The Hawks built up a multi-goal lead and never let it slip away while beating the Los Angeles Kings 2-1 out in California on Thursday night.

After a scoreless opening period, the Hawks took a 1-0 lead when Tyler Bertuzzi found Connor Bedard in prime hockey real estate for this relatively easy tap-in goal during a Chicago power play:

GOAL: Connor Bedard FLYING TO THE NET to jam in Bertuzzi’s pass! pic.twitter.com/fAa3O9UYt6

— BHF (@BlackhawksFocus) December 5, 2025

A back-breaking goal arrived just seconds before the second intermission, as Wyatt Kaiser completed this counter-attack with his first goal of the season after a flurry of Kings chances at the other end did not result in a goal:

GOAL: Wyatt Kaiser FIVE-HOLE RIP late in the period! pic.twitter.com/J4LzqUus0y

— BHF (@BlackhawksFocus) December 5, 2025

Around the midway mark of the third period, Trevor Moore scored for LA to make it a 2-1 game:

Trevor Moore cuts the Blackhawks lead in half pic.twitter.com/mvskwVi5Wy

— BHF (@BlackhawksFocus) December 5, 2025

But the Kings couldn’t find the tying goal, allowing the Hawks to pick up the win.

Notes

The Blackhawks speed has been more evident in recent weeks and that was the case once again this evening in a way that didn’t seem to pop off the screen as well when these two teams played back in October. Oliver Moore is here now when he was in Rockford during that prior matchup, and that certainly helps. But it also seems like the Hawks have been playing faster lately which is not the same as just being faster. And the former is always more difficult for an opponent to handle.

Kaiser’s goal late in the second was a perfect example of that, as Moore’s speed helped create the turnover and then Kaiser’s read of the developing play — that’s the playing faster part on display — helped move him into scoring position before LA’s defensive coverage could recover.

It also seemed like the Hawks were constantly throwing cross-ice pieces in or near the neutral zone, likely as part of an attempt to get the Kings defense moving and open up some space in the middle portions of the ice that Kings love to clog during games. The puck is always going to move faster than any set of skates.

Running out of ways to describe how much fun it is to watch Bedard fulfilling prophecies this season and it’s worth noting that he’s scoring goals in a variety of ways during this absurd stretch, which is only going to make it more difficult to slow him down. We’re all aware of his wrist shot and his ability to pick a corner with time and space. On Tuesday, he went with a highlight-reel set of stickhandles before picking that corner. We’ve seen some one-timers, too. This game? He just noticed some open space right in front of the LA net (do yourself a favor and watch Cody Ceci be completely oblivious to Bedard’s movement prior to the goal) and moved himself into it with his stick on the ice, ready to fire it home. Add that tool to the list, too!

In his last 18-plus games, Connor Bedard has 16 goals and 16 assists.

— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) December 5, 2025

Another game, another Frank Nazar breakaway, this time early in the second peirod after a rather egregious LA giveaway. He didn’t score on it, of course, but seeing those chances happen again suggest he’s going to cash in on one of them soon.

Great chance for Nazar off a misplay from Perry pic.twitter.com/ngCShRI8Tz

— BHF (@BlackhawksFocus) December 5, 2025

A similar play unfolded in the third when Nazar exploded for a near-breakaway, drawing a penalty along the way. This is much closer to the October version of Nazar we saw, and imagine what this team would look like if both he and Bedard are on fire at the same time.

Two one-handed passes set up Frank Nazar for a speedy drive where he draws a penalty: pic.twitter.com/bk3qFbaQlZ

— BHF (@BlackhawksFocus) December 5, 2025

Enjoyed both Levshunov’s excellent stickwork to spoil an LA 2-on-1 during the first period and Spencer Knight’s acknowledgement of Levshunov’s efforts after the shot attempt went nowhere near the goal:

Levshunov gets a stick on a shot, which Knight appreciates pic.twitter.com/zHE5TQbumr

— BHF (@BlackhawksFocus) December 5, 2025

Did not enjoy Knight’s adventures with handling the puck late in the second period and would prefer they ended immediately! Outside of that, though, yet another stellar outing from Chicago’s blossoming No. 1 goalie of the present — and future.

For a team that’s struggled to protect leads this season, shifts like that one with about 2:30 remaining from the Teuvo-Dickinson-Mikheyev line could not have been timed much better. Much easier to avoid allowing the game-tying goal if all of the chances are occurring at the other end of the ice.

The Blackhawks penalty kill was excellent all game saving its best for that final kill with the game on the line and saving us all another exhausting postgame discussion about a late Bedard penalty leading to a game-tying goal.

Perhaps the best news of the night was that Teuvo avoided serious injury after that scary moment late in the game when Kempe shot a puck directly into his face while Teuvo was diving for a clear:

Blashill on Teravainen: “He’s in a lot of pain and it sucks, but he’s going to be fine.”

— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) December 5, 2025

A return engagement is just 48 hours away and the Kings won’t be happy following this result. But the Hawks looked like the better team on this night, so there’s no reason why they can’t do that again in a couple of days, right?

Game Charts

Three Stars

Wyatt Kaiser (CHI) — GWG

Spencer Knight (CHI) — 26 saves on 27 shots

Connor Bedard (CHI) — PPG

What’s Next

These two teams meet again at the same place on Saturday night at 8 p.m.