10 observations: Blackhawks shut out by Oilers, tie franchise record with 19-game road losing streak originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
The Chicago Blackhawks were shut out for the sixth time this season after falling to the Edmonton Oilers 3-0 on Thursday at Rogers Place.
Here are 10 observations from the loss:
1. The Blackhawks slipped to 0-18-1 on the road since Nov. 9, and their 19-game road losing streak matches a franchise-long from the 2003-04 season. In fact, Edmonton was the team that handed that team its 19th road loss in both instances.
2. The last time these two teams met on Jan. 9, Chicago held Edmonton to a season-low 15 shots on goal. I wasn’t expected the Oilers to skate circles around the Blackhawks in this game but that wasn’t the case. The Blackhawks put up a decent fight; they just don’t have the firepower to pull away from a team like that.
3. Nick Foligno committed a tripping penalty in the final seconds of the opening frame, and he couldn’t believe it. He felt he got the puck first. Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson looked like he wanted an explanation from the officials after the period ended too. And of course the Oilers scored on the ensuing power play to make it 1-0. I didn’t think it was a penalty either but maybe I’m wrong.
Nick Foligno couldn’t believe this was a tripping penalty because he got the puck first.
It looks like Luke Richardson wanted an explanation from the officials after the period ended too. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/glLrcYoTiU
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) January 26, 2024
4. Lukas Reichel returned to the lineup after being a healthy scratch the last two games. I didn’t notice him very much. Tough opponent to try getting puck touches against though. Rem Pitlick sat out.
5. Jason Dickinson‘s line with Joey Anderson and Colin Blackwell did a great job containing Connor McDavid in the last meeting on Jan. 9. It was a tough go this time around. The Blackhawks didn’t have the last line change, and McDavid had Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman on his line. The three of them combined for three goals and four assists.
6. MacKenzie Entwistle drew a penalty shot late in the second period after Vincent Desharnais was penalized for holding. I honestly didn’t think it was worthy of a penalty shot, but hey, I’m for more penalty shots so I didn’t mind it. Entwistle was denied on his opportunity. A goal there would’ve evened the score at 1-1.
7. When Chicago’s first line of Foligno, Philipp Kurashev and Taylor…