10 Observations: Blackhawks Shut Out by Blues

The Blackhawks were shut out by the St. Louis Blues 4-0 at the United Center on Sunday.

Here are 10 observations from the loss:

1. The last time these two teams met on Feb. 12, the Blackhawks recorded a season-low 16 shots on goal. It wasn’t a great effort. They were better at creating chances in this game — they finished with 30 shots on goal and 23 scoring chances — but couldn't find the back of the net, two nights after matching a season-high with eight goals. It was the sixth time this season the Blackhawks have been shut out.

2. The Blues are a dangerous second-period team and we saw why. They scored three times in the middle frame, giving them a league-best 69 on the season. Their second-period goal differential also improved to +28.

3. The Blackhawks generated five high-danger chances during 5-on-5 action in the first period, per Natural Stat Trick. They had zero in the next two periods combined.

4. Tough second goal to give up for the Blackhawks. Henrik Borgstrom won the defensive zone draw cleanly but Caleb Jones and Connor Murphy couldn't gain possession of the puck and it ended up in the back of their own net. That's a self-inflicted wound and a gift for Pavel Buchnevich.

5. Kirby Dach was one of the most noticeable players on the ice, for both sides. He had three shots on goal in the first period alone and finished with four. His career-high is five, which came against Colorado on Opening Night. He's had a shooting mentality over the last two games after going three straight without putting a shot on net.

6. Jordan Binnington improved to 4-0-1 in five career starts against the Blackhawks. Two of those games resulted in shutouts. He had an .894 save percentage in his previous four outings but this was obviously one of his better games against a divisional rival after stopping all 30 shots he faced.

7. The Blackhawks scored three power-play goals on Friday but it was inconsistent in this game. They generated only two shots on goal on their three opportunities.

8. The Blackhawks didn't do Marc-Andre Fleury any favors. It could've gotten ugly if he hadn't made some of the Grade-A stops he did in the second period, which is saying something because the Blues already took a 3-0 lead into the second intermission. The one he'd really like to have back is the fourth goal, but the game was out of reach at that point.

9. Isaak Phillips was recalled on Saturday and drew into the lineup. It was his fourth career NHL game. He skated on the top pair with Seth Jones, had two shots on goal, two hits, one takeaway, one blocked shot and drew two penalties in 16:47 of ice time. I think he's going to be a solid player. Good instincts, big body, two-way defenseman. What a nice find he might turn out to be as a fifth-round pick in 2020.

10. Quote of the game from Seth Jones: "I hope it's getting through our heads here. It sucks losing like this, at home the way we're losing. It's not fun for us, for the fans, for anybody."