After a slow start, Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard fired away — and connected again — in the Sunshine State.
The NHL's top draft pick of 2023 scored twice against the Florida Panthers, keeping Chicago close in a 4-3 loss.
Bedard has four goals and six points in his last two games, following a two-goal, two-assist night against the Lightning in Tampa on Thursday. With nine goals and four assists in 13 contests overall, Bedard leads all NHL rookies with 13 points.
The center became the fourth Chicago rookie to post back-to-back multi-goal games in the past 40 years.
Bedard said he's just getting "more used to" the play and pace of the NHL.
"That's kind of my goal in games, is try to improve in every game," Bedard said. "Not saying get more points than I did the last game, but just feel more comfortable and feel like I make more plays. But I think that just kind of comes with time"
Slow Start by Chicago
Bedard and the Blackhawks got off to a slow start and were dominated by the Panthers, the 2023 Stanley Cup finalists who extended their winning streak to four games.
"It's frustrating whenever you lose, but they probably deserved it more than us," Bedard said. "We got our chances in the game, which was a good thing, but it's frustrating for sure."
Bedard tried to atone for the early sluggishness, tying the game twice. Eventually Carter Verhaeghe popped in a rebound during a power-play at 2:24 of the third to snap a 3-all deadlock for the game-winner.
Bedard was on the ice for Florida's first goal, by Oliver Ekman-Larsson, just 39 seconds in. He was off the ice, serving a penalty for holding a stick, when Sam Reinhart scored his first of two goals to put the Panthers ahead 2-1.
"I liked our battle, but I just didn't like our start," coach Luke Richardson said.
Reinhart also had two assists as Florida improved to 9-4-1. Chicago dropped to 5-8-0, again failing to win back-to-back games this season.
Two Goals, On Amazing Shots
Bedard tied it at 2 with 56 seconds left in the first with a crafty, jaw-dropping steal and shot.
He snuck in on Florida's Kevin Stenlund in the right corner of the Panthers' zone. Bedard bumped Stenlund off the puck and in one move fired a shot from a sharp angle over Bobrovsky's shoulder to tie it at 2.https://x.com/NHL/status/1723774568987340857?s=20
Reinhart put Florida back in front 7 minutes into the second, bouncing a rebound off the back of Arvid Söderblom's pad.
Bedard tied it at 3 just 1:18 later. He raced down left wing, glanced to the middle and popped a shot over Bobrovsky's glove. The puck ticked off the right post and landed in the net.
Foligno: Bedard Already "Difference-Maker, Gamebreaker"
Nick Foligno, Bedard's 36-year-old linemate, said Bedard is already showing he's a difference-maker who can lift a team that otherwise doesn't deserve to win.
"Some individual efforts, obviously by Connor, and some big goals get us back in the game," Foligno said. "Those are special, both of them, just great individual efforts.
"That's what he does for you. When you have a player like that – I played with a couple – we call them gamebreakers. They either win you a game or keep you in a game like tonight where maybe we didn't deserve that."
Wakey Wakey...
The Blackhawks and Bedard certainly got out of bed early enough to prepare for their matinee at Amerant Bank Arena.
Richardson said a "driven" Bedard showed up in the gym of the team's hotel at about 6:30 a.m. to start his routine for the 1 p.m. game.
But the Panthers were the wide-awake team once the puck dropped, dominating the first period and outskating Chicago to loose pucks. Florida won 13 of 20 faceoffs in the opening frame, reflecting its time with the puck, and outshot the Hawks 15-7.
Through two periods, Florida was outshooting Chicago 26-13. Söderblom's sharp play kept it close.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson opened the scoing off a pretty passing play just 39 seconds in as Bedard and his linemates got crossed up on coverage.
Jason Dickinson tied it at 1 from a scrum at 7:04. Reinhart's screened power-play goal on a deflection at 11:54 — with Bedard off for holding a stick — put Florida back in front.
Another apparent goal by the Panthers was disallowed because Reinhart interfered with Söderblom.
Then Bedard tied it at 2.
Rookie Mistake
When Bedard was sent off for holding the stick at 11:37 of the first, he started to skate into the home team penalty box. Referee Jean Hebert called out and directed him to the correct sin-bin.
Big Hit on Bedard
Florida's Dmitry Kulikov crunched Bedard with a big hit on the right boards at 14:45 of the second. Foligno responded to protect the rookie and was assessed a double-minor for hooking and roughing.
Bedard was OK. Chicago killed Foligno's penalties, too.