Kirby Dach had the last laugh in his return to Chicago after being traded to Montreal in July’s NHL Draft. (Getty Images)
Oh how sweet.
Friday’s Thanksgiving game between the Montreal Canadiens and Chicago Blackhawks ended in a thrilling shootout between the two teams, with Kirby Dach and the Canadiens winning 3-2.
As boos rang out from the United Center crowd, Dah put a wrister past Hawks goaltender Arvid Soderblom, ending the tilt in the third round of penalties.
The 21-year-old made sure to let the crowd know what he thought of the salty reception by clutching his ear as he celebrated his goal with a handball.
The game marked Dach’s return to Chicago after he was traded to the Canadiens in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. Dach, selected third overall in 2019, spent three seasons with the Blackhawks before packing his bags for Montreal in July. traded for picks #13 and #66 in the draft.
“It will be great to get back there and see some of the guys and the staff,” Dach said before the game. “It’s good to get it out of the way and move on. Anytime someone gets traded, you want to have a good game against them and prove them wrong. I just hope it’s a good game and we enjoy it.”
It’s safe to say that the change of scenery has helped Dach so far. He’s off to a hot start to the 2022-23 season with four goals and 13 assists in 20 games. Last season, he had just nine goals and 17 assists in 70 games.
Montreal is now fifth in the Atlantic Division with 23 points and an 11-9-1 record. They bounced back from a 7-2 loss against the Buffalo Sabers with a 3-1 win over the Blue Jackets on Wednesday, with Dach scoring the winning goal.
The loss marked the Blackhawks’ sixth straight loss and 10th of the season. They currently sit in last place in the Central Division with 16 points, just three points above the Anaheim Ducks’ league-worst mark of 13.
More from Yahoo Sports
Add Comment