CHICAGO \u2014 For the second week in a row, the Chicago Blackhawks had an opponent exactly where they wanted it and couldn\u2019t put the game away early.<\/p>\n
Last week, the Blackhawks faced the Vancouver Canucks, who were coming into the United Center on the second game of a back-to-back. The Blackhawks put together a good start but allowed the Canucks back into the game and lost in a shootout. It was the same story against the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday. This time it resulted in a regulation loss.<\/p>\n
In the first period, the Blackhawks looked fresh and the Kings looked like a team that had lost Saturday night to the Nashville Predators in a shootout. The Kings made some mistakes, and the Blackhawks jumped on them with offensive-zone time and scoring chances. Connor Bedard capitalized on one when he tipped a pass from Ilya Mikheyev to the net and Kings goalie Anton Forsberg kicked the puck in.<\/p>\n
The problem is their other 10 shots on goal and six additional scoring chances went to waste in the period.<\/p>\n
In the second period, the Kings capitalized on two Blackhawks mistakes within 90 seconds. On the first, Sam Rinzel turned over the puck trying to stick-handle through traffic near the top of the offensive zone. The Kings pushed the other way and scored on a two-on-one rush. Shortly later, the Kings countered on a Jason Dickinson turnover, which led to a Kevin Fiala breakaway and eventually a wraparound goal.<\/p>\n
Sunday\u2019s game was the first one all the season the Blackhawks trailed after two periods. They had either led or were tied going into the third period in their first eight games.\u00a0They were the only NHL team remaining this season who hadn\u2019t trailed after two periods.<\/p>\n
From there, the Kings did what the Kings do and closed out the game. They added an empty-netter and won 3-1.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve had our moments, we\u2019ve been able to claw back from them before, but this is another learning moment for us, right?\u201d said Dickinson, who returned to the lineup after missing two games with an injury. \u201cA team like this that knows how to win and knows how to play like that. We can\u2019t let ourselves do that. It\u2019s easier said than done sometimes.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt really is simple plays. I think back to the goal I gave up. It\u2019s such a simple play, but a stupid decision where I panic with the puck in a dangerous area and it turns into a breakaway. It\u2019s completely self-inflicted, I\u2019ve said it a million times already. It\u2019s just stupid plays that could be easily corrected and just show a little poise and not panic in those moments when the momentum does swing, and take a breath and bear down.\u201d<\/p>\n
“That was lit!” \u2013 John Kelly pic.twitter.com\/ZLbk3FfW5m<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 LA Kings (@LAKings) October 27, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Artyom Levshunov is one of the players who need to be more patient with the puck at times. Late in the second period, the puck ended up in the Blackhawks\u2019 zone and Levshunov was all alone when he got it behind the net. After the Kings had the puck most of the period, the Blackhawks could have used a breather. Instead, Levshunov quickly struck the puck along the boards, hoping to hit a teammate at the blue line. The Kings intercepted the pass and started another offensive zone push.<\/p>\n Blackhawks coach Jeff Blashill saw some similarities between the Canucks and Kings games.<\/p>\n \u201cDisappointing, for sure,\u201d Blashill said. \u201cVan, for sure, because that was from Dallas. It\u2019s a really hard trip. Not that coming from Nashville isn\u2019t, but Dallas, that\u2019s a hard trip. We\u2019re going to have to remember these when we\u2019re on the back half of them that we can\u2019t use it as an excuse.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought they were two different games, a little bit. Different in a sense of why it happened. But both cases, we came out with good first periods and for different reasons I thought took our foot off the gas. Against Van, I thought we got passive. Against L.A. tonight, I thought our puck management was poor and we fed their rush game.\u201d<\/p>\n Blackhawks forward Ilya Mikheyev was one of the lone players creating chances after the opening period, but his night was cut short when he appeared to suffer a shoulder injury on the opening play of the third period. He was tripped, drawing a penalty, but then slid into the boards.<\/p>\n Blashill said they\u2019d have more information on Monday, but he didn\u2019t think Mikheyev had suffered a long-term injury. His status is uncertain for Tuesday\u2019s game.<\/p>\n With the Blackhawks already playing with only 11 forwards to start, the 10 remaining forwards had to take on even more ice time in the third period. Connor Bedard, who played 9:20 in the period, and Ryan Donato, who was at 9:18, were at the high end.<\/p>\n NHL GameScore Impact Card for Chicago Blackhawks on 2025-10-26: pic.twitter.com\/dUBBbU7Sjb<\/a><\/p>\n