There were heavy hearts in the United Center on Monday. The Chicago Blackhawks hosted the Utah Mammoth in their first home game since the death of legendary Hawks player and broadcaster Troy Murray.
There were video montages of Murray’s play throughout the night, as well as a moment of silence before puck drop. It was a thoughtful thank you to the two-way center.
No. 19 represented the epitome of what it was to be a Hawk. Flip that number around, and it may be the future of the franchise.
Frank Nazar continued his hot streak by scoring the game-winning goal in overtime, lifting the Hawks past the Mammoth, 3-2. The teams will play in Salt Lake City on Thursday, where the Hawks will look for the season sweep of Utah.
“The meaning of today’s game with Troy Murray, he’s definitely up there watching and guiding us and he made a big impact on a lot of our lives and our organization,” said Nazar, who wears No. 91. “To be able to get that one on a day like today is (special).”
Chicago Blackhawks fans stand during a moment of silence for Troy Murray in the first period of a game against the Mammoth on Monday, March, 9, 2026, at the United Center. (Josh Boland/Chicago Tribune)
Nazar has six points in his last four games. After a quiet stretch, he may be getting his mojo back.
“I think even games before (that) I haven’t scored or not getting the play to finish, it’s all been there,” Nazar said. “Just a matter of that puck crossing the line, (keeping) my head high and staying humble and just continue to work and get better each day is the key.”
Monday’s game started with a whole lot of nothing from the Hawks — 12 minutes without a shot on goal.
The Mammoth did better than their last game versus the Hawks, when they were shut out, as Barrett Hayton’s goal gave the road team the lead. The Hawks’ first shot on goal came with 8:01 left in the period, drawing sarcastic cheers from the Hawks faithful.
The remaining 48 minutes of regulation belonged to the Hawks. Utah struggled to create anything while Connor Bedard peppered goaltender Vitek Vanecek with a flurry of shots.
Left winger Andrew Mangiapane, the newest Hawk acquired in the Jason Dickinson and Colton Dach trade, has fit like a glove with the Hawks in his first two games. He scored his inaugural goal with the team at 13:46 in the first, making good use of Ryan Donato’s on-target pass in front of the net.
At the end of the first, Mangiapane exchanged a few words with Mammoth skaters as the period clock trickled down to zero.
Chicago Blackhawks left wing Andrew Mangiapane passes the puck around Utah Mammoth center Nick Schmaltz in the first period on Monday, March 9, 2026, at the United Center. (Josh Boland/Chicago Tribune)
“What Andrew’s done is he’s brought us into the fight a little bit, he’s a very competitive guy,” Hawks coach Jeff Blashill said. “He competes hard, he plays north, he plays straight-ahead hockey, which sometimes we can get a little too east-west with some of our young skill.”
André Burakovsky (15:35) saw a shot go into the net in the second period for the first time since Jan. 7 — 61 days ago — as he made use of the aftermath of a Bedard snipe. He jumped for joy after the horn sounded, a sure sigh of relief.
“Jesus Christ,” said an exasperated Burakovsky. “I was gonna slap my own head when I missed that first one from (Nazar).”
Blashill hasn’t experimented with Bedard’s right wing the way he has with the left this year, which speaks to his belief in Burakovsky. After a slew of games, it paid off.
“Guys have to produce, I get it, but there’s a lot more that goes into it, Blashill said. “If he wasn’t working as hard as he’s worked, if he wasn’t caring as much as he’s cared, maybe we don’t keep him up there, but I just felt like he was working so hard, he was competing hard, he cares a ton and eventually it felt like it was going to happen for him and glad that it did.”
Photos: Chicago Blackhawks 3, Utah Mammoth 2 (OT)
The game remained tied at two for the rest of the third period, but there were close calls on both sides.
Ilya Mikheyev saw great back-to-back chances early in the second period, but was unable to convert. He collected a rebound that was saved by Vanecek (23 saves) and saw a close-range tap-in ding the left post.
Bedard (five shots on goal, two assists) had one of his best games despite not scoring a goal. He tapped a beautiful pass from Ryan Greene, only to have it denied by Vanecek.
It was a goalie duel, one that was won by Drew Commesso. The 23-year-old saved 22 of 24 shots, one start after recording his first NHL shutout. He’s been the emergency goalie in the absence of Spencer Knight (illness), but the smile on his face makes it seem like fun.
“I don’t think my approach really changes where I’m playing, just preparing the best I can with the circumstances I’m given, and going to give my team a shot,” Commesso said. “That’s really all I can control at the end of the day.
“We have the best fans in the league, and that national anthem just gives me chills every time. I think I take that moment just to be really grateful for where I am. As a kid, if I saw older me stand there in front of the United Center crowd during that anthem, I don’t know if I’d believe you.”
Oliver Moore did not play against the Mammoth on Monday after leaving Sunday’s game in Dallas with a lower-body injury. Blashill said that he will miss “significant time,” putting the forward’s season status in question.