Blackhawks' rally falls short in season opener as Utah wins inaugural game

SALT LAKE CITY — The Blackhawks left their season opener Tuesday with reasons for optimism moving forward but nothing to show for it yet.

A shot by new Hawks forward Tyler Bertuzzi that could've tied the game with 66 seconds left rang off the post, and Utah added two late goals to beat the Hawks 5-2 and send fans of the NHL's newest franchise home happy.

That raucous atmosphere had fueled Utah to a 2-0 lead after the first intermission, during which the Hawks looked as lifeless as they had throughout the preseason.

Several strong shifts by Philipp Kurashev's line helped the Hawks get back in the game early in the second period, however, and even after Utah briefly extended the lead to 3-0, they kept battling.

Connor Bedard eventually assisted on goals by Teuvo Teravainen (his first as a Hawk since March 2016) and Nick Foligno that tightened the score and created an interesting finish. Bertuzzi's near-miss late marked the fourth Hawks shot to hit iron.

"They just got to their game a little faster than we did in the first [period], and then honestly I thought we took over," Foligno said. "For the most part, we carried the play and really deserved to equalize the game. That's the disappointing part.

"I'm not concerned. I think we turned a corner already on that. I see a way different team this game. ... If we start burying those chances and play like we did the second and third, I think we're going to like where we're sitting."

The Hawks finished with a 56.8% share of the expected goals during five-on-five play, a better ratio than they achieved in all but seven games last season. The power play, however, hardly threatened on any of their three opportunities.

New home

Hours before puck drop, hundreds of Utah employees were scurrying around the Delta Center, where the NBA's Jazz have played since 1991, to prepare it for its new tenant. Shirts were still being laid out in the team store, artwork was still being installed on the concourses and hallway access policies were still being determined on the fly.

It all came together just in time, however. Fans packed not only the 11,131 seats with unobstructed views but also thousands more on the ends of the upper level that could only see the far-side goal — an unfortunate flaw in arenas designed specifically for basketball.

Hawks defenseman Connor Murphy, who spent the first three years of his career as a Coyote, said he's glad the players who endured such a turbulent ride in Arizona can now settle into a more stable home in Utah. Two of his teammates from the 2016-17 Coyotes — Lawson Crouse and Clayton Keller — remain part of the franchise, as do a handful of staff members.

"They've been through a lot for a lot of years, changing rinks in Arizona and then ownership and now [moving] here," Murphy said. "It sounds like the setup is really nice and ownership is taking care of them, which is nice to hear, because they all deserve good treatment after being sent around everywhere."

While Murphy spent morning skate reflecting on the changes his old franchise has undergone, he and other Hawks also checked out some of the details and nuances specific to this rink.

The air temperature inside the Delta Center is warmer than most, they noticed. That meant they sweated more, which meant they needed to hydrate more.

Moreover, the lights are brighter than most — since they were designed to illuminate a basketball court, which isn't as reflective as an ice rink. The boards, being brand new, are bouncier than most. And the steepness of the stands, including the folded-up vertical sections behind both goals, change players' perception of scale on the ice.

"Rinks where the stands are steep along the glass makes it feel a little tighter and smaller, which I like," Murphy said. "The ones where their lower bowls are wide and [have a] gradual incline, those feel bigger and more echo-y. It's nice to feel like everything is right on top of the ice."

Allan’s debut

Nolan Allan made his NHL debut Tuesday on the third pairing next to Murphy, rewarding him for a strong training-camp performance and sending a message to other prospects that they, too, can alter the perceived organizational depth chart with strong play. He logged 10:26 of ice time.

"I just came into camp trying to be the best version of myself," Allan said. "I knew there was a high chance I would probably go back to Rockford, but I didn't take it as that was the final answer."

If Allan turns into a useful piece for the Hawks, it would add a new dimension to retrospective analyses of the controversial 2021 Seth Jones trade.

As part of that deal, the Hawks sent the 12th overall pick in the 2021 draft to the Blue Jackets and received the 32nd pick in exchange, selecting Allan with it. The Jackets used the 12th pick on forward Cole Sillinger, who has already played three full NHL seasons but has yet to exceed 32 points.