Connor Bedard recorded two assists in Chicagos overtime loss to the Winnipeg Jets. After tonight, Chicago has lost 18 games with a bown lead.
First Period:
The Chicago Blackhawks started the game with their foot on the accelerator. Ilya Mikheyev made a neat toe drag to his backhand that just drifted wide of Connor Hellebuyck. Despite the strong start, Winnipeg opened the scoring. Mark Schiefele found Dylan Samberg along the far side of the ice on the faceoff dot, who ripped it past Knight just four minutes in.
Despite the goal given up, Chicago wouldn’t go down. After Frank Nazar’s shot found iron and rang off the post, you could feel the pressure pile on. Connor Bedard’s super-strong forecheck built up pressure until it was too much.
Toward the end of the first, Gabriel Vilardi’s stick caught Alex Vlasic high, resulting in a double minor. In the first half of the penalty, red-hot Teuvo Teravainen potted his third goal in two games to even the game. Before the period transpired, Chicago would get one more chance from Sam Rinzel, which Hellebucyk turned to the corner with his toe. The score was even at one after one.
Second Period:
Mark Schiefele started the second period off hot for Winnipeg. Under a minute in, his shot beat Spencer Knight, but not the metal frame. Connor Hellebucyk responded with a save of his own after a fluky bounce landed right on Connor Bedard’s stick. On the Penalty Kill, Ilya Mikheyev nearly scored shorthanded after breaking himself loose. Jason Dickinson and Connor Bedard both were rejected, and the Olympic gold medalist could not be beaten despite the chances. Adam Lowry would have a chance of his own from the high slot, but neither team could hit the nylon in the back of the net that period.
Story continues below.
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Third Period/Overtime:
Connor Bedard stepped up big today, no question. Despite losing, the 20-year-old forward played a great game in his first game as a permanent alternate captain. When asked about it, Bedard responded, “The letter doesn’t change anything you do, but it’s nice to be recognized like that.” Indeed, it didn’t change anything for Bedard.
In the offensive zone, Bedard kept a puck in and found Ryan Greene, who went bardown over the “Secretary of Defense”. In the third period, Winnipeg started to show flashes of who they were last year. Alex Iaffalo led the rush of a great powerplay and Matt Grezclyk had to make a great play to keep former Chicago Blackhawks captain, Jonathan Toews, from capitalizing.
As time wound down, a huge scrum in front of Knight almost led to a game-tying goal, but solid play from the Hawks’ goaltender kept the game tied. However, with just 35 seconds left, Cole Perfetti beat Knight farside to tie the game.
Despite multiple good looks in the fourth period, Chicago couldn’t beat Connor Hellebuyck in overtime. It was Mark Scheifele who finally got his goal, beating Spencer Knight to complete Winnipeg’s comeback over Chicago 3-2.
The loss was not in any way Knight’s fault. When asked to comment on his goaltender’s performance, Connor Bedard said, “I don’t think there’s a goalie in the league that performs like him.”
The Cowboy Round-Up and What’s OnTap
Not so fun fact: The 2025-26 Chicago Blackhawks have blown 18 leads so far this season. As Louis Crevier put it to reporters after the game: “40 seconds left, we gotta figure out a way to end those games.”
Blowing leads at this rate is simply a show of the inexperience of this young Hawks team. Growing pains will be needed. However, the tank continues to roll on, even if a point halts its progress. This next week is going to be some of the last hockey we will see from some of these Chicago Blackhawks. Ilya Mikheyev, Tyler Bertuzzi, and Jason Dickinson are just some of the Blackhawks who could be next on the trading block after the Connor Murphy deal.
On Tap for the Chicago Blackhawks is a Trade Deadline Day matchup vs the lowly Vancouver Canucks on Friday. Puck drop is at 7:30 pm CT.