From Chicago Sun-Times · · 1m 20s
Connor Bedard ignites Blackhawks' offense
Connor Bedard scores first point as Blackhawks beat Penguins 5-3.
In brief
Connor Bedard scores first point as Blackhawks beat Penguins 5-3. Connor Bedard earned an assist in his season debut to help Blackhawks defeat Penguins 5-3. Originally reported by Chicago Sun-Times.
Connor Bedard returns
Connor Bedard returned to Blackhawks after left shoulder surgery, earning his first point of the season.
“I remember last year when I came back, I got blown up my first shift”
Bedard's first assist
Bedard set up Roman Kantserov for a power play goal in the first period.
“Connor Bedard's first point of the season: pic.twitter.com/pWNxolGAdz”
Blackhawks win 5-3
Blackhawks defeated Penguins 5-3 with goals from Anton Frondell, Teuvo Teravainen and others.
“Anton Frondell’s trio with Tyler Bertuzzi and Teuvo Teravainen scored the other three goals”
Bedard's stats
Bedard finished with 3 shots on goal, 6-of-14 faceoffs, and 21 minutes of ice time.
“Bedard finished the night with that assist, three shots on goal and a 6-of-14 faceoff line”
Line chemistry
Blashill praised Bedard, Kantserov and Kane for creating space and scoring effectively.
“Connor creates separation a lot, so he creates space”
Shooting issues
Blackhawks recorded only 20 shots on goal despite strong offensive firepower.
“We had opportunities when we could really strike and attack, and we didn’t shoot”
Jordan Greenway's insight
Greenway noted teams should focus on getting pucks to the net rather than outside play.
“A lot of times...teams possess the puck a lot on the outside”
Byram's penalty
Byram earned his first Hawks assist but was penalized for slashing.
“It’ll help me on bad days, [when] you’re leaving the rink and you’re maybe a little down on yourself”
Blashill's line strategy
Blashill explained balancing line chemistry with flexibility due to injuries and new players.
“We just haven’t gotten there. Three things make that hard: injuries/suspensions, new players...and young players”
Teravainen's goal
Teravainen scored the game-winning goal with 4:18 left in the game.
“Anton Frondell’s trio with Tyler Bertuzzi and Teuvo Teravainen scored the other three goals”
Game impact
Bedard's return energized Blackhawks offense after a month-long absence.
“He proved right away that he felt confident in his shoulder strength”
Next steps
Blackhawks aim to maintain strong offensive performance despite shooting issues.
“Blashill would like to see the shoot-first mentality rub off on others”
The bottom line
Connor Bedard earned an assist in his season debut to help Blackhawks defeat Penguins 5-3.
