Hawks Find Familiar Way to Lose in Season Finale (recap)

The roughest season in 16 years for the Blackhawks came to a close Friday in Buffalo. For the 19th time in the last 20 games, they squandered a lead, allowing Buffalo to win their fifth in six games 3-2, in overtime.

The Hawks led 1-0 and 2-1 before conceding the tying goal to Owen Power with 5:38 left in regulation and the winning goal to Casey Mittelstadt just 2:07 into overtime. They were outshot 19-4 after the second intermission, spoiling a solid final start by Collin Delia who made 33 saves.

The game was scoreless through the first 28 minutes, perhaps the teams were still enthralled by Sabres goaltender Malcolm Subban's rendition of the national anthem. Alex Vlasic drove down the left side and fired a drop pass to Dominik Kubalik who one-timed it past Dustin Tokarski for his 15th goal of the season. It was also Vlasic's first assist in his 15th career game.

The game would stay 1-0 until the 4:16 mark of the third period. Erik Gustafsson tried to clear the puck around the net, but it went right to Jeff Skinner who fired a pass to a wide-open Tage Thompson who potted his 38th of the season.


The Hawks would respond five minutes later as Caleb Jones' shot was redirected beautifully by Dylan Strome, his 22nd of the year, to once again put them in front at 2-1.

With six minutes left, the No. 1 overall pick in last year's draft, Power, in just his 8th NHL game, fired a shot from the high slot that Riley Stillman partially screened Delia on, but it's a save he has to make in that spot and he didn't. 2-2.

The overtime was all Buffalo as they outshot Chicago 5-0 and wrapped the contest up in short order. Dylan Cozens fired a shot on Delia who left a juicy rebound for Mittelstadt to backhand into the net at the 2:07 mark, mercifully ending one of the most challenging seasons in recent memory for the Blackhawks.


They only had six double-digit goal scorers this season: Alex DeBrincat (41), Patrick Kane (26), Strome (22), Brandon Hagel (21), Kubalik (15) and Jonathan Toews (12). The last time the franchise had six or fewer players with double-digit goals in an 82-game season was 1998-99 (Tony Amonte (44), Eric Daze (22), Alex Zhamnov (20), Doug Gilmour (16), Chad Kilger (14) and Eddie Olczyk (10).

It was a special night for Buffalo as tv announcer Rick Jeanneret called his last game after 51 years.


It will certainly be an interesting offseason in the Windy City as general manager Kyle Davidson gets to work on the rebuild, but for now, the players can rest up and spend time with their loved ones as they look to put this season behind them.