Make no mistake about it: this felt like a playoff game for 60 minutes because it was. The New York Islanders are battling to get into the postseason and needed this game. The Blackhawks were a capable, willing foe. And that made for one helluva fun night.
The No. 3 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft took the opening faceoff of the game. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft rifled a shot on goal that was tipped in for the opening goal… 49 seconds later. So much for the Blackhawks grabbing a little momentum from Anton Frondell‘s first start, eh? The next ten minutes were heavily Islanders, but then the Blackhawks took off. Chicago scored three unanswered goals in the final eight minutes of the period to take a commanding lead to the room after 20 minutes.
David Rittich was replaced between the pipes by Ilya Sorokin for the Islanders to start the second period. The Isles started to really bring it after the Blackhawks extended their lead to three, but Arvid Söderblom was superb. He stopped all 12 Islanders shots in the second period to keep the three-goal lead to the end of 40 minutes.
To say the ice was tilted for the home team in the third period would be an incredible understatement. The Blackhawks were under siege (without Steven Seagal) with the desperate Islanders giving them everything they had. The Isles got to within one with under four minutes remaining in regulation — on their 21st shot of the period. But the Blackhawks were able to hang on and win a really exciting, intense game.
Star 1: Arvid Söderblom
After Anders Lee redirected in the opening goal, Söderblom settled in and had a really good first period. He made a few more big saves when the Islanders started to really bring it early in the second period. He made 23 saves over the first two periods, many of which weren’t easy. The third period was incredibly one-sided but he played big; the goal at 8:45 into the third was New York’s 16th of the period. Söderblom stopped 37 shots between goals for the Islanders, and saved 21 of 23 in the third period.
Nice save by Soderblom: pic.twitter.com/XMwAIJiA76
— BHF (@BlackhawksFocus) March 25, 2026Star 2: Nick Lardis
Lardis got bumped up to the second line with Frank Nazar and Tyler Bertuzzi in the Blackhawks’ last game and stayed there tonight. And, just as he did against Nashville on Sunday, Lardis scored. He also picked up an assist for a two-point first period — his first career multi-point game. But he wasn’t done. Lardis picked up his second assist and third point of the game six minutes into the second period. It’s hard to have Lardis play this well and not be the first star of the game.
#Blackhawks tie the game at 1 Nick Lardis Frank Nazar, Tyler Bertuzzi pic.twitter.com/NjnscqaMRf
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) March 24, 2026Watch Lardis’ effort to win this puck and set up Nazar for the Blackhawks’ fourth goal. That’s the complete game the coaches have been wanting to see from Lardis, and he was on it tonight.
What an effort by Nick Lardis to pick up his third point of the game: t.co/TAJWwFYR6C pic.twitter.com/hw1fY8eBnP
— BHF (@BlackhawksFocus) March 25, 2026Star 3: Anton Frondell
Frondell took the game-opening faceoff… and then watched Schaefer score. But he looked good in his first period in the NHL. He was credited with one hit in 5:35 on the ice (1:05 of which was on the top power play unit) in the first period, and picked up his first career point with a nice steal and helper on an Ilya Mikheyev goal to give the Blackhawks the lead. First NHL point usually gets you my first start, but the efforts from Söderblom and Lardis were too much to ignore.
#Blackhawks lead 2-1 Ilya Mikheyev ANTON FRONDELLFirst career NHL point for Frondell pic.twitter.com/yJeo8iEHK4
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) March 24, 2026Key Takeaways
Nazar set up Lardis for the first goal of the night and Lardis returned the favor on Nazar’s 12th goal of the season in the second period. That line was outstanding tonight! After three games without a point, Nazar posted his fifth multi-point game of the month tonight.GOAL: Nick Lardis steals and sets up Frank Nazar who scores his 12th goal of the season. pic.twitter.com/9ufCWKI4q3
— BHF (@BlackhawksFocus) March 25, 2026 Bertuzzi picked up the second assist on Lardis’ goal to get the Blackhawks on the board and then scored Chicago’s third goal of the opening period (with Lardis getting the second assist). Bertuzzi has been so good all year and he was buzzing with his two young linemates early in the game. The Lardis goal really woke the Blackhawks up in the first when they were fairly flat out of the gate.GOAL: Tyler Bertuzzi cleans up Alex Vlasic's shot for his 29th goal of the season. pic.twitter.com/TNnqyITXsA
— BHF (@BlackhawksFocus) March 24, 2026 Quietly, Artyom Levshunov skated 16:03 with two hits and four shot attempts (two on net) thru two periods. His partner on the blue line, Alex Vlasic, attempted a team-leading six shots (two on net) with two takeaways and an assist in 14:43 thru two periods. That tandem is quickly developing into something to watch. The power play wasn’t awesome tonight. It hasn’t been great at times this year, but we should expect a bit of an adjustment period with Frondell joining the top unit. Landon Slaggert took a tipped puck to the face and looked like he needed some nose repairs in the middle of the first period. He was able to return before the end of the first period. Matthew Schaefer is a special, special player. It seemed like every shift he took on the ice he grabbed your attention. Ethan Del Mastro didn’t skate much, but he was solid when he as on the ice. As far as sixth defensemen go, he’s winning points every night. And I like how physical he and Louis Crevier are as a pair. Frondell took the game-opening faceoff. Nice moment.Bedard has Frondell take the opening draw. Puck has dropped on Long Island pic.twitter.com/HtLELboEsX
— BHF (@BlackhawksFocus) March 24, 2026Hence then, the article about blackhawks 4 islanders 3 three stars key takeaways was published today ( ) and is available on Bleacher Nation ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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