In a thrilling matchup that showcased an impressive performance, Drew Commesso achieved his first victory in the NHL by making 36 saves, leading the Chicago Blackhawks to a commanding 3-0 win over the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena on Saturday. This game marked Commesso's fourth appearance in the NHL and his second of the current season, following a challenging outing where he allowed five goals against the Washington Capitals just the night before, only managing 19 saves in that contest.
Reflecting on his milestone, Commesso expressed, "I think I’ll remember it as my first career win more than the shutout. It was a significant win for our team, especially after last night’s disappointment. We weren’t satisfied with our performance, so responding this way with timely goals was crucial. Nick Lardis scoring that second goal was pivotal for us, and we did well to withstand that long shift towards the end. It was truly a collective team effort."
In this game, Tyler Bertuzzi contributed significantly with a goal and an assist, and Connor Bedard supported the team's efforts with two assists, helping the Blackhawks improve their record to 19 wins, 19 losses, and 7 overtime losses. Remarkably, the Blackhawks have now triumphed in five of their last six games.
Chicago's coach, Jeff Blashill, commented on Bedard’s performance, saying, "I anticipated that Bedard would feel more at ease tonight compared to last night, and I expect him to showcase even greater comfort in the next game. That’s just part of returning from an extended absence and regaining one’s rhythm."
On the other side, Juuse Saros, the goaltender for the Predators, made 18 saves. The Predators, with a record of 20 wins, 20 losses, and 4 overtime losses, are currently grappling with a tough stretch, having lost two out of their last three games. They face the Capitals next in a back-to-back matchup.
Nashville's captain, Roman Josi, shared his thoughts on the game, stating, "Definitely not our best performance. It felt like a 50-50 game, and we left a lot to chance. After they got that first goal, we couldn't find our rhythm; we only played well for a few minutes."
Bertuzzi opened the scoring for the Blackhawks with a power-play goal at 6:41 in the second period. He received a perfect backdoor pass from Bedard, allowing him to score into an unguarded net. Later, Lardis extended the lead to 2-0 at 11:01 in the third period, capitalizing on another assist from Bedard, firing a wrist shot from the slot after receiving the puck from below the goal line.
Commesso humbly credited his faith for his success, saying, "I’m so blessed and thankful to God for placing me in this situation. I owe this achievement to him. Maintaining my faith has helped me remain composed during tough times, and I always look to express gratitude when things are going well. One lesson I've learned in professional hockey is that much is beyond your control. Just yesterday, I wasn’t even playing for the Rockford in the AHL, and then I’m starting for the Blackhawks in back-to-back games. You never know how things will turn out. Leaning on my preparation has been key."
Ryan Greene sealed the game with an empty-net goal at 18:32, concluding the match at a final score of 3-0.
Nashville’s coach, Andrew Brunette, noted, "We’ll get back to work tomorrow. This isn’t a frequent occurrence for us. Maybe a bit of fatigue set in, which shouldn’t be an excuse since they played the night before. We simply weren’t sharp enough and didn’t execute at our usual standard."
A few notable highlights emerged from this game: Commesso became the fourth goaltender in the history of the Blackhawks franchise to achieve a shutout in his first NHL win, joining the ranks of Corey Crawford, Craig Anderson, and Paul Goodman. Additionally, Bedard recorded his 41st career multi-point game, tying with Jeremy Roenick and Eddie Olczyk for the second-most such games by a Chicago player before turning 21, only trailing Denis Savard.
It’s worth mentioning that several key players missed this game due to illness, including Blackhawks goaltenders Spencer Knight and Arvid Soderblom, as well as defenseman Louis Crevier. On the Predators’ side, defenseman Nicolas Hague celebrated his 400th NHL game, while forward Jonathan Marchessault remained sidelined for the 11th consecutive game due to a lower body injury.
