SAN JOSE, Calif. — New coach Luke Richardson held the game puck as a keepsake, the festive beats of “Mi Gente” blared in the locker room and the Blackhawks grinned beneath sweaty hair Saturday after claiming their first win of the season.
Five unanswered goals during the second and third periods gave the Hawks a 5-2 victory over the Sharks, ending their three-game opening road trip on a much-needed high note.
“After those last two games, we got better from the Colorado game to the Vegas game, and to get through that first period here and to come out on top was huge for this team,” Taylor Raddysh said. “It’s a really good feeling right now.”
With the win, the Hawks avoided the possibility of another drawn-out losing streak to start the season — it took them 10 games to get their first win last season — even before entering a week off before Friday’s home opener against the Red Wings.
After a pregame ceremony honoring former Hawks defenseman and (more recently) Sharks general manager Doug Wilson, a scrappy start for the Hawks faded a poor second 10 minutes and a 2-0 deficit. Richardson addressed it at the intermission.
“I didn’t say too much, but I just made them realize what went on in the period, that we were moving our legs and then we weren’t,” Richardson said. “The compete level had to rise up. And the veterans took that one step further. We came out and played great.”
Jonathan Toews continued his strong start to the season by cashing in a breakaway — the Hawks’ first even-strength goal of the season — before Sam Lafferty and newcomer Jason Dickinson teamed up to score shorthanded goals on consecutive Sharks power plays. The Hawks previously hadn’t scored multiple shorthanded goals in a game since February 2016, and the momentum-shifting plays gave the Hawks a lead they never relinquished.
Dickinson, in his Hawks debut, finished with three points, as did Lafferty. Raddysh and Tyler Johnson each added two points, and goalie Petr Mrazek saved 24 of 26 shots for his first win as a Hawk. The Hawks also recorded the majority of scoring chances (18-16) and expected goals at five-on-five, in sharp contrast to their previous two losses.
But Richardson’s first win as coach was the most notable first, although he characteristically downplayed it.
“I’m happy to share the puck with the whole team,” he said. “It’s not mine. They deserve it. They’re the ones that go out and sacrifice; we just try to put a plan in place for them. But definitely, it feels nice. Maybe [there will be] an extra glass of wine tonight for me.”
