Blackhawks beat Blues for first win after Patrick Kane’s dramatic entrance

The Blackhawks debuted a new team intro video Tuesday. Five minutes later, they debuted another new intro video — just for Patrick Kane.

It was an over-the-top welcome back to Chicago for Kane, complete with massive No. 88 numbers wheeled onto the United Center ice. But perhaps it was rightly dramatic, given the anticipation for the moment.

The Hawks built upon the sellout crowd’s energy with a much-improved and much-needed team effort, beating the Blues 4-2 to earn their first victory of the season.

“Getting ready to go out for the introduction was definitely a little emotional,” Kane said. “You’re skating off the ice and it’s surreal, because [you] didn’t know if you’d have that chance to do it again. So it’s pretty special.”

Kane individually had a quiet night despite skating nearly 21 minutes. He had no points and two shots on goal. His five-year-old son Trick will be satisfied with the result alone, though, and so will his dad.

“Having him around and knowing what’s going on, aware of everything, it makes it that much more special,” Kane said. “He was really stressed out the past few days with us being 0-3. He’s checking the standings and looking at everything already. He’ll be happy we got a win tonight.”

Artyom Levshunov made an incredible play to set up Anton Frondell’s go-ahead goal in the second period, and the Hawks’ defense as a whole had tighter gaps and more active sticks. Goalie Spencer Knight was stellar, too, making 26 saves.

“For us to be a really good team, we have to be on top of people and we have to play fast,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “We have to keep building on that.”

Special guests

Beloved former players Jonathan Toews, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Eddie Olczyk — who just retired from his Kraken broadcasting duties to focus solely on NHL on TNT broadcasts — were in the building for Kane’s big night.

Many of the Hawks’ young players got to meet them for the first time Tuesday morning. Toews stood on the bench during morning skate, chatting with Connor Bedard — who participated in the first half of skate again. Afterward, Toews shook hands with Oliver Moore and Nick Lardis in the locker room.

Hjalmarsson brought his two sons, Theo and Oliver, who collected autographs all around the room. They ended up in a long conversation — in Swedish, of course — with Frondell.

Forward needed

Teuvo Teravainen suffered an apparent ankle or knee injury during the second period and won’t play Thursday at the Islanders, Blashill said.

With Andrew Mangiapane considered week-to-week with his lower-body injury, the Hawks will need to call up another forward.