The Chicago Blackhawks returned to the ice on Sunday for a Central Division matchup against the Minnesota Wild. The contest marked the first visit to the United Center for Marc-Andre Fleury since being dealt to the Wild by the Blackhawks at last season’s trade deadline. Fleury and the Wild would get the last laugh, escaping with a 4–3 shootout victory.
— Boris Katchouk made his presence felt in the first period, plastering Frederick Gaudreau with a monstrous hit in the Minnesota zone. The outing was Katchouk’s second of the season after missing the first seven games with an ankle injury.
— Jonathan Toews continued his hot start to the season with another goal, his fifth of the season. Defenseman Filip Roos picked up his first career point on the tally after reading the play well to step up and start the rush for the Hawks.
— Andreas Athanasiou continues to be a pleasant surprise for the Blackhawks. His offensive revelation saw a potential goal-of-the-year candidate during the game, turning Matt Dumba inside out before sending a slick backhander top shelf past Fleury.
— Max Domi further endeared himself to Patrick Kane, standing up to Tyson Jost after Jost hit Kane from behind. Head coach Luke Richardson also praised Domi’s willingness to answer following the game. Thankfully, Kane was not injured on the play.
— Alex Stalock enjoyed another quality start between the pipes for Chicago, making 32 stops, including a nice save on Joel Eriksson Ek on a partial breakaway in the final minute of overtime.
The Blackhawks will be back in action on Tuesday, hosting the New York Islanders for a 7:30 p.m. CDT puck drop.