Blackhawks Prospects Fall 7-4 But Top Line Shines Again

The top line for the Chicago Blackhawks was at it again, but it didn’t yield the same result. A day after Connor Bedard buried a hat trick on the first line, it was the top line again scoring in bunches with fellow 2023 draftees Nick Lardis and Martin Misiak burying one each. Colton Dach added another but the Blackhawks would fall 7-4 to the Wild.

It concluded the two-game set at the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase in Minnesota. The Blackhawks leave with a split, beating St. Louis 5-0 on Saturday.

Lardis didn’t waste much time, wristing one but the Wild answered back mid way through the first to even at a goal apiece. Ryder Rolston buried one a few minutes later, putting Chicago up 2-1. Dach buried his second goal in as many days off of a pretty feed from Nolan Allan.

well, well, well, Nick Lardis gets us on the board 🚨 pic.twitter.com/68SMu288eL

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) September 17, 2023

The Wild pulled within a goal when Sammy Walker notched his second of the game to cut the lead to 3-2. Chicago would yield the lead after a short handed goal, which evened things at three. The Wild would take the lead after converting during a delayed penalty on Dach. The Blackhawks were gassed, and the Wild took advantage, and the lead 4-3. Martin Misiak answered as the second period was nearing its end, redirecting a shot from Kevin Korchinski to even it up.

The Wild would reclaim the lead in the third and would take the game after an insurance goal, and then adding an empty netter to seal it up 7-4.

Three Thoughts following the Blackhawks

#1: Lardis said at the draft that his hockey hero was the Blackhawks’ Patrick Kane. He scored in buckets, notching 37 with Peterborough and Hamilton last season. Lardis was constantly buzzing in the Minnesota zone and was one of the drivers of the top line’s success Sunday.

#2: Speaking of, the Lardis line with Dach and Martin Misiak centering it looked good for long stretches of the afternoon. Misiak would redirect Korchinski’s long shot from the point, tying it up at four, giving the line three goals in the contest. A lesson for them? A tough shift on the delayed penalty that resulted in the go ahead goal for the Wild. But it was still a great showing for the trio.

#3: Ethan Del Mastro continues to do little things here and there without much fanfare. On the Misiak goal, he kept the puck in the zone and zipped it to Korchinski who one-timed it. Earlier, Del Mastro ripped a shot that nearly found its way through after the Blackhawks gave up a goal. I’ve also written at length about Korchinski and why he should be on the opening night roster. He had a couple blips in the game but it cannot be understated how he can drive offense.