3 things Jeff Blashill ‘loved’ from Blackhawks win over Stars

The Chicago Blackhawks still have some growing pains to navigate before they are one of the Western Conference’s top teams. The young roster is six points back of the playoffs, but there are some positives to build on. They also have a built-in excuse for their recent 2-7-1 stretch because of the injury to Connor Bedard. However, Thursday night’s win over the Dallas Stars intrigued head coach Jeff Blashill, according to Ben Pope’s post on X.

“We were really good the majority of the night,” Blashill told reporters after the win. “I loved the speed at which we played. I loved how connected we were. I loved our third period.”

It’s hard not to love a win over the Stars, who are now 20 points ahead of the Blackhawks in the standings. The old Blackhawks might’ve broken down in the third period, but they added to their 3-1 lead early in the frame, before holding on when the Stars scored two late goals.

The win wasn’t the prettiest, but Chicago showed how they can win in a difficult conference. The fact that they did it without their leading scorer, Bedard, and budding star Frank Nazar, is an excellent sign for the players remaining in the lineup.

Chicago likely won’t compete for a playoff spot this season. They likely have one more year as a lottery team before they become serious playoff contenders. The growth of their current roster over the next year and the soon-to-be arrival of top prospect Anton Frondell bring plenty of optimism.

First-year head coach Blashill knows that the group is building something special. With wins like Thursday night, the payoff might not be too far away.

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