Blackhawks Shut Down Maple Leafs, Auston Matthews, 4-1

The Blackhawks kept up the pace — and somehow kept super-sniper Auston Matthews off the scoresheet — in a 4-1 win against the Maple Leafs in Toronto on Monday night.

MacKenzie Entwistle, Corey Perry and Tyler Johnson scored for Chicago in a strong second period as the Blackhawks rebounded from a 3-2 loss at Montréal on Saturday when a lackluster, disjointed middle period doomed them. 

Taylor Raddysh fired in an empty-netter with 6 seconds left to seal it. Andreas Athanasiou had two assists as Chicago evened its record at 2-2.

"I think it was was a complete game tonight, 60 minutes," coach Luke Richardson said. "That's what we challenged the guys for.

"The veteran guys played well. Everybody contributed. When you rely on one or two guys, they get tired and bad things happen."

Matthews, who entered with hat tricks in his first two games, and Connor Bedard squared off in what was billed as a battle of No. 1 NHL draft picks. Matthews was selected first overall in 2016 and the 18-year-old Bedard last June.

Bedard finished with four shots, including a couple of prime chances. He hit the post with another of his seven shot attempts. 

Matthews had a whopping nine shots and attempted 16. Now in his eighth NHL season, the power forward dinged one attempt off the crossbar and was denied by Blackhawks goalie Arvid Söderblom on others. 

Söderblom was terrific against Toronto's potent offense, making 36 saves. That included a pair of point-blank pad stops on John Tavares with about 3 minutes left and Leafs netminder Joseph Woll pulled for an extra attacker.

Johnson's power-play goal with 2:55 left in the second, ended Chicago's 0-for-17 drought with the man advantage. Johnson's third goal in his last two games (and third this season) capped a high-speed give-and-go with Athanasiou.

Entwistle, skating in his first game this season, was set up by Athanasiou to open the scoring 2:59 into the second period. Woll made a nifty pad save on Athanasiou, who streaked down the slot. But Athanasiou collected the rebound and passed in front to Entwistle who wristed it in.

Entwistle was on the bubble in training camp and narrowly made the team. He scored in front of family members from nearby Georgetown, Ontario.

"We wanted to get him in and I think tonight was a good time," Richardson said. "Being at home, I think he was pretty jazzed to play his first game of the season."

Tavares beat Söderblom through traffic from the slot on a pretty set-up by WiIliam Nylander to tie it just over 2 minutes later. 

Perry and Johnson connected 2:19 apart late in the period to put Chicago ahead 3-1 after 40 minutes.

Rookie defenseman Kevin Korchinski earned his first NHL point, the second assist on Johnson's goal. Korchinski and Bedard, teammates on Canada's 2023 gold-medal winning WJC team, received championship rings on Sunday at the Leafs' training facility.

Fellow rookie D-Man Alex Vlasic, from Chicago's North Shore, set up Perry's breakaway goal that put Chicago ahead 2-1 with 5:14 left in the second. Vlasic dished a 90-foot stretch pass from the left corner of the Blackhawks zone to Perry at center ice.

"I think a little bit was just some luck," Vlasic said. "My saucer passes aren't that good."

The 38-year-old forward cruised in and beat Woll with a low shot for his first score as Blackhawk. Perry pointed to the crowd after connecting.

One minuted. Pass. I think a little ebiurt was just eom sluck. My siscer passed aren’t that good, 

Vlasic and defense partner Seth Jones were both plus-2 on the night. As usual, Jones led with 27:56 of ice time. Vlasic was second with 22:17.

"I thought I played pretty well individually," Vlasic said. "I thought as a team we played out best game tonight. It was a great experience tonight."

The blade fell off one of Nick Foligno's skates as Chicago was killing a penalty in the third period, but Toronto botched a zone entry.