Sliding Blackhawks In Identity Crisis, Even With Addition of Connor Bedard, Others.

Buoyed by the addition of No. 1 draft pick Connor Bedard, other prospects and several decorated veterans, the Chicago Blackhawks thought they were finding their way back to competitiveness this season.

At least for the time being, the Blackhawks have lost their direction — and desired team identity — coach Luke Richardson said after a mostly listless 4-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Sunday. 

The defeat dropped Chicago to 6-13-0, a worse winning percentage than the 26-49-9 record the Hawks had last season to put them in the hunt for Bedard. Chicago has lost six of seven.

"Our team (identity) is a relentless work habit and I thought we created that last year," Richardson said. "We're tracking hard. We're on top of them hard. 

"I think we were loose tonight. We weren't as physical. It means just playing hard. I think we're watching the game and hoping it's going to go our way. I think you have to make it go your way." See video.

Bedard, who entered as the NHL rookie scoring leader, was held off the scoresheet. The 18-year-old settled for three shots on goal and attempted three more.

Ryan Donato scored in the first period and set up Boris Katchouk's breakaway goal with 1:02 left in the third period and the game out of reach.

Arvid Söberblom made 24 saves in his second straight start. The Blues Jordan Binnington blocked 32 shots and was solid in the third period when finally tested.

Blackhawks players held another meeting following Sunday's defeat. Once again, a sleepy start doomed them.

Chicago wasn't ready for the 1 p.m. puck drop. The Blues were wide awake.

"We just weren't alert, kind of like aware tonight," Richardson said.

"I don't know what the problem is," Donato added."But obviously you can't go down right away at the beginning. It's probably an easier solution; just have guys that are ready to play right away."

St. Louis led 3-1 after one period. The Blackhawks found themselves in a hole early again as an opponent scored first for the 12th time in Chicago's 19 games. The Hawks dropped to 4-8-0 when opponents get the first goal.

The Blackhawks were able to come back for a 4-3 overtime win on Friday against Toronto after trailing by two goals, but the Blues and Binnington held off Chicago in this one.

Red-hot Jake Neighbours scored twice to give him five goals in five games. Neighbours connected along with Kevin Hayes and Pavel Buchnevich in the first period as the Blues took control.

Chicago rallied for 4-3 overtime win against Toronto on Friday after falling behind 3-1. There was no such pushback on Sunday.

Chicago is sliding from inconsistent to worse.

"Talking about it has been our only consistent thing about consistency," Richardson said. "We can't get it onto the ice."

Forward Nick Foligno, who skated in his 1,100th NHL game, made another plea to his teammates.

"We talked about it," said the 36-year-old Foligno, a former captain with Columbus. "It's building winning habits in here and understanding what they are. That's what we have to learn in here, is just how to do it over and over again. Sometimes it's not fun or exciting, but it's how you win in this league."

Neighbours opened the scoring 3:21 in. The Blackhawks were still sleeping on this one.

Neither of two Chicago players was able to hold in a routine rim-around on the right boards of the Hawks zone. The puck squirted free, then the speedy Neighbours outraced rookie defenseman Kevin Korchinski down the ice and finished with a backhander.

Hayes made it 2-0 to cap a 3-on-2 rush just over 2 minutes later. He beat Söderblom over the shoulder on the short side.

Donato's deflection of Isaak Phillips' shot with 5:15 left in the first cut it to 2-1. Buchnevich replied with a power-play tap-in from the left edge of the crease just 2:17 later to snuff Chicago's momentum.

Neighbours notched his seventh goal of the season with 6:08 left in the third. Katchouk's breakaway goal completed the scoring.