Chicago Blackhawks

Ivan Demidov Shines in Debut, But Canadiens Fall to Blackhawks

Ivan Demidov dazzled in his NHL debut but the Canadiens’ failed to clinch a playoff berth in an odd shootout loss to the Blackhawks.

by
Jim Parsons
April 14, 2025

Despite a dazzling debut from top prospect Ivan Demidov, the Montreal Canadiens fell 4-3 to the Chicago Blackhawks in a shootout Monday night at the Bell Centre, missing a chance to clinch a playoff spot.

Demidov, the 19-year-old Russian sensation who signed his entry-level contract earlier this month, wasted no time making his presence felt. On just his second shift, he pulled off a slick move around Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy and fired a centering pass from behind the net to Alex Newhook, who buried his 15th goal of the season to open the scoring.

Moments later, Demidov brought the Bell Centre crowd to its feet by scoring his first NHL goal. Taking advantage of a fortunate bounce off the end boards, he collected the puck and deked around Chicago goalie Arvid Soderblom before finishing with a smooth backhand at 13:32 of the first period.

Demidov Came as Advertised for the Canadiens

By the end of the first period, Demidov had already recorded a goal and an assist, showing fans that he was capable of living up to lofty expectations. He is certainly special, and it’s clear he is going to be a force for the Canadiens that teams are going to have to contend with.

Adding him to an already young and talented roster should make the Habs dangerous.

Ivan Demidov Canadiens goal — Ivan Demidov scores first goal for the Canadiens

Unfortunately, Demidov’s debut ended in disappointment for the Canadiens and the fans. Montreal had the lead but was unable to protect it. They ultimately lost in a shootout, which in itself was dramatic.

Frank Nazar’s shootout attempt was initially called a miss, but after review, it was overturned and called a goal as the puck got stuck in the back of the net.

Earlier in the shootout, Frank Nazar’s attempt was initially ruled no-goal, but a shot later, it was overturned after a review showed he did score 🤯 pic.twitter.com/C0kQUgWp7J
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 15, 2025

With the loss, Montreal remains at 89 points. The Columbus Blue Jackets, sitting at 85 points, still have a chance to overtake them with two games remaining—at Philadelphia and home against the Islanders. However, Columbus must do so with more regulation wins to claim the second tiebreaker.

While the playoff picture remains uncertain, one thing is clear: Ivan Demidov has arrived.

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