Chicago drops to 6-13-0 following 4-2 loss to Blues in afternoon game. St. Louis takes early lead and limits Connor Bedard & Co until late.
The Blackhawks hosted another family-friendly afternoon game at the United Center on Sunday.
Chicago wasn't ready for the 1 p.m. puck drop. The St. Louis Blues were wide awake.
Nick Foligno played in his 1,100th NHL gameRed-hot Jake Neighbours scored twice and the Blues cruised to a 4-2 win.
Neighbours, who has five goals in five games, connected along with Kevin Hayes and Pavel Buchnevich in the first period as the Blues took a 3-1 lead and control of the game.
Ryan Donato scored and set up Boris Katchouk's late goal for the Blackhawks, who dropped to 6-13-0. Chicago forward Nick Foligno skated in his 1,100th NHL game.
Arvid Söberblom made 24 saves in his second straight start. The Blues Jordan Binnington blocked 32 shots and was solid in the third period when finally tested.
Connor Bedard was held off he scoresheet.NHL rookie scoring leader Connor Bedard was held off the scoresheet, but had three shots on goal and attempted three more.
Another slow start kills Chicago.
St. Louis led 3-1 after one period. The Blackhawks were able to come back for a 4-3 overtime win on Friday against Toronto after trailing by two goals, but the Blues and Binnington held off Chicago in this one.
The Blackhawks found themselves in a hole early again as an opponent scored for the 12th time in Chicago's 19 games. The Hawks dropped to 4-8-0 when opponent connects first.
Neighbours opened the scoring 3:21 in. The Blackhawks were still sleeping on this one.
Neither of two Chicago players was able to hold in a routine rim-around on the right boards of the Hawks zone. The puck squirted free, then the speedy Neighbours outraced rookie defenseman Kevin Korchinski down the ice and finished with a backhander.
Hayes made it 2-0 to cap a 3-on-2 rush just over 2 minutes later. He beat Söderblom over the shoulder on the short side.
Donato's deflection of Isaak Phillips' shot with 5:15 left in the first cut it to 2-1. Buchnevich replied with a power-play tap-in from the left edge of the crease just 2:17 later to snuff Chicago's momentum.
Neighbours notched his seventh goal of the season with 6:08 left in the third. Katchouk converted a breakaway with 1:02 remaining.