Injury-depleted Chicago can't keep up with slick skating, slick passing New York in 4-1 loss.
Blackhawks and NHL rookie scoring leader Connor Bedard was named to the 2024 NHL All-Star game on Thursday.
That was just about it when it came to good news for Chicago. The injury-depleted Blackhawks just couldn't keep up with the slick-skating, slick-passing New York Rangers in a 4-1 loss at Madison Square Garden.
Chicago dropped its fourth straight to fall to 11-25-2. Missing six injured forwards and top defenseman Seth Jones, the Blackhawks have scored just six goals during their most recent slide.
"We're having tough luck around the net right now," coach Luke Richardson said. "And this time of year they're starting to get harder around the net. We're going to have to get harder and try to find something.
"I don't know how many teams can absorb this many injuries... but we have to deal with it," he added. See following video.
Petr Mrazek made 28 saves.
Chicago's Colin Blackwell scored his first goal since undergoing hernia surgery last March. His nifty in-close move to beat Igor Shesterkin with 2:57 left in the second period cut the Rangers' lead to 2-1 and seemed to give the Blackhawks some momentum.
Then goals by Jacob Trouba and Jimmy Vesey 1:10 apart early in third upped New York's advantage to 4-1, deflated the Hawks and sealed it. The Rangers improved to 26-10-1 and a league-best 53 points.
Bedard Report
Bedard is set to become the youngest player in league history to skate in an All-Star contest. Bedard will be 18 years, 202 days old when the game takes place on Feb. 3, 2024 in Toronto.
He was informed about the honor before the game by Richardson.
"I'm sure it's very exciting time for him and his family," Richardson said. "This is a good perk for him to put in his pocket. Hopefully it gives a little lift to him and his game."
Bedard had a couple of scoring chances and set up a dandy by Ryan Donato late in the first period. He finished with three shots on goal and took three other that were blocked or went wide.
The 32 players named All-Stars on Thursday – 28 skaters and four goalies – were selected by the NHL's Hockey Operations Department. One player was chosen from each team.
Bedard is the first Blackhawks rookie to be named an All-Star since Hall-of Fame goalie Tony Esposito in 1969-70.
The next two youngest Chicago All-Stars were Patrick Kane (20 years, 67 days) and Jonathan Toews (20 years, 271 days.)
Game Flow
Former Blackhawk Artemi Panarin opened the scoring 13 minutes in with an overpowering one-timer that zipped under Mrazek's pads for his 24th goal. Panarin took Alex Lafrenière's cross-ice pass and fired from his favorite shooting spot, the left circle.
Bedard lost the puck to start that rush. The rookie nearly atoned with under 2 minutes in the period when he stole the puck from K'Andre Miller at center ice, turned and led a 3-on-2 into the New York zone.
Bedard fed Donato for a shot from the left circle, but Shesterkin blocked it.
Chris Kreider made it 2-0 with a power-play goal at 7:25 of the second. Kreider knocked a loose puck into the net with his skate as he was stopping, sending Mrazek into a tizzy.
But the goal withstood a video review after it was determined Kreider didn't advance the puck with a kicking motion.
Blackwell cut it to 2-1 with 2:57 left in the second, scoring his first goal of the season with a nifty in-close move on Shesterkin. Newcomer defenseman Jaycob Megna hit Boris Katchouk with a stretch pass up left wing and Katchouk dished across to Blackwell.
The Rangers iced it with goals by Jacob Trouba and Jimmy Vesey 1:10 apart early in the third.