Blackhawks Get First Win in Home Opener, Beat Blues 4-2 in Kane’s Return

The Chicago Blackhawks (1-3-0) desperately needed a win in their home opener at the United Center on Tuesday night, and they got it. Frank Nazar and Anton Frondell each tallied one goal and one assist, while Spencer Knight stopped 26 of 28 shots faced to lead the Blackhawks to a 4-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues (1-2-0).

Sam Rinzel (PP) and Cole Smith (EN) also scored in the win, with all four Blackhawks’ goal scorers recording their first tally’s of the season on Tuesday.

Mason McTavish and Connor McMichael (PP) were the two goal scorers in the game for St. Louis. Joel Hofer allowed two goals on 19 shots to record his first loss of the season.

After three straight lackluster losses to begin the 2026-27 campaign, the Blackhawks put together their best full-team effort by far in Tuesday’s home opener, in front of a soldout crowd on tap at the UC. The fans were extra rowdy for the season’s first home game, which was to be expected, given it was Patrick Kane‘s homecoming.

It still wasn’t a perfect outing, but it was much, much better than what they displayed during the season-opening three-game road trip. The Blackhawks surrendered only 28 shots to St. Louis, scored their first power-play goal of the season, and had eight different players record at least one point.

Kane wasn’t one of those eight players, as he failed to find the stat sheet in 20:55 of ice time in his first game at the United Center as a member of the Blackhawks since Feb. 21, 2023. Kane’s reception from the fans was nothing short of spectacular, as was the video montage put together for his return on Tuesday.

Absolutely ELECTRIC intro for Patrick Kane in his return to the United Center. Straight goosebumps. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/5wQpQb9SlK

— Jack Bushman (@JackBushman2) October 7, 2026

Absolutely ELECTRIC intro for Patrick Kane in his return to the United Center. Straight goosebumps. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/5wQpQb9SlK

— Jack Bushman (@JackBushman2) October 7, 2026

Joining the full house on Tuesday were Kane’s old teammates and fellow three-time Stanley Cup champions, Jonathan Toews and Niklas Hjalmarsson. Both received a standing ovation from the fans during a TV timeout in the first period.

3x Stanley Cup champions Jonathan Toews & Niklas Hjalmarsson in the house! #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/mgpwvQO17N

— Jack Bushman (@JackBushman2) October 7, 2026

3x Stanley Cup champions Jonathan Toews & Niklas Hjalmarsson in the house! #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/mgpwvQO17N

— Jack Bushman (@JackBushman2) October 7, 2026

Hjalmarsson’s appearance must have motivated the Blackhawks, as their defense was stout for the most part and noticeably improved from Saturday’s loss to the Buffalo Sabres. They allowed only 13 high-danger scoring chances in all situations against the Blues, while winning the expected-goals battle (3.53-3.03) for the first time this year.

“There were large parts of the game tonight that our process was the best it’s been,” head coach Jeff Blashill said. “Especially in the sense of being on top of people. Our D gaps, ending plays early. Our forward reloads. That’s much more how we want to play.”

Knight wasn’t tested nearly as much as he was in Las Vegas and Buffalo during the road trip, but he was just as strong in net on Tuesday. The 25-year-old came up with several timely stops to keep his team ahead in the second and third periods and was credited with 1.03 goals saved above expected for the game.

Here are the highlights from the Blackhawks 4-2 win over the Blues, moving to 1-3-0 in the 2026-27 regular season.

Both teams had a power-play chance in the opening 10 minutes, with Jonatan Berggren committing a tripping penalty for St. Louis, while Kane committed an interference infraction for the Blackhawks.

With Kane in the penalty box, the Blackhawks generated their most dangerous scoring opportunity of the period, as Nazar used his wheels to create a shorthanded breakaway for the second straight game. But just like Saturday in Buffalo, Nazar couldn’t find the back of the net, with Hofer saving his backhanded five-hole bid. Still 0-0.

Shorthanded chance for Nazar: pic.twitter.com/p1ZGXq1uaD

— BHF (@BlackhawksFocus) October 7, 2026

Shorthanded chance for Nazar: pic.twitter.com/p1ZGXq1uaD

— BHF (@BlackhawksFocus) October 7, 2026

McTavish opened the scoring for the Blues at 15:38, capitalizing off a brutal neutral-zone turnover by Nick Lardis. McMichael found a loose puck at center ice, skated into the Blackhawks’ end, and dropped a feed off to McTavish. The former Anaheim Ducks’ first-round pick fired a wrister past Knight, putting the Blues ahead 1-0.

quick flick of the wrist from Mason McTavish and the lamp is lit. #stlblues pic.twitter.com/kVwv4LVDD2

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) October 7, 2026

quick flick of the wrist from Mason McTavish and the lamp is lit. #stlblues pic.twitter.com/kVwv4LVDD2

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) October 7, 2026

The Blues took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission, with both teams recording seven shots in the period. St. Louis had a 7-4 advantage in scoring chances.

Just seconds after Ross Johnston’s interference penalty expired, Rinzel scored his first goal of the season to tie the game 1-1. Nazar entered the offensive zone and drove down the right flank, while Rinzel crashed the net and followed up on his rebound at 5:40 to tie the game 1-1. Oliver Moore recorded the secondary assist and now has points in back-to-back games.

