Instant Analysis: Blackhawks Push Canucks But Lose 4-3

CHICAGO – Injuries keep piling up for the Blackhawks–but so, too, do goals from Nick Foligno. The latter,  propelled Chicago to an early lead that unfortunately wouldn’t hold. But the former keeps claiming another Blackhawk player with each passing game.

Foligno potted two goals but the Blackhawks fell 4-3 to the Vancouver Canucks Sunday afternoon. In addition to losing the game, Chicago lost sparkplug Joey Anderson for the third period. But it was Connor Murphy who looked worse after he hobbled off the ice after taking a puck to the knee.

He would return. But it wouldn’t be enough for the Blackhawks to avoid their fourth straight loss and Anderson will be looked at again tomorrow. Head coach Luke Richardson didn’t have much postgame.

“We’ll reevaluate him tomorrow, but something banged up upper body.”

Aside from injuries, Foligno did well again.

Foligno opened the scoring after Anderson centered a pass right to the blade of his stick waiting in the paint, giving Chicago a 1-0 lead. The Blackhawks were also outshooting the Canucks 11-1 at that point.

Then Murphy blocked the shot, Vancouver scored, and well, it really looked rough.

But Foligno struck again on the power play, notching his sixth of the season. But Vancouver would strike quickly, burying two goals in forty seconds to seize the lead.

It was Cole Guttman getting the third goal, following Reese Johnson’s scrap with Nikita Zadorov picking up an extra two for instigating. The Blackhawks capitalized, and it was suddenly 4-3 with plenty of time in the third.

And chances they had. But

Foligno Delivering in December for Blackhawks

After two goals heading into December, Foligno has four in the year’s final month. He had nine points through a pair of months and now has five (4-1) in December. It’s been after long stretches of not getting on the scoresheet that Foligno has erupted for multi-point games. Against Nashville on December 5th, he had two goals and a helper.

So while he may not register something for some, it only takes a game for Foligno to deliver.