Blackhawks Fall in Shootout to Lightning Despite Soderblom's Heroics

Game Summary

Twenty-four hours after Oliver Moore's birthday heroics delivered a shootout victory over Carolina, the Blackhawks found themselves in another skills competition—this time on the losing end. The Tampa Bay Lightning extended their franchise point streak to 15 games (14-0-1 since December 20) with a 2-1 shootout win at United Center on Friday night, spoiling an outstanding performance from backup goaltender Arvid Soderblom.

The loss dropped Chicago to 21-22-8 (50 points), still clinging to sixth place in the Central Division. Tampa Bay improved to 32-13-4 (68 points) and continues to lead the Atlantic Division. The Lightning's 15-game point streak is the third-longest in franchise history, trailing only an 18-game streak from 2003-04 and a 16-game streak from 2018-19.

Playing on zero days rest after Thursday's emotional 4-3 shootout victory over the Hurricanes, the Blackhawks faced a Lightning team that has become one of hockey's hottest squads. Tampa Bay dominated possession throughout the night, outshooting Chicago 31-18 overall and holding a staggering 21-6 shot advantage through the first two periods. Yet the Blackhawks remained competitive thanks to Soderblom's heroics between the pipes and managed to secure a point despite the lopsided territorial battle.

Soderblom Keeps Chicago in the Fight

Making his first start since January 10 against Seattle, Soderblom was the story of the night for Chicago. The 24-year-old Swedish netminder stopped 30 of 31 shots through regulation and overtime, giving the Blackhawks a chance they had no business earning based on the flow of play.

"I think tonight we owe a lot of credit to Soderblom," said Ryan Greene, Chicago's lone goal scorer, according to NHL.com. "I thought he was unbelievable. I don't think that game goes into overtime without him playing the way that he did. So, credit to him."

The Lightning peppered Soderblom from the opening faceoff, generating 24 shot attempts and 16 scoring chances in the first period alone. The Swedish netminder was up to the challenge, weathering the storm and keeping Chicago within striking distance despite the territorial disadvantage.

Through 40 minutes, Tampa Bay had fired 21 shots at Soderblom, including a dominant 13-2 advantage in the second period. The Blackhawks managed just seven shot attempts in the opening frame—four on net—and looked thoroughly overmatched. Yet they trailed by only one goal heading into the third period, entirely due to their goaltender's excellence.

Team Statistics

Period-by-Period Breakdown

First Period: Greene Strikes as Power Play Expires

The opening period belonged almost entirely to Tampa Bay, but it was Chicago that struck first. After Nick Foligno and Lightning forward Jack Finley engaged in a spirited first-period fight—with Finley receiving an extra two minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct and not returning to the game—the Blackhawks capitalized late in the frame.

With 2:18 remaining and a Chicago power play about to expire following a Darren Raddysh tripping penalty, Ryan Greene found himself alone in the slot. Oliver Moore delayed touching the puck in the offensive zone to allow Foligno to tag up, then fed Nick Lardis, who set up Greene for a forehand shot past Andrei Vasilevskiy's glove.

The Lightning immediately challenged for offside, but the review determined the play was onside. Greene's seventh goal of the season gave Chicago a 1-0 lead heading into the intermission despite being outshot 11-4 in the opening frame.

Second Period: Lightning Strike Back Behind Kucherov

If the first period was lopsided, the second was a complete siege. Tampa Bay dominated the middle frame with a 13-2 shot advantage, spending extended shifts in Chicago's defensive zone. The Blackhawks were hanging on by their fingernails, with Soderblom making save after save to preserve the lead.

Finally, with 1:18 remaining in the period, the dam broke. Anthony Cirelli dispossessed Marc-Edouard Vlasic along the boards and started a sequence that ended with Brandon Hagel feeding Nikita Kucherov across the front of the crease. Kucherov, skating through the slot, finished with a backhander past Soderblom at 18:42 to tie the game 1-1.

The goal was Kucherov's 25th of the season, extending his point streak and giving the Lightning life heading into the third period. Through 40 minutes, Tampa Bay held a commanding 21-6 edge in shots on goal, yet the game remained deadlocked thanks to Soderblom's outstanding performance.

Third Period: Blackhawks Find Their Game Too Late

The third period saw Chicago's best hockey of the night. After being thoroughly dominated through the first 40 minutes with just six shots on goal, the Blackhawks fired eight shots at Vasilevskiy in the final frame—more than they had managed in the opening two periods combined.

Chicago had several quality chances to take the lead, but Vasilevskiy was equal to the task. The veteran netminder, who entered the game needing one win to tie Rogie Vachon and Evgeni Nabokov for 25th place on the NHL's all-time wins list, was determined to reach the milestone.

Neither team could break through in regulation, sending the game to overtime for the second consecutive night for the Blackhawks.

Overtime & Shootout: Lightning's Depth Prevails

Chicago controlled much of the 5-minute overtime period, generating several dangerous chances. Andre Burakovsky had the best opportunity when he found Vasilevskiy down, but couldn't convert as the puck slid harmlessly through the crease. With three minutes remaining, Vasilevskiy stopped Ilya Mikheyev from in close to keep the game tied.

