Blackhawks’ road woes continue in loss to Jacob Trouba’s Rangers
The Rangers beat the Blackhawks 4-1 on Thursday.
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NEW YORK — Injured Blackhawks forward Andreas Athanasiou wasn’t present Thursday, but that didn’t stop Rangers captain Jacob Trouba from inflicting more pain on the Hawks.
Trouba scored his second goal in as many games against the Hawks since Athanasiou described him as an “an $8 million man with zero goals” after a dirty hit in December 2022, helping the Rangers pull away for a 4-1 win.
The Hawks suffered their fourth consecutive loss overall — having scored just two goals in the last three games combined — and their 13th consecutive road loss. Coach Luke Richardson admitted they’re “definitely” feeling the effects of their lengthy injured-reserve list.
“I don’t know how many teams can absorb this many injuries,” Richardson said. “We’re just getting our feet under our ground, trying to get people to play together and [to build] some continuity with a new lineup. But it’s what we’re dealt with right now.”
Colin Blackwell tucked in his first goal since February 2023 to pull the Hawks within 2-1 late in the second period. Instead of pushing tenaciously for an equalizer early in the third period, however, they “fumbled the puck a few times” and allowed Trouba and Jimmy Vesey to score 70 seconds apart, putting the game out of reach.
The Rangers recorded 11 of the first 13 shots on goal in the third period and outshot the Hawks 32-23 in total.
Rangers captain Jacob Trouba scored in the third period.
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Megna thrilled
Defenseman Jaycob Megna joined the Hawks on Thursday morning — after being claimed off waivers from the Kraken on Wednesday — and immediately slotted into the lineup on the second pairing alongside Alex Vlasic. He earned his first Hawks assist with a nice breakout pass to Boris Katchouk before Blackwell’s goal.
The 31-year-old defenseman is thrilled about landing on the Hawks for two reasons: they will allow him to finally get some regular playing time after being a healthy scratch all season in Seattle, and he grew up in Northbrook as a big Hawks fan.
“I never envisioned [as a kid] playing in the NHL or playing pro,” Megna said. “I got to play for the Chicago Wolves four years ago, which was pretty special. To get to play for the Blackhawks now, it’s kind of beyond whatever I would have imagined. I’m just really excited.”
He went to the United Center frequently as a kid, starting “when it was an empty building” all the way through the 2010 Stanley Cup parade when he was a student at Glenbrook North. The Hawks’ next home game Sunday against the Flames could be an extra special moment for him.
He quipped that he won’t be able to “do some of the things that Duncan Keith did,” but he will provide some depth to the Hawks’ defense. Isaak Phillips and Louis Crevier were both healthy scratches Thursday.
“He played very confident for a guy that hasn’t played a lot of games this year,” Richardson said. “[He kept a] good gap and played simple.”
Bedard’s mistake
The night Connor Bedard was named an NHL All-Star wasn’t the greatest night on the ice for the Hawks’ rookie sensation.
He made a weak play along the offensive blue line in the first period, allowing Rangers forward Vincent Trocheck to easily shove him off the puck and jumpstart a counterattack on which Artemi Panarin scored the game’s opening goal.
“He probably has to get rid of that a little earlier,” Richardson said. “It’s just [about] learning the strength of this league. A guy can push you over pretty quick.”