The Canucks smother the Blackhawks

Heinen strikes early and Vancouver's fire roars

Twenty-one seconds in

The Chicago Blackhawks came back to qualification night carrying an old wound: in 2023-24 the Colorado Avalanche snuffed their candle on this very night. This time Chicago's flame started to flicker after 21 seconds. Danton Heinen wristed one home 0:21 in at the United Center, with Teddy Blueger and Kiefer Sherwood assisting, and the Vancouver Canucks never trailed. Vancouver finished sixth in the league last season and Chicago 31st. Losing here meant going dark before the Gauntlet had properly begun.

A first period ablaze

J.T. Miller snapped in a power-play goal at 6:01. Ryan Donato answered with a snap shot at 9:25, but 1:21 later Heinen deflected in his second. At that same 10:46 mark, Andreas Athanasiou took a delay-of-game minor for an unsuccessful challenge. Taylor Hall wristed Chicago back within one at 13:29. Then Conor Garland, set up by Elias Pettersson and Miller, wristed in the game winner at 15:17.

At the other end, Kevin Lankinen stopped 31 of the 34 shots Chicago fired at him.

Twenty-nine seconds, lights out

After 35:12 without a goal, Brock Boeser tipped in a power-play goal at 10:29 of the third, with Miller and Quinn Hughes assisting. Pius Suter wristed in another 0:29 later. Tyler Bertuzzi's power-play goal at 14:04 came too late. Chicago's candle went cold, and Vancouver burned on, one of 22 flames still lit.