In the shootout, both teams struggled to score. After Nick Lardis and Charle-Edouard D'Astous were denied in the first round, Nikita Kucherov gave Tampa Bay the lead in Round 2 with a wrist shot—then shushed the United Center crowd that had booed him. Frank Nazar answered for Chicago in Round 3, and Louis Crevier scored on a backhand in Round 4 to match Gage Goncalves' goal for Tampa Bay.

In the decisive fifth round, Oliver Moore's wrist shot was stopped by Vasilevskiy, setting up Dominic James for the game-winner. The 23-year-old forward, appearing in his first NHL shootout, calmly beat Soderblom five-hole to seal the victory.

Vasilevskiy's win was his 353rd career victory, tying him with Vachon and Nabokov for 25th in NHL history.

Three Stars

Scoring Summary

Key Performances

Arvid Soderblom - Heroic Effort Goes Unrewarded

In his first start in nearly two weeks, Soderblom delivered one of the finest performances of his NHL career. The Swedish netminder faced a relentless barrage from one of the league's hottest teams, stopping 30 of 31 shots through regulation and overtime while facing a 21-6 shot deficit through the first two periods. His .968 save percentage kept Chicago in a game they had no business being competitive in based on territorial play.

Soderblom was particularly sharp in the second period when Tampa Bay dominated with 13 shots compared to Chicago's two. He made several key saves on high-danger chances and successfully killed all three Lightning power plays. "I don't think that game goes into overtime without him playing the way that he did," Greene said, accurately summarizing the backup goaltender's impact. While the shootout didn't go his way, Soderblom's performance proved the Blackhawks have reliable goaltending depth when needed.

Ryan Greene - Lone Bright Spot Offensively

Greene provided Chicago's only offense of the night, scoring his seventh goal of the season late in the first period. His positioning in the slot on the power play—combined with smart work from Oliver Moore and Nick Lardis—gave the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead they carried into the intermission despite being thoroughly outplayed. Greene finished with one shot on goal in 17:04 of ice time, winning 2 of 7 faceoffs.

Nick Foligno - Setting the Physical Tone

The veteran forward dropped the gloves with Jack Finley in the first period, setting a physical tone for a Chicago team that needed energy playing on zero days rest. Foligno logged 5:41 of ice time with two hits before his night ended early. His willingness to engage physically helped spark the Blackhawks' power play that led to Greene's goal moments later.

What It Means

For Chicago, there's a bittersweet quality to earning a point in this contest. The Blackhawks competed hard on zero days rest against the NHL's hottest team and had legitimate chances to win in overtime, with Soderblom's performance giving them confidence in their goaltending depth. The team showed resilience by not folding when they were being dominated through two periods, and the penalty kill went 3-for-3, continuing a strong stretch of special teams play.

However, this was a game the Blackhawks needed to find a way to steal. Fighting for playoff positioning in a crowded Central Division, dropping games in overtime or shootout—no matter how competitive—still only yields one point. The lack of offensive generation through two periods (just six shots on goal) proved too much to overcome despite Soderblom's heroics. The power play also went 0-for-3, with Greene's goal coming as the penalty expired, highlighting an area that needs improvement as the season progresses.

For the Lightning, this victory extended their remarkable 15-game point streak (14-0-1) and kept them atop the Atlantic Division. Tampa Bay continues finding ways to win even when they don't dominate statistically, showing the kind of patient, disciplined hockey that defines championship-caliber teams.

Division Standings

Looking Ahead

The Blackhawks get a much-needed day off Saturday before welcoming the Florida Panthers to United Center on Sunday afternoon. The Panthers enter United Center riding their own hot streak and present another stern test for Chicago's young roster. After playing back-to-back games—both going to shootouts—the extra recovery time will be crucial for a team that looked gassed for much of Friday's contest.

Sunday's game against Florida provides another measuring stick for where this Blackhawks team stands against the NHL's elite. With the Panthers sitting just below Tampa Bay in the division standings at 26-20-3 (55 points), Chicago will need to be sharper from the opening faceoff if they hope to earn two points in regulation.

Final Thoughts

In many ways, this game encapsulated the Blackhawks' season in microcosm. They showed the kind of resilience and compete level that's been a hallmark of Jeff Blashill's coaching, earning a point against one of the NHL's hottest teams on the second night of a back-to-back. Arvid Soderblom proved he's a capable backup goaltender who can steal games when needed. The penalty kill remained solid, going 3-for-3 and showing improvement in a critical special teams area.

Yet the offensive limitations were glaring. Six shots through two periods—even accounting for back-to-back fatigue—simply isn't enough against quality opposition. The power play's inability to capitalize on opportunities continues to hamper Chicago's chances in tight games. And while earning a point is valuable, the Blackhawks are in a position where they need to find ways to win these games, not just compete in them.

The challenge now is to build on the positive elements while addressing the deficiencies. Chicago has shown they can hang with anyone when their goaltending is stellar and their special teams are solid. The next step is finding ways to generate more offense at 5-on-5 and converting those overtime chances into regulation wins. With Florida coming to town Sunday, they'll get another immediate opportunity to prove they're moving in the right direction.