The Chicago Blackhawks (22-28-9) were no match for the NHL’s top team on Saturday, losing 3-1 to the Colorado Avalanche (39-10-9) at Ball Arena for their second consecutive defeat out of the Olympic break. Dating back to Jan. 12, the Blackhawks have now failed to score more than two goals in 11 of their last 14 games.
Much like in the first meeting between these two teams, which resulted in a 1-0 shutout win for the Avalanche at the United Center on Nov. 23, the Blackhawks’ offense looked lifeless and couldn’t generate enough scoring chances to earn two points in a low-scoring affair. The Hawks were held to only 15 shots on goal, which is tied for the second-fewest they’ve recorded in a single game this season.
Three of those 15 shots came off star forward Connor Bedard’s stick, as he was once again the driving force behind the Blackhawks’ offensive output. Bedard sure seems to be playing with an extra chip on his shoulder after being snubbed from Canada’s 2026 Winter Olympics roster, as he scored for a second consecutive game and led the team with eight shot attempts.
But as was the case far too often leading up to the Olympics, the rest of the Blackhawks’ lineup failed to match Bedard’s impact and didn’t provide proper support. The other 11 forwards in the lineup combined for only seven shots on goal, with Oliver Moore being the only player to record more than one. Bedard has scored two goals in two games since the NHL’s regular season resumed, but the rest of the team has only scored once.
“We have to help him. It can’t just be on Connor,” Captain Nick Foligno said after the loss. “He’s doing his job. He’s getting scoring chances. He’s making plays… it’s on the rest of us to pick it up and find a way to help him out. We have to figure out how to get more than one goal.”
Bedard’s tally in the first period, which gave the Blackhawks an early 1-0 advantage, ended up being the only time that Avalanche netminder Mackenzie Blackwood was bested on Saturday. Blackwood stopped all 22 of Chicago’s shots to record the shutout in the first matchup, and he got the better of them again in the second.
“We need more depth scoring, forsure,” said head coach Jeff Blashill. “We were close to having a lot of chances, but we just didn’t handle the puck great… I thought there were opportunities for offense that we didn’t take advantage of.”
Cale Makar was responsible for the game’s only goal on Nov. 23, and he fittingly scored two of Colorado’s three goals in this one. Makar tied the game 1-1 with only nine seconds remaining in the second period, which seemed to suck the life out of Chicago going into the third. The standout defenseman added the empty-netter with just under 1:30 to play in regulation to seal the win. Individually, Makar (3) now has more goals than the Blackhawks (1) in the two-game season series so far.
Here are the highlights from the Blackhawks’ 3-1 loss to the Avalanche, dropping their record to 22-28-9 through 59 games this season.
FIRST PERIOD
The Blackhawks nearly kicked off the scoring in the game’s opening 30 seconds, as Jason Dickinson received a breakaway opportunity before most fans could even take a seat from the National Anthem. Dickinson scooped up a stretch pass from Louis Crevier and beat Blackwood cleanly with a wrist shot, but the puck carromed off the post and out. Still scoreless.
Devon Toews was whistled for tripping at 6:10, sending the Blackhawks power play onto the ice for the first time. Just 20 seconds into the man advantage, Bedard received a cross-ice pass from Tyler Bertuzzi, who drew the penalty on Toews, and fired a shot over Blackwood’s glove from the right circle at 6:31. That’s now two consecutive games in which the Blackhawks have scored a power-play goal. 1-0, Chicago.
Teuvo Teravainen➡️Tyler Bertuzzi➡️Connor Bedard🚨
Bedard takes in a pass from Bertuzzi & fires home his 25th goal of the season! #Blackhawks take a 1-0 lead early on the power play. Bertuzzi with an assist after drawing the penalty.pic.twitter.com/ZWKO3RSmSo
— Talkin’ Hawkey (@TalkinHawkey) February 28, 2026
Colorado was the livelier bunch in the first period, but the Blackhawks held onto their 1-0 lead going into the intermission. Shots on goal were 14-4, however, in favor of the home squad. After Bedard’s power-play tally, the Blackhawks recorded only one shot on goal over the final 13 minutes.
SECOND PERIOD
Colorado was in full control for most of the middle period, but Spencer Knight was terrific in goal for the Blackhawks to keep his team ahead for as long as possible. However, the Avalanche superstars would only go quiet for so long, and eventually, they broke through to tie the score.
Just seconds after Oliver Moore stepped out of the penalty box with the Blackhawks killing off the power play, Nathan MacKinnon made an incredible feed to find Cale Makar at the right circle. Makar one-touched the pass through traffic and past Knight at 19:51. 1-1 with 20 minutes to play.
THIRD PERIOD
Early in the third period, the Blackhawks almost regained their one-goal advantage with a second power-play tally. Andre Burakovsky shipped a pass from circle to circle, setting up Bedard for a one-timer. Bedard launched the puck on net and beat Blackwood with the shot, but the puck grazed off the post and deflected into the corner. So close.
Gavin Brindley gave the Avalanche their first lead of the night at 7:31, as he jumped on Sam Malinski’s rebound at the left post. Artyom Levshunov lost his footing and fell to the ice while protecting his net, giving Brindley the space he needed to find the loose puck and put Colorado ahead 2-1.
Knight hit the bench for the extra attacker with just under two minutes remaining. Avs’ head coach Jared Bednar threw his stars on the ice for a chance to seal the win, and Makar wound up burying his second goal of the game with the empty-netter at 18:33. 3-1, Colorado.
The final horn sounded, sending the Blackhawks to a second consecutive loss out of the Olympic break. They’ve also now dropped 11 of their last 14 games. There won’t be much time to dwell over this one, however, as Chicago returns to play in well less than 24 hours for the back end of the back-to-back against the Utah Mammoth.
Puck drops in Utah at 3:00 p.m. CT.
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