CHICAGO — As good as Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar have been in stretches over the last few seasons, they’ve often done it separately for the Chicago Blackhawks.
There were a few instances late last season when they scored in the same game, and both seemed to be rolling. They also both scored against the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 28 this season. Beyond that, there haven’t been a lot of windows in which both have been really going.
Which is why their play Friday was so notable. They were both by far the Blackhawks’ most dangerous players in a 4-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Not only did both score in the game, which marked only the second time that occurred this season, but also they were creating chance after chance together.
Blackhawks coach Jeff Blashill hoped having Bedard and Nazar consistently playing together for the first time with him as coach would pay off, and they’ve been getting better together by the game. Friday marked their third game together, and it was their best.
Bedard had a goal and a primary assist, recording his second multipoint game since returning from injury. Nazar scored his first goal since returning from his own injury and had a team-best four shots on goal. Their line, which included Tyler Bertuzzi, produced the most quality chances for the Blackhawks and outscored the Blue Jackets 2-1 when on the ice.
“I think as the game went on, we got better and better,” said Bedard, who has scored in the last two games. “To see you got a couple goals, you get a little energy and confidence. I thought we had some looks and played well. Hopefully build off that.”
Bedard and Nazar had some chances on the power play as well. Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins denied Nazar on a look that Blashill thought could have finally snapped the Blackhawks’ power-play drought, which goes to Jan. 10.
“Would I take some of the chances that we got? Yes,” Blashill said. “Certainly, the chance from Bedsy to Frankie is an unbelievable save by Elvis. It’s unreal traffic and sick save. That’s going to happen sometimes. You just got to continue to find ways for this group to gain chemistry.”
There were also some plays when Bedard and Nazar just missed each other with passes that could set up scoring chances. That connection seems to be growing, though, and the Blackhawks have to be encouraged.
Connor Bedard had a goal and a primary assist, recording his second multipoint game since returning from injury. (Matt Marton / Imagn Images)
Some other thoughts from Friday’s game
• Defenseman Sam Rinzel returned to the Blackhawks’ lineup since being assigned to the Rockford IceHogs on Dec. 9. Rinzel was crisp on his breakouts, broke up the plays he needed defensively and seemed to play within himself. In some of his recent IceHogs games, he was playing more aggressively offensively there, but his play Friday was what you’d expect in his first NHL game back.
Rinzel said he thought his time in Rockford had helped his game.
“The big part is the defensive aspect of the game,” Rinzel said. “Part of it is realizing that 90 percent of the game is just 50/50 shifts, and it’s just about winning those 50/50 shifts. Nothing has to be flashy or crazy. It’s just learning to play with my brain and use my brain to beat guys.”
• The Blackhawks brought up Rinzel to give Artyom Levshunov a break. Levshunov was a healthy scratch in Friday’s game. Blashill said the Blackhawks management felt Levshunov would benefit more from practicing in the NHL rather than playing more games in Rockford.
There are three areas the Blackhawks want Levshunov to focus on.
“Like for me, it’s puck play,” Blashill said. “Just again, he’s a guy who is really, really, really strong, so just learning how to absorb contact and take that extra split second to make the right play. When you got that kind of strength, I think the puck should always be delivered in the right spot. The right spot may just be a punt, but still never out of panic.
“Just then learning to continue to move his feet without the puck and do that. I think some just defensive kind of fundamentals with footwork and body position, and then continue to work on shooting technique. So we’re trying to narrow the focus to three areas that are fairly specific, and we’ll go to work with them.”
• The Blackhawks’ playoff chances are fading by the day. They’re now 8 points out of the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference.
The Blackhawks are in a group with five other teams under .500 in the NHL, and the separation has been growing. The Blackhawks have the sixth-worst points percentage at .464.
• Blashill does not sound like a fan of back-to-backs when the team returns home to have its opponent already there waiting.
“It’s an interesting schedule that you’re playing this many home when the other team is sitting here,” he said. “That’s probably not the best business model, but that’s neither here nor there. Everybody has back-to-backs. Everybody’s going to have this similar back-to-backs. But just from this business model, it doesn’t always make sense to me. But that’s neither here nor there.”
• Defenseman Wyatt Kaiser had a nice bounce-back game. After being on the ice for five goals against Thursday, he wasn’t on for any against Friday.
• Landon Slaggert was back in the Blackhawks’ lineup after being a healthy scratch in Thursday’s game. He needed to play three more games this season to no longer be waiver exempt.