In the Chicago Blackhawks win over the New York Islanders, Anton Frondell was impressive in his NHL debut.
The Chicago Blackhawks had a lot of hype and excitement surrounding their Tuesday night matchup against the New York Islanders. The reason for that was the pending NHL debut of their top prospect, Anton Frondell.
Due to the morning skate, we knew that Frondell would start on the first line and top power play unit. His play in the SHL (and World Junior Championships) earned him a reputation that warrants that type of respect.
Head coach Jeff Blashill started that top line against the Islanders, and Connor Bedard let Anton Frondell take the opening face-off. His NHL career was officially underway from that moment on.
The first shift of the game didn't go as anyone wanted, however, as the Islanders scored right away. Matthew Schaefer, who went first overall two picks before Frondell in the 2025 NHL Draft, took a shot that was deflected in by Anders Lee.
New York's lead lasted for just over half a period, however, and that was it. Nick Lardis tied it at 12:46 of the first. After Frank Nazar and Tyler Bertuzzi failed to convert a 2-0 breakaway, the former found Lardis in the slot for the goal.
At 18:06, a special hockey moment took place, as Anton Frondell earned his first career NHL point with an assist on an Ilya Mikheyev goal. Frondell made a solid defensive play, used Connor Bedard as a decoy, and sprung Mikheyev, who didn't miss his chance.
Bedard grabbed that puck and kept it for Frondell to keep as a memory forever. It's a moment that he'll never forget, but it also put his incredible skills that he has on display.
Before the period ended, Tyler Bertuzzi scored his 29th of the season to give the Blackhawks a 3-1 lead. He did what he does best and made good work of his net-front presence to jam the puck home.
That score held through the first period, and the Blackhawks scored the only goal of the second period. Nick Lardis, who was already working on a two-point night, won a puck battle on a strong forecheck, fed Frank Nazar, and watched the puck go in the net.
This play probably should have been icing on the Blackhawks, but Lardis's hustle forced the linesman to make a bad non-call. He made his own luck on the play with his effort, and Nazar was the beneficiary. Putting them together on the second line appears to be a Jeff Blashill masterclass.
With a 4-1 lead for the Blackhawks entering the final frame, things got a little scary for them. The Islanders scored twice to make it 4-3, and they had a power play with under two minutes left and the goalie on the bench.
Arvid Soderblom stood tall in the final moments of the match, and he was incredible again all game. After facing 49 shots in the loss on Friday against the Colorado Avalanche, he faced 47 on this night against the Islanders. He made 44 saves on those 47 shots to preserve the win.
Hanging onto late leads has been a sore spot for the Chicago Blackhawks this season, but they prevailed in this one. This young group will have opportunities to play spoiler as the season winds down, and they did that to the Islanders, who are trying to lock down a postseason berth.
More On Anton Frondell
In addition to his first career NHL point, Frondell had two blocks, two shots, one hit, and 0 giveaways in 15:43 of ice time. He broke up plays, generated offense, and improved the overall makeup of the forward group right away. It won't be long before he is one of the most impactful forwards on the entire team.
Watch Every Chicago Goal
What’s Next For The Blackhawks?
The Chicago Blackhawks will be back in action again on Thursday night when they take on the Philadelphia Flyers in game two of their four-game road trip. Anton Frondell made his NHL debut in Tuesday night's game, and Sacha Boisvert will make his in Thursday night's game.
Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.