After a poor performance in Detroit on Thursday night, the first period needed to be strong from the Blackhawks. The Bruins came out with a familiar game plan: bully the Hawks all over the ice. There were a lot of hugs and facewashes after whistles — and six penalties called (three on each side). The Blackhawks handled the pressure fairly well and had a really strong first 20 minutes: they had a 12-6 advantage in scoring chances and 4-3 advantage in high danger chances. I would argue the first was the best period of the season for Chicago. The Hawks got a power play goal and Boston got a filthy goal from David Pastrňák and the game went to the first intermission tied at one.
We’ve been waiting all year for the Blackhawks’ speed to be an evident difference maker and the team to shoot the puck with intent. We got that today. The Hawks passed their shots on net average for the season by the mid-point of the second period and were adjusting to the heavy contact from Boston well. With eight minutes left in the second period, Anton Frondell had six shots on net — the Bruins had nine. The Blackhawks out-shot the Bruins 14-6 and had a 14-9 advantage in scoring chances and 7-2 advantage in high danger chances in the second period. And yet, when the dust settled after 40 minutes, the game was tied at two.
The officiating continued to be a debacle into the third period, but the Blackhawks penalty kill was exceptional. And they were able to score just after a 4-on-4 (with Connor Bedard in the box) in the middle of the third to take the lead back. Bedard scored a filthy goal to give the Blackhawks a two-goal lead, which they needed because Boston answered 46 seconds later. Unfortunately, the Bruins tied the game with 10 seconds remaining in regulation and a fantastic 60-minute effort required overtime.
The Blackhawks started overtime with their two rookie forwards on the ice. They had some great scoring chances but didn’t finish, and a shot that has to be stopped won the game for the Bruins.
This was the most complete game the Blackhawks have played this season, but their goaltending let them down. Big time.
Star 1: Anton Frondell
For the regulars here, how many times have I begged for the Blackhawks to put Patrick Kane in a position to feed Frondell the way Nikita Kucherov fed Steven Stamkos for years in Tampa? On the Blackhawks’ first power play, we got a look at what that might be. And sweet heavens almighty the hammer from the rookie is the truth.
#Blackhawks power play goal ? Anton Frondell? Patrick Kane, Connor Bedard pic.twitter.com/B0JoIbdr1y
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) October 31, 2026Frondell was feeling it today; watch this move from later in the first period. He won all four of his faceoffs and had four individual scoring chances in 6:04 in the first period; no other Blackhawks skater had more than two. He then redirected a Tyler Bertuzzi shot for his second goal of the game early in the second period. At the end of 40 minutes, Frondell had 10 shot attempts and six individual scoring chances.
2-1 #Blackhawks ? Anton Frondell (2nd of the day)? Tyler Bertuzzi, Sam Rinzel pic.twitter.com/Pygfq9Z4AS
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) October 31, 2026Star 2: Ryan Greene
Back in Boston where he was a co-captain for the BU Terriers, Greene was terrific. His work on the PK was marvelous, and he scored a go-ahead goal in the middle of the third period just after a 4-on-4 expired. Greene is getting the nod here but there’s an asterisk here because the overall penalty kill was awesome.
GOAL: Ryan Greene scores on a 3-on-1 break to retake the lead! pic.twitter.com/EiqVX655EH
— BHF (@BlackhawksFocus) October 31, 2026Star 3: Connor Bedard
Bedard had an assist on Frondell’s power play goal and scored this filthy goal in the third period:
GOAL: Connor Bedard WHAT A GOAL! Blackhawks up 4-2. pic.twitter.com/IBlhbKrDGt
— BHF (@BlackhawksFocus) October 31, 2026Key Takeaways
Late in the second period, Alex Vlasic dropped the gloves with Casey Mittelstadt. As they were engaged, Nikita Zadorov came in and started throwing cheap shots. And, as the refs pulled Vlasic out of the pile, Zadorov threw this cheap punch. It’s right there for all to see. This is a cheap and dirty as it gets. He should get launched from a handful of games for this. But… Player Safety is a joke so we’ll see if they care. Somehow the Blackhawks didn’t get a power play out of this. An absolute embarrassment from the officials on the ice. A garbage play that’s on brand from the player.Zadorov dragged Vlasic out of the pile and threw a punch. Blashill is pissed: t.co/Wf3An35RtK pic.twitter.com/qP2rikgo1Y
— BHF (@BlackhawksFocus) October 31, 2026 The refs let this game go way too much, but the Blackhawks responded to the physicality well. They had 11 hits and 7 blocked shots thru two periods, led by three blocks from Vlasic. You know how much I’ve begged the Blackhawks to stop skating Frondell in a defensive posture and give him offensive opportunities? Frank Nazar‘s line saw most of Pastrňák’s line this afternoon. And they were good: while Nazar’s line was on the ice at 5-on-5, the Blackhawks out-shot the Bruins with Pastrňák on the ice 7-1 thru two periods (in 5:19). Nazar was on the ice with Boston’s net empty late in regulation when Boston scored, but he was individually really good today and his line was solid in a defensive assignment. Ethan Del Mastro was last on the roster in ice time, but I really liked his game. He skated with the puck well, moved it well and played physical around/behind the Blackhawks’ net. At the end of two periods, he had only skated 7:48 but was tied for the team lead with two high danger scoring chances and had the second highest individual expected goals for (0.47) on the Blackhawks behind only Frondell (0.48). Ryan Donato jumped up to Bedard’s line and showed well. He was tied for the team lead with two high danger chances thru two periods and had two hits. Importantly, he jumped in and tried to pull Zadorov off Vlasic when the scrum started. Arvid Söderblom has to be better. The skaters in front of him played their tails off today. This should have been a regulation win. But it’s another loss because the Bruins scored three unanswered goals. This performance has to give the organization pause — and at least a moment to consider Drew Commesso. Teuvo Teräväinen and Kevin Korchinski got the press box today so the Blackhawks could get everyone in the lineup on the dads/mentors trip. Andrew Mangiapane took the place of Teräväinen, Del Mastro skated for Korchinski.Hence then, the article about blackhawks 4 bruins 5 ot 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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