The Chicago Blackhawks edged the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 in a shootout on Monday night, delaying Montreal’s attempt to clinch a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Frank Nazar led the way for Chicago, scoring a goal, assisting another, and netting the decisive goal in the shootout. Tyler Bertuzzi and Lukas Reichel also scored for the Blackhawks, while goaltender Arvid Soderblom made 18 saves in regulation and stopped all three of Montreal’s shootout attempts.
For the Canadiens, highly anticipated prospect Ivan Demidov made his NHL debut and impressed immediately, recording a goal and an assist. Alex Newhook and Juraj Slafkovsky added goals for Montreal, while goaltender Sam Montembeault made 22 saves.
Despite the loss, Montreal earned a single point from the shootout defeat, keeping them four points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets in the race for the Eastern Conference’s second wild card spot.
The Canadiens can still clinch a playoff berth by avoiding a regulation loss in their final regular-season game against the Carolina Hurricanes on April 16, or if Columbus loses one of their two remaining games.
The matchup was a showcase of emerging talent, with Chicago’s Frank Nazar and Montreal’s Ivan Demidov both making major impacts. Nazar’s shootout heroics and Demidov’s debut performance highlighted the potential of the next generation of NHL stars.
With the NHL regular season coming to a close, playoff races across both conferences remain tight, promising an exciting finish for fans.
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