March 9, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Blackhawks right winger Ilya Mikheyev (95) shoots the puck against Utah Mammoth goalie Vitek Vanecek (41) during the second quarter at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Image Frank Nazar hit a power play 2:36 into overtime and Connor Bedard had two assists to lift the host Chicago Blackhawks to a 3-2 win over the Utah Mammoth on Monday.
Drew Commesso made 22 saves for the Blackhawks, who halted a three-game skid by ending the Mammoth’s three-game winning streak.
Andrew Mangiapane and Andre Burakovsky also scored for the Blackhawks.
Vitek Vanecek made 23 saves for Mammoth, which got first period strikes from Barrett Hayton and Dylan Guenther.
Utah outscored Chicago 8-6 in the third period, but the Blackhawks mostly led the pace. Vanecek was particularly sharp midway through the period, sliding in to block Bedard on the best opportunity from the slot on a Ryan Greene feed from the sideboard.
Najjar lost his handle on the breakaway before scoring the game-winning wrist shot. Utah’s Nick Schmaltz tripped Burakovsky at the 1:56 mark to give Chicago the man advantage.
Utah took a 2-1 lead into the first intermission as the two teams combined for three goals in a span of 6:43.
Hatton opened the scoring at 9:43 in the first period by redirecting Nick DeSimone’s long wrist shot from the point where it was passing Comeso. Mangiapane scored his first goal for Chicago less than four minutes later. Ryan Donato’s shot from the right circle was deflected in the direction of Mangiapane as he battled for position in the crease.
Mammoth regained the advantage at 16:26 when Guenther placed a wrist shot to Commesso’s five-hole to complete a 2-on-1 break at the Chicago blue line. This was Günter’s 30th goal of the season.
The Blackhawks tied the game at 15:35 of the second period on Burakovsky’s first goal since Jan. 7.
After Bedard’s shot went wide, Burakovsky collected the rebound from behind the net and placed the puck over Vanecek’s blocker and into the top of the net.
Commesso started in goal with Spencer Knight sidelined due to illness and Arvid Soderblom rested after Sunday’s 4-3 overtime loss at Dallas.
Monday marked Commesso’s first NHL action since earning his first win in his fourth career start with a 36-save shutout at Nashville on Jan. 10.
Mammoth went 0-for-2 on the power play while the Blackhawks went 1-for-4.
Chicago, tied for last place in the Central Division, defeated fourth-place Utah for the third time this season in the most attempts. The two clubs are scheduled to conclude their season series in Utah on Thursday.
–Field level media
