The Chicago Blackhawks are staring down an 0-1 hole just two games into their season, and believe me, they do not want to dig it any deeper. After a brutal 5-2 opening night loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday, they’re heading to the Delta Center tonight to face the Utah Mammoth, who are kicking off their own campaign. Puck drop is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. CT, and you can catch all the action on ESPN+, Hulu, and Disney+.
Blackhawks Need To Flip The Script NOW After A Rough Start
Let’s be real, that opener against Vegas was rough. It was the Blackhawks’ third straight opening-night defeat, and the game got away from them fast. They were absolutely sluggish, giving up two goals and committing two penalties before they even registered a single shot on goal in the first 15 minutes. Not ideal against the reigning Western Conference champs, right? Jordan Greenway and Patrick Kane were the only ones who found the back of the net, with Ryan Greene and Wyatt Kaiser grabbing assists. Spencer Knight was actually solid in net, stopping 32 of 36 shots, but still took the loss.
To make matters worse, they’re banged up. Connor Bedard is out with a shoulder injury, and Andrew Mangiapane suffered a lower-body injury in Tuesday’s game, heading back to Chicago for evaluation. That leaves them with only 12 healthy forwards, but there’s a huge boost coming. Teuvo Teravainen is making his season debut tonight after being scratched in Las Vegas! He’s expected to jump onto the second line with Roman Kantserov and Nick Lardis. Plus, Patrick Kane is getting a new look on the top line with Tyler Bertuzzi and Anton Frondell, a big shake-up from Tuesday when he skated with Kantserov and Oliver Moore. This squad needs a spark, and Teravainen coming back could be exactly that.
Mammoth Are Rolling Into Their Home Opener Like A Freight Train
Meanwhile, the Utah Mammoth are stepping onto the ice for the first time this season, and they are coming in hot after a killer 2025-26 campaign. They finished fourth in the Central Division with 92 points, going 43-33-6. They even made it to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, though they got bounced in the first round by the Golden Knights, blowing a 2-1 series lead and losing in six games. That’s gotta sting, and you know they’re hungry to prove something this year.
They’re bringing back a ton of talent from that successful team, including their captain Clayton Keller, Nick Schmaltz, Dylan Guenther, Logan Cooley, Mikhail Sergachev, and goalie Karel Vejmelka. Plus, they beefed up their roster in the offseason, adding veteran forwards Anders Lee and Vincent Trocheck. These guys are no joke. And get this: the Mammoth absolutely own their home openers, with a 2-0-0 record and outscoring opponents 8-3 in those games. They even beat the Blackhawks 5-2 in their 2024-25 home opener, which was the first game ever at the Delta Center. They also took down the Calgary Flames 3-1 in their 2025-26 home debut. They know how to get it done in front of their home crowd.
Tonight is huge for the Blackhawks. They absolutely have to avoid starting 0-2 if they want to build any momentum this early. Can Teravainen spark that new top line? Can they shut down a Mammoth squad that crushes it in home openers? It’s all on the line tonight at 8:30 p.m. CT. You won’t want to miss it!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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