Mrazek recorded a shutout for Chicago

After a challenging start to the season, the Chicago Blackhawks finally clinched their first win in four games, and a standout contributor to their success was goalie Petr Mrázek.

At the United Center, Mrázek delivered an outstanding performance, stopping all 37 shots from the Anaheim Ducks. His first shutout since April 2021 helped Chicago secure a hard-fought 1-0 victory. The game’s only goal came from Philipp Kurashev, who netted a power-play goal. Despite a quiet third period in terms of offense, with just one shot on goal, Chicago managed to maintain their lead and close out the game with a shutout.Following the game, Kurashev shared his thoughts on the goal and the team’s effort. “TJ did a great job finding Connor, so I just tried to be available in case he needed me. The puck bounced a bit, and, well, he did need me, so I was able to get the shot off. Overall, it was a solid performance, especially on the power play and penalty kills, and Petr was fantastic in goal. Every win is important, no matter how it happens, and that’s exactly what we got today. Hopefully, we can keep building on this.”

Mrázek, who hadn’t posted a shutout in nearly two years, was understandably pleased with his performance. “Yeah, it’s been a while, and I honestly don’t remember the last time I had a shutout,” he said. “But I feel really good about it. They had a strong start with a few good shots early on, which helped me get into a rhythm.” Mrázek also recalled a crucial moment late in the second period when he made a key save against Frank Vatrano during a poor line change, a moment that could have shifted the momentum.

Head coach Luke Richardson acknowledged how pivotal Mrázek’s performance was to the team’s success. “That was a massive save. It gave us a lot of confidence going into the third period,” Richardson said. “We had discussed the need to get more pucks on the net, but when that’s not working, we need to be extra cautious with our line changes. One defender, then the second—otherwise, it could be dangerous.”

In addition to Mrázek’s standout performance, rookie Connor Bedard achieved another milestone in his impressive season. He recorded his 10th assist of the year, making him only the third player in Blackhawks history to register both 10 goals and 10 assists in the first 25 games of the season, joining the ranks of Denis Savard and Jonathan Toews.

With this win, the Blackhawks will look to build momentum as they continue their campaign, with a renewed sense of confidence after an emotional and tightly contested victory.