CHICAGO (AP) — Andre Burakovsky snapped a third-period tie, and the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Utah Mammoth 3-1 on Monday night for coach Jeff Blashill’s first win with his new team.
Chicago dropped its first three games despite being tied at 2 after the second period in each contest. It was outshot by Utah 23-14, but a wide-open Burakovsky beat Vitek Vanecek low on the stick side for the deciding power-play goal with 11:05 left.
Ilya Mikheyev had two goals for the Blackhawks, including an empty-netter in the final seconds. Spencer Knight made 22 saves.
Blashill, 51, was hired by Chicago in May. It’s his second stint as a head coach in the NHL after he went 204-261-72 in seven seasons with Detroit.
JJ Peterka scored for Utah, which dropped two of three on its season-opening road trip. Vanecek finished with 11 stops.
The Mammoth played without defenseman Sean Durzi, who is expected to miss four weeks with an upper-body injury. Durzi had an assist during Saturday night’s 3-2 overtime win at Nashville.
Looking for the tying goal, Utah got a power-play opportunity when Connor Bedard was sent off for holding with 8:19 to go. But Chicago killed it off.
Utah controlled the action in the second, outshooting Chicago 13-3 in the period. But the Blackhawks went in front when Mikheyev drove to the net and stuffed it in at 9:21 for his first goal of the season.
Peterka responded 1:02 into the third, tying it at 1 when he beat Knight from the side of the net. It was Peterka’s first goal since he was acquired in a June trade with Buffalo.
Blackhawks forward Jason Dickinson returned to the lineup after missing Saturday night’s 3-2 loss to Montreal with an upper-body injury. He skated with the team Monday morning and said he had bounced back quicker than he had expected.
Up next
Both teams play again Wednesday night. Utah has its home opener against Calgary, and Chicago visits St. Louis.