Two successful challenges from head coach Jeff Blashill and his video staff couldn’t prevent the Chicago Blackhawks’ losing streak from reaching four games in Montreal. The Canadiens scored four unanswered goals, with two coming from Zachary Bolduc, to beat the Blackhawks 4-1 at the Bell Centre on Thursday.
It was an eventful night for Blashill and video coaches Matt Meacham and Adam Gill, who helped wipe away two Canadiens goals in the game, both for offsides. The first successful challenge kept the score tied 1-1 late in the second period, with Brendan Gallagher’s power-play goal taken off the board. The second came early in the third period to keep the deficit at 2-1, when Josh Anderson’s goal was overturned. But the Blackhawks couldn’t capitalize on either potential turning point, and they’ve now dropped both games to start the road trip.
Once again, the Blackhawks’ offense couldn’t get anything going in Montreal, with a measly 15 shots on goal in 60 minutes of action. That’s now three games in a row in which they’ve recorded 26 shots or fewer. Frank Nazar kicked off the scoring for Chicago in the first period, finally snapping his 21-game goal drought. But that was all the run support goaltender Spencer Knight received against the Habs.
To no surprise, goals have been hard to come by for the Blackhawks without star forward Connor Bedard. They’ve tallied only three goals and been credited with just 24 high-danger scoring chances in three games since Bedard suffered a shoulder injury last Friday in St. Louis. The Blackhawks are now 0-3-0 without Bedard, and their record falls to 3-10-2 in 15 games since Nov. 20.
Even before Bedard’s injury, consistent offense was starting to become an issue for the Blackhawks. In their first nine games of December, including six when Bedard was healthy, they’ve yet to score more than four goals. All of a sudden, the well has run dry. Tyler Bertuzzi hasn’t scored in four games. Andre Burakovsky has one goal since Nov. 9. Teuvo Teravainen and Ryan Donato have yet to score this month. Nazar just found the back of the net for the first time since before Halloween.
The top point producers from earlier in the season have all been stymied in the final month of 2025, and it’s put the Blackhawks in a pesky position without their top player.
Here are the highlights from the 4-1 loss to the Canadiens at the Bell Centre on Thursday.
FIRST PERIOD
The Blackhawks had only one shot through the game’s first 13 minutes, but that’s all they needed to grab an early lead. Nazar finished off a fantastic feed from Matt Grzelcyk at the net front to put the Blackhawks ahead 1-0 with his sixth goal of the season. It’s also Nazar’s first goal since Oct. 28, snapping a 21-game goal drought. It’s about time, Frankie. The Hawks need him to step up with Bedard out of the lineup.
Andre Burakovsky➡️Matt Grzelcyk➡️Frank Nazar🚨#Blackhawks take a 1-0 lead as Grzelcyk makes a dynamite feed to find Nazar for his 6th goal of the season! The 21-game goal drought is NO MORE.pic.twitter.com/dhMfOKWK8W
— Talkin’ Hawkey (@TalkinHawkey) December 19, 2025
The Canadiens were a little lifeless themselves coming out of the gate, but they managed to tie the game in the latter stages of the period. Cole Caufield created some separation on Teravainen and found Bolduc in the slot for a one-timer to level the score.
Chicago registered only two shots on goal in the period, but it truly wasn’t as poor a start as that may reflect. Montreal was held to just seven shots and had a slight 8-6 edge in scoring chances in all situations. That style of low-event, defensive hockey is precisely how the Blackhawks must play to win games without Bedard.
SECOND PERIOD
The second period started much like the first, with neither team generating very much offense. One of the only chances in the front half of the frame came off former Blackhawk Joe Veleno’s stick, but Knight made a terrific pad stop to prevent the Habs from grabbing the lead.
The best look of the period for the Blackhawks came from Teravainen, who finally decided to shoot the puck for once. It’s been a major issue for him this year, with just 35 shots in 32 games entering Thursday. But here, “Turbo” made the proper call to put the puck on net, and it led to a prime opportunity for Ilya Mikheyev on the rebound.
Late in the period, Dominic Toninato was sent to the penalty box for the second occasion in as many games. Out came the Blackhawks’ penalty kill for the first time, and the Canadiens’ power play proceeded to dice them up. Montreal looked to have grabbed a 2-1 lead, as Gallagher deflected a centering feed from Alexander Texier.
However, head coach Jeff Blashill challenged the play for offside, and the officials saw enough evidence to overturn the goal. The Blackhawks dodged a bullet there.
Speaking of that, the Hawks were on thin ice again just moments after the overturned goal, as Nazar was whistled for tripping to send the penalty kill back out. Once again, Montreal’s top power play unit created chances left and right, but Knight stood tall to keep the game tied going into the second intermission.
Montreal took over in the final half of the period and led 22-10 in shots on goal through 40 minutes. Knight played spectacularly well to prevent his team from falling behind.
THIRD PERIOD
The momentum the Canadiens established late in the second period carried over into the opening moments of the third, as Zachary Bolduc scored just 20 seconds in to make it a 2-1 score. Bolduc made an unbelievable play to redirect Hutson’s shot from the left point. That now gives Bolduc five goals in six career games against the Blackhawks.
Less than one minute later, Montreal appeared to add to its lead, as Anderson whacked a bouncing puck past Knight. But once again, Blashill and the video staff bailed out their team, as a second successful challenge kept the score at 2-1.
The Canadiens kept pressing after that point, though. Knight made a few more quality stops, but a fluky play eventually put the Blackhawks down by a pair. With the puck bouncing all over, Noah Dobson’s pass attempt from behind the net was banked in off Knight’s glove. 3-1, Montreal.
Blashill aggressively pulled Knight to get the extra attacker on the ice with four minutes remaining, but Nick Suzuki quickly hit the empty net to seal the game.
It’s a 4-1 loss for the Blackhawks in Montreal, and they’ve now lost four consecutive games. The road trip wraps up on Saturday afternoon in Ottawa, which is a perfect appetizer to the battle between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers later that evening.
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