Blackhawks’ Connor Bedard comes so close to recording first NHL hat trick originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Presented by Nationwide Insurance Agent Jeff Vukovich
Chicago Blackhawks rookie phenom Connor Bedard scored two goals in the second period on Sunday against the Arizona Coyotes, and the 18,666 fans at the United Center weren’t the only ones who started to think about a potential hat trick for No. 98.
“It’s kind of an obvious answer, but yes,” Bedard said smiling when asked if it crossed his mind. “You always want to score goals. You’re not playing thinking about it but you always want to score.”
Bedard came so close to completing the hat trick in the third period after he had a 2-on-1 with Colin Blackwell, but the puck flubbed on the shot. He had half the net open but the shot went wide.
“If I was any good, I’d put it in,” Bedard half-joked. “But unfortunately it slid off.”
Later in the period, Blackwell scored his first career NHL hat trick, which was a really memorable moment for him. But the fans selfishly wanted more.
In the final minutes of regulation, Bedard was on the ice for one last attempt at a hat trick himself. He logged a 1:07 shift before heading to the bench with 39 seconds left, which drew boos from the crowd. They didn’t want him to leave.
“I didn’t know if it was at me or someone else,” Bedard said of the fans’ reaction. “But I thought that was pretty funny. It was obviously a great atmosphere tonight, so it was fun to be a part of it.”
Bedard finished the night with three points — two goals and a primary assist — and seven shots on goal, which matched a season-high, as the Blackhawks beat the Coyotes 7-4. He also had 13 shot attempts after registering a season-high 16 in Washington on Saturday.
“It’s frustrating,” Bedard said of the recent chances he had been getting but not converting. “As an offensive guy I want to produce, and I think I probably had better games than this one where it wasn’t going in, but it’s nice to get a couple tonight for sure.”
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