Laurent Brossoit trade look even easier to digest.

What’s On Tap Next?

The Blackhawks are back at the United Center on Monday for the first of four consecutive games at home over the next weekend. The Edmonton Oilers come to town, presenting an incredible test for a red-hot Hawks team. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT.