10 observations: Connor Bedard scores first NHL goal in Blackhawks’ loss to Bruins originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
BOSTON — The Chicago Blackhawks fell to the Boston Bruins 3-1 at TD Garden on Wednesday in the second of a back-to-back.
Here are 10 observations from the loss:
1. It happened. And it only took four periods. Connor Bedard scored his first career NHL goal at the 5:37 mark of the first period after scoring on a wraparound while following up his own rebound. The first of what should be very, very many in a Blackhawks uniform.
2. Bedard nearly scored his second goal near the end of the first period but he was denied by Linus Ullmark at the doorstep. His parents and sister’s reaction were hilarious, as shown on the TNT broadcast.
3. Arvid Söderblom made his first start of the season, and man was he busy to start this game. He faced a high-danger chance just 12 seconds in, which definitely got him into it. He played very well all night.
4. Taylor Hall left the game on his first shift of the second period after taking a hit from his former teammate Brandon Carlo in the neutral zone. He briefly returned later in the period for a power-play shift, but then went straight back to the locker room. His night was over after that, so the Blackhawks played with 11 forwards the rest of the way. Andreas Athanasiou filled in for Hall on the first line and top power-play unit.
5. The Blackhawks struggled to get pucks on the net in the second period. They had only two shots on goal in the period before peppering a few on net in the final minutes. This was where Boston tilted the game and flexed its muscles.
6. Kevin Korchinski nearly scored his first career NHL goal at the end of the first period when he came down on a 2-on-1 with Bedard. Man, that would’ve been a memorable night for Chicago.
7. Wyatt Kaiser committed two penalties in this game. He was penalized once on Tuesday. That’s three penalties in two games for the rookie defenseman. He did draw one on Wednesday, so that negated one. I don’t forsee this being an issue with him. He’s a good enough skater that he doesn’t need to take penalties to keep up with players, and he doesn’t play undisciplined either.
8. Brad Marchand, who is now the Bruins’ captain, tried getting under the skin of Bedard on multiple occasions. The first was a few shifts after Bedard scored his first NHL goal, and Marchand did so by preventing Bedard from getting to his bench. The second came after Bedard committed a tripping penalty on Marchand, who started jawing with Bedard after the whistle.
9. I did not like this hit by John Beecher on Cole Guttman in the third period that was rightfully called boarding and probably could’ve been a game misconduct. I did like Jason Dickinson’s response, even though he was given an instigator for fighting.
The veterans have been sticking up for their younger players throughout camp and the early part of the season for the Blackhawks. In one of the preseason games, it was Nick Foligno and Corey Perry immediately coming to the defense of second-round pick Martin Misiak after a big hit. Setting a good culture.
10. Ian Mitchell made Boston’s Opening Night roster but he was a healthy scratch in this game. He — and Alec Regula, who’s in the AHL — was traded from Chicago to Boston over the offseason as part of the Hall and Foligno deal. Mitchell landed in a really good spot with his former college coach Jim Montgomery, who should get out the best in him.
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