Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks overcame a disastrous start to secure a key comeback win over the Anaheim Ducks. Several familiar faces reunited at the United Center when Ducks and Hawks went to battle, but there was no place for friendly chatter. Instead, the two sides treated fans to one heated showdown in the NHL season.

Two of the youngest rosters in the league provided one of the best games in the 2025-26 NHL season. During Joel Quenneville’s return to the Windy City, the Ducks came out of the tunnel looking shot out of a cannon. Anaheim scored twice in the opening minute, taking Bedard and company by surprise. The Ducks even took a 3-0 lead in the first period, but the Blackhawks never threw the towel, walking away with a 5-3 victory.

It wasn’t always pretty. More often than not, the game turned chippy, as stars on both sides of the ice went at it. Even Bedard got his hands dirty, as he starred a brief skirmish with Ducks forward Mason McTavish. After the game, Bedard didn’t stutter to put the rest of the league on notice. As skilled as he is, he isn’t afraid to stand up for himself when tempers flare and push comes to shove.

“It’s fun when games get feisty like that,” Bedard confessed during his postgame interview with Chicago Sports Network’s Darren Pang. Bedard sure proved he is up for the task when the tide gets rough, finishing the game with 4 points (2G, 2A). His magical 2025-26 NHL season continues, as the former first overall pick now registers 37 points (16G, 21A).

Bedard and McTavish go at it

Former teammates for Team Canada in the 2022 IIHF World Juniors, Bedard and McTavish sure seemed to have forgotten about their shared history during Chicago’s 5-3 victory. What started off as an argument—with slashes involved—at the faceoff slot led to a spat after the final horn went off at the United Center.

Connor Bedard's net worth: How much money does the Chicago Blackhawks player have?

see also

Connor Bedard’s net worth: How much money does the Chicago Blackhawks player have?

In between those two sequences, Bedard put the game away with an empty-net goal, which he celebrated by staring down the Ducks’ bench. Still, after the game, Bedard expressed nothing but praise for McTavish.

“Yeah, we are pretty close, actually. He is someone that always wants to compete. I was roommates with him. Everything we do, he’s trying to make it a competition,” Bedard commented on McTavish after the game. “I’ll probably go say hello to him right now. Such a great player. He’s a fun guy to play against.”

Connor Bedard

Connor Bedard at the United Center on November 30, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois.

Blackhawks-Ducks could become a classic for years

Chicago and Anaheim boast the third- and seventh-youngest rosters in the NHL, respectively. With both sides taking massive strides this season, it’s easy to believe the Hawks and Ducks could spark a rivalry that lasts for years. Perhaps Sunday’s clash in the City of Big Shoulders will one day be remembered as the league’s first taste of an electric matchup between them.

Those who missed the meeting in Chicago will have another chance soon, as the Blackhawks visit the Ducks on December 7th, hoping to sweep the season series for the first time since the 2021-22 campaign.

SurveyWhich of the following teams has the brightest future?

Which of the following teams has the brightest future?