Connor Bedard broke his eight-game scoring drought with two goals and an assist. The 18-year-old Blackhawks rookie narrowly missed netting his first hat trick, too. Bedard scored his 5-on-3 power-play goal with a nifty drag and a pop. [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjA0OTMzODc4NjYwNTM5NzM4/usatsi_22749173_168401008_lowres.jpg] Bedard scored his 5-on-3 power-play goal with a nifty drag and a pop. But checking and energy forward Colin Blackwell did record his first three-goal game in the NHL by scoring into an empty net to seal Chicago's 7-4 win over the Arizona Coyotes on Sunday. After falling behind 2-0, the Blackhawks got rolling and broke through for their highest scoring game of the season. Last-place Chicago is just 3-13-3 in its last 19 contests, but has won two of three — starting with a 5-2 win at Arizona on Tuesday. Blackwell savored the accomplishment that lifted his goal total to eight in 35 games. The 30-year-old journeyman returned to the lineup in December after a difficult recovery from sports hernia surgery about a year ago. “It's come a long way in the past 12 months or so here,” Blackwell said. “So to be able to get the hat trick, it was great.” Colin Blackwell celebrates. [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjA0OTMzODc4MzkyMDM4NzQ2/usatsi_22750267_168401008_lowres.jpg] Colin Blackwell celebrates. Blackwell netted his hat trick by wrapping in a rebound, a swat-in from the crease and then the empty-netter with 2:36 left. "Just to get a couple of dirty ones, I'm grateful just playing with Dickie (Jason Dickinson ) and Joey Andy (Anderson)," Blackwell said. "They just play the game the right way and they put me in really good situations to succeed." See following video. Blackhawks forward Colin Blackwell on his first NHL hat trick in 7-4 win over Coyotes. TRIED TO SET UP BEDARD FOR HAT TRICK Blackwell tried to set up Bedard for the rookie's first three-goal game on a 2-on-1 midway through the third period, but Bedard fired wide. Bedard on the move against Arizona. [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjA0OTMzODc4NjYwNjA1Mjc0/usatsi_22748778_168401008_lowres.jpg] Bedard on the move against Arizona. No worries. Bedard had already broken through and was in good spirits. "If I was any good, I'd put it it," Bedard deadpanned. "Unfortunately, it slid off, but it was a nice play by Blackie. "But it ended up working out with him to be able to get (the hat trick).” Bedard leads NHL rookies with 19 goals and 46 points in 51 games. The center had no goals and four assists in his previous eight contests and was showing his frustration. See story in link. The No. 1 overall pick in last year’s NHL draft attempted 15 shots during Saturday night’s 4-1 loss at Washington, but only four were on net. Bedard was able to kid around after Sunday's win, however. See the following video. Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard on scoring twice and narrowly missing his first NHL hat trick in 7-4 win over Arizona. BIG NIGHT FOR JONES Seth Jones had a career-high four assists for Chicago, and Ryan Donato had a goal and an assist. Tyler Johnson scored the go-ahead power play goal late in the second per, set up by Bedard. Clayton Keller had two goals for Arizona, upping his team-best total to 25 on the season. Nick Schmaltz had a goal and two assists against his first NHL team, and Dylan Guenther also scored. The Coyotes surrendered four power-play goals in their loss to the Blackhawks on Tuesday in Tempe, Arizona, and then allowed two more on Sunday. Arvid Söderblom made 32 saves for Chicago. Connor Ingram stopped 34 shots for Arizona. GAME FLOW Keller opened the scoring during a 4-on-4 stretch 6:09 into the first period. He beat a screened Söderblom high on the stick side. Keller made it 2-0 just 11 seconds into the second. He sped behind the Blackhawks’ defense, took Schmaltz’s feed and slid a low shot past Söderblom’s stick side. Bedard cut it to 2-1 at 5:28 when his centering pass from behind the net deflected in off Arizona defenseman J.J.Moser. “I knew I needed a miracle going so," Bedard said . "That was nice to see that one go in," Bedard said. "I don’t know how or who it went off.” That got Chicago rolling. Blackwell tied it at 2 at 6:57, curling in a rebound of Alex Vlasic’s shot from the point. Bedard put Chicago ahead during a 5-on-3 power play at 10:05. He danced into the slot from the right circle and snapped a shot past Ingram. Blackwell pops in his second goal. [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjA0OTMzODc4MzkyMTA0Mjgy/usatsi_22750013_168401008_lowres.jpg] Blackwell pops in his second goal. Guenther tied it on a rebound with 6:04 left in the second. Set up by Bedard’s diagonal feed across the slot, Johnson ripped in a one-timer from the left side of the net with 2:10 left in the period to put Chicago back in front. Blackwell swatted in his second goal from the crease 33 seconds into the third. Schmaltz ripped in a rebound at 6:51 to complete a flurry. Donato poked the puck free, then moved in to make it 6-4 at 8:00 and stymie any Coyotes momentum. ANATHASIOU RETURN, SLAGGERT DEBUT? Blackhawks forward Andreas Athanasiou, out since Nov. 9 with a groin/hip injury, skated before the game and likely will return this week, coach Luke Richardson said. He was one of only two returning 20-goal scorers from last year's team. Prospect Landon Slaggert, who led Notre Dame in scoring as a senior last season, signed a contract with the Blackhawks on Sunday. Coach Luke Richardson said the 21-year-old Slaggert will be at Chicago's game-day skate on Tuesday before it hosts Anaheim, then likely make his pro debut later in the week. See the story in the link.
