Bedard, the NHL's leading rookie scorer, left midway through the first period after taking big hit from Brendan Smith. Chicago also loses Nick Foligno in fifth straight defeat. Story updates with videos.
Blackhawks All-Star rookie Connor Bedard left the game after taking a nasty hit midway in the first period, then the New Jersey Devils got third-period goals from Simon Nemec, Michael McLeod and Tyler Toffoli to knock out Chicago 4-2 on Friday night.
Bedard, the NHL's leading rookie scorer, exited after being struck hard in the mouth area by the shoulder of Devils defenseman Brendan Smith. Chicago also lost forward Nick Foligno in an emotional fifth straight loss (0-4-1) and 11th in 13 games (2-10-1).
Coach Luke Richardson had no specifics on the condition of either Bedard and Foligno, other than that both are "banged up" and needed to be checked by team doctors in Chicago on Saturday. See following video.
Jason Dickinson scored his career high 13th goal, on a power play in the first period. Boris Katchouk put Chicago ahead 2-1 with a short-handed score with 1:36 left in the second.
Nemec, who also had an assist, tied it 2-all at 5:41 of the third period. McLeod put the Devils ahead with 8:04 to go on a deflection, then Toffoli's empty-netter iced it.
Arvid Söderblom stopped 28 shots as Chicago battled and finished with a season-high 38 penalty minutes.
Bedard Injured
With Chicago on a power play, Bedard entered the New Jersey zone just to the right side of the slot. The puck was sliding off the rookie's stick as he skated between Erik Haula and Dawson Mercer.
Smith stepped up and decked Bedard with a shoulder to the chin or jaw. Bedard fell to the ice, then popped up and skated straight to the dressing room at 10:49 of the opening frame.
Richardson, a rugged NHL defenseman for 21 seasons, didn't think Smith's hit was especially dirty.
"I think Connor was reaching for the puck and didn't see him (Smith)," Richardson said. "Connor kind of ran head-first into him."
But Bedard was done for the evening. Foligno didn't return after fighting Smith in the second period.
Blackhawks, Foligno Respond
The Blackhawks, led by 36-year-old de facto captain Foligno, responded emotionally and physically.
On the hit, Smith was assessed a minor roughing penalty. Foligno, who tussled with him immediately, got a double-minor.
Foligno then squared off with Smith in a fight at 5:04 of the second.
Foligno issued the challenge to Smith from a faceoff seconds after Chicago rookie defenseman Alex Vlasic dropped his gloves with New Jersey's Nathan Bastian. Mercer and Blackhawks forward Ryan Donato were assessed roughing penalties in the skirmish.
"That's the culture we want to build here," defenseman Jarred Tinordi said. "Nick drives this ship in here.
"There was a little bit more emotion out there tonight and both teams wanted to win bad. You hop over the boards, you want to give it your all and you kind of just shut your brain off and go out and play." See the following video.
Bedard Stats
The 18-year-old Bedard entered with 15 goals and 33 assists, both NHL-leading totals for rookies, in 38 games. The NHL's top draft pick of 2023, Bedard became the youngest player named to the league's All-Star game on Thursday.
Bedard entered Friday in a slump along with his depleted team. The rookie had just one point, an assist, in his previous four games.
Heading into Friday, Chicago was already without six injured forwards — Taylor Hall, Tyler Johnson, Andreas Athanasiou, Taylor Raddysh, Anthony Beauvillier and Joey Anderson — and top defenseman Seth Jones.
Scoring Flow
With Bedard already out of the game, Dickinson opened the scoring with 4:55 left in the first period on screened shot from the left circle.
Alexander Holtz tied it midway through the second after Chicago's rookie defenseman Kevin Korchinksi's clearing attempt was intercepted. Nemec fed Holtz with a lateral pass for a one-timer.
Katchouk put Chicago ahead 2-1 with 1:36 left in the second. He powered down right wing and scored on rising screened shot. The chance was set up when Reese Johnson blocked a shot in the Chicago zone and Ryan Donato carried it into the Devils zone.
Nemec tied it at 2 at 5:41 of the third, beating Söderblom on the stick side. McLeod's tapped in Curtis Lazar's feed across the crease at 11:56 to put New Jersey ahead for good.