Chicago’s Connor Bedard had an impressive performance in his first game after being selected as the No. 1 overall pick. He contributed four points, including two goals and two assists, in the Blackhawks’ 5-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Bedard’s performance made him the youngest player in Blackhawks history to have a multi-goal game and at least three points. At just 18 years and 115 days old, he also became the third-youngest player in NHL history to achieve a four-point game.
The Blackhawks’ win was also aided by goals from former Lightning players Tyler Johnson and Corey Perry, as well as rookie defenseman Kevin Korchinski’s first NHL goal. Nick Foligno and Philipp Kurashev contributed three and two assists, respectively. Goaltender Petr Mrazek made 30 saves to secure the victory.
On the Lightning’s side, Anthony Cirelli, Nikita Kucherov, and Steven Stamkos each scored a goal, with Cirelli also providing an assist. Defenseman Mikhail Sergachev reached a milestone with his 200th NHL assist. Goaltender Jonas Johansson made 24 saves but couldn’t prevent the Lightning from suffering their first regulation loss at home this season.
The game featured three No. 1 overall draft picks: Bedard and Taylor Hall for the Blackhawks, and Stamkos for the Lightning. Cirelli opened the scoring with a power-play goal, followed by Bedard quickly responding with a goal of his own. Kucherov then tied the game for the Lightning, but the Blackhawks took the lead with two goals in less than a minute. Korchinski’s shot deflected off a Lightning defenseman to make it 2-2, and Bedard set up Johnson for the go-ahead goal. Bedard continued his impressive performance by scoring his seventh goal of the season, albeit with some help from Cirelli accidentally putting the puck into his own net. In the second period, Bedard assisted on Perry’s power-play goal to extend the Blackhawks’ lead to 5-2. Stamkos scored a late goal for the Lightning, but it wasn’t enough to mount a comeback.
In conclusion, Connor Bedard’s outstanding performance propelled the Chicago Blackhawks to a 5-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. His two goals and two assists made him the youngest player in Blackhawks history to achieve such a feat. The game also showcased the talents of other notable players, including former Lightning players Tyler Johnson and Corey Perry. Despite the Lightning’s efforts, they couldn’t overcome the Blackhawks’ strong offensive performance.
