Chicago Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard left the game after a heavy hit in the first period during their 4-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Friday night.
Bedard’s Early Exit
Bedard was hit by Devils defenseman Brendan Smith as he entered the offensive zone. Holding his face, Bedard skated to the bench as teammates Nick Foligno, Brett Seney, and others initiated a skirmish behind the Devils’ net. Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson had no immediate update on Bedard’s condition.
“Hopefully we’ll know more tomorrow,” Richardson said. “He obviously banged his head. We’ll have him checked out by our specialists back home to ensure everything is fine.”
Additional Injuries
Foligno also left the game after a second-period fight with Smith. Richardson noted that Foligno would be evaluated after returning to Chicago. The Blackhawks, already missing several forwards due to injuries, will face Calgary on Sunday.
The Hit on Bedard
Richardson did not see any malicious intent in Smith’s hit on Bedard.
“I don’t know if it was dirty. I think Connor was reaching for a puck and didn’t see him because he was behind another guy,” Richardson said. “It looked like a hard play on the blueline to keep the puck out.”
Game Recap
After Bedard’s exit, the game saw multiple skirmishes before the Devils secured their fifth win in six games. Simon Nemec and Alexander Holtz each contributed a goal and an assist, with Michael McLeod breaking a tie in the third period. Tyler Toffoli added an empty-net goal, and Vitek Vanecek made 23 saves for New Jersey.
“It’s a good hit, just unfortunate where he got him,” Devils coach Lindy Ruff commented on Smith’s hit. “Young players have to learn to be aware.”
Blackhawks’ Struggles
With numerous injuries, Chicago lost its fifth consecutive and 14th straight road games. Jason Dickinson and Boris Katchouk scored for the Blackhawks, while Arvid Soderblom made 28 saves.
“Our challenge is a next-man-up mentality. Guys will have to step up,” defenseman Jarred Tinordi said.
Katchouk gave the Blackhawks a 2-1 lead with a short-handed goal late in the second period, celebrating by egging on the crowd. Katchouk criticized Smith’s hit on Bedard as dirty, saying, “Everybody saw it.”
Devils’ Third Period Surge
The Devils scored three unanswered goals in the final period. Nemec tied the game at 2 with his second of the season, and McLeod scored his 10th goal to take the lead.
“No one panicked. We were confident we would tie it up and win,” McLeod said.
Confrontations on Ice
Smith was not penalized for his hit on Bedard but faced confrontations from the Blackhawks. Tinordi spoke with Smith after the first period, and Foligno and Smith fought early in the second. Blackhawks defenseman Alex Vlasic fought Devils forward Nathan Bastian in a heated on-ice fracas.
Additional Injuries
The Devils’ leading scorer, Jack Hughes, did not return after a late third-period hit. The team was already without injured forwards, such as Ondrej Palat and Timo Meier, for the second straight game.
“No update on Jack right now. He left the game and couldn’t return,” Ruff said.
Upcoming Games
Blackhawks: Host the Calgary Flames on Sunday.
Devils: Host the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday.
