Is this the version of Ilya Mikheyev the Chicago Blackhawks have been waiting for all along? The right wing flirted with a hat trick, scoring the Hawks’ first two goals in a 3-1 win over the Seattle Kraken on Thursday night at the United Center. The Hawks certainly got the version of linemate Teuvo Teräväinen they were expecting. He had the primary assist on both Mikheyev goals. In fact, Teräväinen and Mikheyev have combined on five goals over the last three games, all Hawks wins. “Finnish-Russian connection is solid right now,” Nick Foligno said. “‘Teravainev,’ we’re going to call them.” In the third period, rookie defenseman Nolan Allan scored his first NHL goal on a hesitation rooftop strike. As big of a milestone as that was for him, he helped the Hawks get a huge monkey off their back: for the first time since late February 2023, the Hawks have won three straight games. “Well, it should be good, right?” interim coach Anders Sorensen replied when asked about the psychological effect on the team. “It should be a good building block for the group. You should feel good tonight, and then let’s get back at it (at practice) tomorrow. But it was a big step for the group, (a) young group.” The last time Hawks owned a three-game win streak — before going on to win five straight — was Feb. 21, 2023, against the Vegas Golden Knights. To put their stretch of futility into perspective, only five Hawks who played in that 2023 game remain on the roster: Jason Dickinson, Philipp Kurashev, Connor Murphy, Petr Mrázek and Seth Jones. “I think it’s the first one since I’ve been here,” Foligno said, which is true. “It’s a good feeling. It’s a credit to the guys and believing in what we’re trying to do here and knowing there’s more to give and expecting more of ourselves. “I think we’re excited (about) the direction we’re going with Anders here, and he’s done a great job of coming in and solidifying some things. … Guys are realizing it’s not just always on the score sheet. What you’re doing to negate plays, it’s making a big difference in our team game right now.” Here are four takeaways from the win. 1. What’s clicking for Mikheyev? Blackhawks right wing Ilya Mikheyev (95) and his teammates celebrate his goal against the Kraken in the second period at the United Center in Chicago on Dec. 19, 2024. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune) Mikheyev had two goals and four assists in his first 28 games. He’s now on a three-game goal streak and has piled up four goals and an assist in that span. Thursday, he scored the opening goal for the second time in three games — and the Hawks’ first goal for a third straight game — for a 1-0 lead in the second period. Teräväinen seamed the pass to Mikheyev to help the Hawks score first for a league-leading 21st time. Honestly, Mikheyev muscled his way to the doorstep and was in the right place at the right time for Teräväinen to pinball the puck. On a third-period rush, Teräväinen temporarily lost control of the puck but regained it in time to Mikheyev, who was streaking up the middle, then Mikheyev beat Kraken goalie Joey Daccord top-shelf. Former coach Luke Richardson tried the Mikheyev-Dickinson-Teräväinen for three games in early November, but the trio didn’t produce like they have for Sorensen: a 13-6 edge in scoring chances and 4-1 edge in goals. Mikheyev said, “I think our line plays simple hockey sometimes but it’s what we need right now. Dicky has great speed and everybody helps each other. Teuvo’s a smart guy and he finds us, for sure.” Photos: Chicago Blackhawks 3, Seattle Kraken 1 Mikheyev and Teräväinen, in particular, have been building chemistry. “They want the puck and they want to make plays when the game’s on the line,” Sorensen said. “I think they’ve been competing really hard off the puck, which is a huge part of it.” Mikheyev said the lines don’t matter as much as everyone getting on the same page within the system. “The whole team has started to play (with) more details,” he said. “When everybody’s on the same page, it’s (easier) for the team.” 2. Odd-man rushes oddly came up empty. The Hawks probably spent the first intermission kicking themselves in the keister. To say they blew some big chances would be an understatement. According to naturalstattrick.com, they led 9-2 in high-danger chances – all five-on-five, no power plays. You can just tsk-tsk at these examples of “miss” behavior: Mikheyev shot wide on a gaping net. Yes, the puck was twirling, but he could’ve pushed it with a pool cue and the puck would’ve gone in. Ryan Donato and Connor Bedard had a mini two-on-one after Donato stripped Jared McCann in the Kraken’s end. But Bedard passed on a shot and dished to Donato, and Daccord stretched his pad to deny him. Tyler Bertuzzi hit the right post, which seems to be a recurring theme for him. Bedard and Donato got another odd-man rush going – this time a three-on-one rush with Taylor Hall trailing between them, but Daccord easily turned away Hall’s straight-on shot. Joey Anderson got robbed on back-to-back shots. At least the Hawks were the ones creating chances, Foligno said. “Unfortunately, earlier in the year we would get impatient in that,” he said. “We would be, ‘Oh, we’re not scoring, I’m going to do something extra there.’ “We just stuck with it and stuck with it and, boom, we get a goal. Now we’re up by one and your team game doesn’t collapse because you open yourself out (to an opponent scoring). You just allow your team game to come.” 3. Allan reaches a longtime goal – an NHL goal. Blackhawks defenseman Nolan Allan scores his first NHL goal in the third period against the Kraken at the United Center on Dec. 19, 2024. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune) Allan passed cross-ice to Donato, and Donato gave it back for Allan to flush it short-side on Daccord. Allan raised his arms and Foligno was the first to hug him. “You always get excited when you see a guy score his first goal, especially him,” Foligno said. “He’s done everything right since he’s been here. He’s a great kid that everyone loves in this room. We’re thrilled with the kind of career he’s going to have.” Allan said of the moment, “It’s something you dream of. It was pretty cool that it was kind of a big goal, gave us a little bit of a cushion there. Just a fun game to be part of and a super exciting moment.” Allan’s goal required him to drive on the goal, a risk for a defenseman. “Just with Anders’ system, he wants us more involved, getting up the ice, getting more involved in the offensive zone whether it just be pinching or jumping by guys and getting opportunities,” Allan said. 4. Did Kaapo Kakko get himself in deep caca? You can debate whether the Kraken winger threw his former New York Rangers teammates under the bus. “I know we’re losing games, but I think it’s just easy to take the young guy and put him out,” he said Tuesday, according to reports, about getting healthy-scratched Sunday. “I’ve not been the worst guy, (but) that was me out of the lineup.” A day later, Kakko was traded to Seattle and played his first game against the Hawks on Thursday. Before the game, he told reporters it had been a tough month “for everybody” on the Rangers. “You don’t have your captain anymore over there, he’s a good guy. Everyone liked him,” Kakko said, referring to Jacob Trouba’s trade to the Anaheim Ducks. “So there were a lot of things going on. When you’re losing games, it’s never a good thing. You want to play, you want to win.” As for himself, “I’ve been here only this morning,” so he had a cram session with a lot of video. “I think the biggest thing they say is just to play your game and not think about it too much.”