Nazar scores on power play in OT, Blackhawks defeat Mammoth

CHICAGO -- Frank Nazar scored a power-play goal at 2:36 of overtime to give the Chicago Blackhawks a 3-2 victory against the Utah Mammoth at United Center on Monday.

Nazar put a wrist shot from the slot past Vitek Vanecek for the game-winner. 

The Blackhawks are 3-0-0 against the Mammoth this season. The teams play at Utah on Thursday.

The goal capped an emotional night for the Blackhawks, who paid tribute before and during the game to Troy Murray, who died at 63 on Saturday. Murray played for the Blackhawks as a forward from 1982-91 and was their longtime radio analyst.

“Especially the meaning of today’s game with Troy Murray,” Nazar said of his game-winning goal. “He’s definitely up there watching and guiding us, and he made a big impact on a lot of our lives and our organization.”

Connor Bedard had two assists and Drew Commesso made 22 saves for the Blackhawks (24-29-11). Commesso was recalled from Rockford of the American Hockey League on Saturday because goalie Spencer Knight has been ill. In three games this season, Commesso is 2-1-0, including a 3-0 shutout at the Nashville Predators on Jan. 10.

“Very well,” coach Jeff Blashill said of how Commesso played. “I like Drew’s demeanor. I thought coming out of camp we definitely had a number of good goalies, and obviously (Arvid Soderblom) and ‘Knighter’ have played very well for us. But certainly, fully confident in Drew coming in and playing well. He’s got a good demeanor to him. The last two starts have been really good, but he just has a good demeanor to him, so certainly confident when he goes in there.”

Vanecek made 23 saves for the Mammoth (34-25-5), who had won three in a row.

Utah holds the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference, six points ahead of the Seattle Kraken. Seattle has two games in hand.  

“We didn’t play our ‘A’ game, but we found a way to get a point on the road,” said Mammoth coach Andre Tourigny. “Now we have a big game (Tuesday at the Minnesota Wild), and we need to get more points. But I think we cannot discredit the guys to find a way at the end to dig deep and close the game and get that big point. Obviously would have loved to have a second point, but the team [on] the other side, they play us hard since the beginning of the season. Tonight, it’s not like we didn’t try.” 

Barrett Hayton gave the Mammoth a 1-0 lead at 9:43 of the first period. Nick DeSimone flipped the puck toward the net from the right point, and Hayton deflected it over Commesso’s right shoulder.

Andrew Mangiapane, acquired by the Blackhawks last week in a trade with the Edmonton Oilers, scored his first Chicago goal at 13:46 to tie the game 1-1. Ryan Donato threw the puck toward the crease from the right face-off circle, and it went into the net off Mangiapane’s body.

Dylan Guenther put Utah back ahead 2-1 at 16:26 with his 30th goal of the season. Clayton Keller moved into the left circle and passed in front to Guenther, who put the puck between the pads of Commesso.

“A really good backcheck by ‘Schmaltzie’,” Guenther said of teammate Nick Schmaltz. “Kind of a 2-on-1 with me and [Keller]. Usually, we try to get it up, but I felt the goalie was there, so I just tried to slide it through. I got lucky, and it went in. Nice play by those two guys.”

Guenther reached the 30-goal mark for the first time in his career.

“It’s nice,” he said. “That’s kind of what’s gotten me into the League, being able to score, and I think I’ve rounded out my game and become a more complete player. But that’s still what I’m good at, and it’s nice to contribute that way.”

Andre Burakovsky tied the game at 15:35. Bedard’s shot was deflected off the end board. Burakovsky, at the side of the crease, picked up the puck and banked it in off Vanecek.

The goal was Burakovsky’s first since Jan. 7. He missed an open net from in close during the first period.

“I was going to slap my own head when I missed that first one from Frankie (Nazar),” he said. “It’s been hard. It’s been hard to find the back of the net. I was kind of annoyed when I missed that one. So it was nice to see one go in for once.” 

NOTES: Bedard recorded his 116th NHL assist to surpass Eddie Olczyk for the most by a Blackhawks player age 20 or younger.  … Bedard had his 44th multipoint game. He tied Denis Savard for the most by a Blackhawks player at age 20 or younger.