The Chicago Blackhawks (14-18-6) extended their losing streak to seven games as the Pittsburgh Penguins (16-12-9) bested the home team 7-3 behind a hat trick by forward Justin Brazeau. Bryan Rust added two goals of his own in the slaughter of Spencer Knight and Arvid Soderblom.
First period
Pittsburgh scored four goals on 10 shots in the first period as Chicago looked like they were still on their holiday break. Knight allowed four of those goals on nine shots. Anthony Mantha got the scoring going at within the first two minutes of the game and Chicago never really could answer with anything as each shot seemed to find the back of the Chicago net.
Rust and Brazeau scored minutes apart to take the Pittsburgh lead to 3-0 as Knight was helpless as Chicago defensemen either could not find a puck at their feet to clear the zone or let Penguins forwards skate to the net without any check or body on body of any kind.
Rust scored his second of the game and extended the Penguins lead to 4-0 after jumping on the ice from the penalty box and firing a shot through Knight.
Second period
Nick Foligno found his way back to the ice and found the back of the net at the 10:50 mark of the middle frame for his first goal of the season. Foligno made an awesome play screening Penguins goaltender Arturs Silovs and pounded home a rebound between his legs off a shot from forward Colton Dach.
Welcome back to Nick Foligno, who scores his 1st goal of the season. He missed the last 19 games with an injury. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/dRAJJsHVsX
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) December 29, 2025
Pittsburgh answered the Foligno with back-to-back goals by Brazeau to give the 27-year-old Canadian 11 goals on the season.
Trailing 6-1, defenseman Wyatt Kaiser scored his fourth goal of the season to shorten the Penguins’ lead to 6–2. Kaisers wrist shot from the point went wide of the net only to corral off the end boards, hit the back of Silovs’ pads and find the back of the net.
Wyatt Kaiser’s shot goes off the boards, off Penguins goaltender Arturs Silovs and in for his 4th goal of the season. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/Ml1lG81tl0
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) December 29, 2025
Pittsburgh would score one more time in the second period when Noel Acciari scored his third goal of the season beating Soderblom as the Blackhawks’ goaltender gave up all three Pittsburgh goals in the second period.
Third period
Tyler Bertuzzi scored his 19th goal of the season with one second left in the game. As time was expiring, Bertuzzi found a puck at the left circle and fired a shot that suprised Silovs and into the back of the net.
Chicago heads to New York to take on the New York Islanders for a 7:30 p.m. CST puck drop at the UBS Arena on Tuesday.
Analysis
Chicago looked like they were still on the holiday break and spent most of their time chasing the puck. To say that this was a sleepwalk of a game would be an understatement. Artyom Levshunov looked out of place most of the night and Kaiser seems to always have a player behind him making plays.
Bertuzzi continues to be a nice piece to the offensive puzzle as Chicago continues to struggle with Connor Bedard on the shelf. Despite his goal coming with one second left, the 30-year-old forward continues to drive plays offensively and certainly tries to work in the corners and in front of the net, something lacking dearly amongst young Blackhawks forwards.