Connor Bedard’s return gave the Chicago Blackhawks exactly the jolt they needed Tuesday night, and it showed almost immediately.
After opening the season with just one win in their first six games, Chicago put together one of its sharper efforts of the year and beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-3 at home. In a game that swung back and forth, the Blackhawks matched the moment with a performance that left the crowd feeling plenty better by the final horn.
Bedard was back after a shoulder injury suffered while training delayed his season debut, and he wasted no time getting involved. He helped set up Roman Kantserov on the power play for the first of Kantserov’s two goals, then finished with 21 minutes of strong ice time. That kind of impact is why the Blackhawks feel so different when he’s in the lineup.
The young Russian was one of several Blackhawks who stood out. Kantserov scored twice, Anton Frondell added two assists, and Artyom Levshunov picked up a nifty helper on Kantserov’s second goal. Bedard also had an assist, making it clear that Chicago’s young core was all contributing in meaningful ways.
That group is still going to have its rough edges, and this game had some of them. The Blackhawks gave up goals after defensive lapses and allowed multiple odd-man rushes, leaving Spencer Knight with very little chance to clean up the mess. But even with those breakdowns, it was still one of Chicago’s better defensive showings so far this season, and the mistakes felt like the kind that can be corrected.
There was also a clear sense that the Blackhawks are leaning into a young, fast-moving identity. They like to freewheel, and that can cut both ways, but on Tuesday it leaned more toward the positive. A number of the team’s young players had strong nights, and the whole core looked like it was moving forward together.
Frank Nazar will be back next game after serving a two-game suspension for his hit on the Islanders’ Bo Horvat, which only adds to the sense that Chicago’s young group is starting to get healthier and more dangerous. With Bedard back and Nazar set to return, the Blackhawks suddenly look a lot tougher on paper.
That matters with a demanding stretch still ahead. Chicago has five home games left in this stand - against the Winnipeg Jets, Dallas Stars, Montreal Canadiens, Florida Panthers, and Los Angeles Kings - and if it can tighten up the obvious mistakes, it has a chance to turn this win into something more.
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Justin Brazeau also remains part of the conversation around the Penguins, though his situation still has him skating on his own and not traveling with the team. For a club that is trying to keep its blue line and lineup options intact, those kinds of absences can pile up quickly, and the coming days should give a better read on how soon that depth might start to return. [Read more 🡒]