Even more depleted than expected, Chicago managed few serious chances against the Sabres and goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.
The injury-depleted Blackhawks' lineup got even thinner just before Thursday night's rescheduled game in Buffalo.
So instead of scoring just one goal, as Chicago had in its four previous contests, the Hawks managed none.
The Sabres and goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen were barely tested as they blanked the Blackhawks 3-0. Minus NHL rookie scoring leader Connor Bedard and six other forwards, Chicago lost four the fourth time in five games and for the ninth in 11.
Forward Ryan Donato was a late scratch due to an illness. Veteran defenseman Connor Murphy sat out his second straight game with a lower-body injury — as was sort of expected.
Chicago generated virtually no offensive pressure against the Sabres as it was outshot 30-20 and shut out for the fourth time this season. Luukkonen posted his second straight shutout and third of 2023-24. See comments from Chicago coach Luke Richardson in following video.
Chicago's Attack Still in Hibernation
The Blackhawks attack, already crippled, remained in hibernation after the team spent Wednesday holed-up in its hotel due to heavy snow and tight travel restrictions that forced the game to be pushed from Wednesday to Thursday.
Arvid Söderblom was mostly sharp in goal in his first start since a 4-2 loss in Jan. 5 in New Jersey. That was the game when Bedard's jaw was broken on Brendan Smith's open-ice hit.
Topped by Bedard, who still leads all NHL rookie in goals (15) and points (33), six Chicago forwards are on IR. The list: Nick Foligno (broken left finger), Tyler Johnson (right foot), Anthony Beauvillier (left wrist), Andreas Athanasiou (groin) and Taylor Hall (right ACL surgery, out for season.)
Game Flow
The game was scoreless until Zemgus Girgensons connected on a nifty defection at 12:27 of the second period on Buffalo's 19th shot. At the left side of the net, Girgensons tipped Ryan Johnson's shot — it was headed toward Söderblom's glove – and sent it downward between the goalie's pads.
JJ Peterka and Rasmus Dahlin added goals 3:09 apart early in the third to make it 3-0 and put it away.
From below the goal line in the left corner, Peterka fired a shot off the right side of Söderblom's mask as he crouched to guard the post. The puck deflected into the net at 2:57.
Dahlin's power-play goal at 6:06 upped it to 3-0. His shot caromed in off defenseman Jaycob Megna's stick.
Chicago's Philipp Kurashev was off for a five-minute boarding penalty, for slamming Erik Johnson into the back boards.
Söderblom's play wasn't the problem, however, Richardson said. See video.
Snow Day
Coaches and players tried to make the most of the weather lockdown that forced the game to be postponed a day.
"We took yesterday and used it the best way we could as a restful day the players, and let the coaches have a chance to talk to the players," Richardson said. See video.
The Blackhawks' chartered jet landed in Buffalo at about 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday following their 2-1, nine-round shootout win over San Jose in Chicago on Tuesday. As Richardson said, "it wasn't our best performance," but his team edged the Sharks behind as Petr Mrazek stopped 37 of 38 shots though overtime, then eight of nine in the tiebreaker.
Chicago was even flatter again the Sabres.
Up Next
Mrazek is expected to be back in goal on Friday night when the Blackhawk host the New York Islanders in their final home game before the NHL's All-Star break.
After Friday, Chicago embarks on a four-game road trip to Vancouver, Seattle, Edmonton and Calgary. Its following contest at the United Center will be on Feb. 7 versus Minnesota.
Mrazek might be in line for a contract extension as the March 8 trade deadline nears, especially after Chicago gave new two-year deals to forwards Nick Foligno and Jason Dickinson this week.