Oliver Moore➡️Frank Nazar➡️Sam Rinzel🚨

Rinzel follows up on Nazar’s shot for his 1st goal of the season to tie the game 1-1! #Blackhawks 1st PPG of the 2026-27 season. pic.twitter.com/f8v9ap7oRq

— Talkin’ Hawkey (@TalkinHawkey) October 7, 2026

Oliver Moore➡️Frank Nazar➡️Sam Rinzel🚨

Rinzel follows up on Nazar’s shot for his 1st goal of the season to tie the game 1-1! #Blackhawks 1st PPG of the 2026-27 season. pic.twitter.com/f8v9ap7oRq

— Talkin’ Hawkey (@TalkinHawkey) October 7, 2026

Artyom Levshunov produced a career highlight to help the Blackhawks take their first lead near the midway point, dancing through several Blues’ defenders and setting up Frondell for a one-timer at the right circle. Frondell ripped home his first goal of the season at 7:40, putting the Hawks ahead 2-1.

Teuvo Teravainen➡️Artyom Levshunov➡️Anton Frondell🚨

Nastyyyyy sequence from Levshunov to set up Frondell for his 1st goal of the season! #Blackhawks lead 2-1. pic.twitter.com/CVYOHnNFMU

— Talkin’ Hawkey (@TalkinHawkey) October 7, 2026

Teuvo Teravainen➡️Artyom Levshunov➡️Anton Frondell🚨

Nastyyyyy sequence from Levshunov to set up Frondell for his 1st goal of the season! #Blackhawks lead 2-1. pic.twitter.com/CVYOHnNFMU

— Talkin’ Hawkey (@TalkinHawkey) October 7, 2026

Knight did well to keep the Blackhawks in front with his second breakaway save of the night, this time stopping Pavel Buchnevich just past the 13-minute marker. Through 40 minutes, Knight stopped 13 of 14 shots faced.

Breakaway stop by Spencer Knight: pic.twitter.com/B1LJEo1Ryz

— BHF (@BlackhawksFocus) October 7, 2026

Breakaway stop by Spencer Knight: pic.twitter.com/B1LJEo1Ryz

— BHF (@BlackhawksFocus) October 7, 2026

The Blackhawks played their best period of the season to take a one-goal lead into the third period. They outshot the Blues 10-8 in the second and led 17-14 through two periods. However, the Blues held a slight 14-10 advantage in scoring chances.

As the third period started, the Blackhawks announced that Teuvo Teravainen would not return to the game. Teravainen appeared to suffer an injury in the second period and battled through it as long as he could. The Hawks had to finish the game with only 11 forwards.

Teuvo Teräväinen will not return to tonight’s game.

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) October 7, 2026

Teuvo Teräväinen will not return to tonight’s game.

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) October 7, 2026

As the Blues started pressing in the final 10 minutes, Knight continued to stand tall and came up with a few quality saves to maintain the one-goal advantage. One of his best stops in the period came on Buchnevich, with a cross-ice feed getting past Ian Cole to the far post. Buchnevich crashed the net and one-touched a shot on net, but Knight somehow sprawled from post to post for the save.

With Roman Kantserov in the penalty box for interference with under 2:30 remaining, the Blues pulled Hofer for the extra attacker and had a 6-on-4 advantage against the Blackhawks penalty kill.

Fortunately, Adam Jiricek helped out the PK unit, as he fired a shot wide of the target, and the puck circled around the boards and cleared the zone. At center ice, Smith showed outstanding hustle to win a foot race and hit the empty net for his first goal with the Blackhawks at 18:51. 3-1.

Cole Smith🚨

Smith hits the empty net to put the #Blackhawks ahead 3-1! pic.twitter.com/0T6EyLStZI

— Talkin’ Hawkey (@TalkinHawkey) October 7, 2026

Cole Smith🚨

Smith hits the empty net to put the #Blackhawks ahead 3-1! pic.twitter.com/0T6EyLStZI

— Talkin’ Hawkey (@TalkinHawkey) October 7, 2026

But because it’s never easy, the Blues scored just 31 seconds later to cut their deficit back to one, with McMichael wristing a shot from the high slot past Knight at 19:22. 3-2.

Big fans of Connor McMichael already. #stlblues pic.twitter.com/hXd7EQVIp8

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) October 7, 2026

Big fans of Connor McMichael already. #stlblues pic.twitter.com/hXd7EQVIp8

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) October 7, 2026

With Hofer off the ice, Nazar sealed the Blackhawks first win of the season with another empty-netter at 19:56. With all his close calls on shorthanded breakaways in the last two games, he was deserving of this one. 4-2, Blackhawks.

GOAL: Frank Nazar nets another shorthanded empty-netter to seal it. pic.twitter.com/t4uF9KiblG

— BHF (@BlackhawksFocus) October 7, 2026

GOAL: Frank Nazar nets another shorthanded empty-netter to seal it. pic.twitter.com/t4uF9KiblG

— BHF (@BlackhawksFocus) October 7, 2026

The final horn sounded at the United Center, sending the full house in attendance into a frenzy. Finally, the Blackhawks are in the ‘W’ column. Next up is a matchup with the New York Islanders on Thursday, which is the Hawks final road game until Oct. 29.

HAWKS WIN! 4-2 FINAL

MUCH. NEEDED. #Blackhawks win their home opener to snap the 3-game losing streak. Still wasn’t a perfect outing, but it was much, much better.

Hawks move to 1-3-0 & are back in action Thursday in Long Island. pic.twitter.com/gPvXbLMGR6

— Talkin’ Hawkey (@TalkinHawkey) October 7, 2026

HAWKS WIN! 4-2 FINAL

MUCH. NEEDED. #Blackhawks win their home opener to snap the 3-game losing streak. Still wasn’t a perfect outing, but it was much, much better.

Hawks move to 1-3-0 & are back in action Thursday in Long Island. pic.twitter.com/gPvXbLMGR6

— Talkin’ Hawkey (@TalkinHawkey) October 7, 2026

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