The Chicago Blackhawks came into Sunday afternoon’s game winless in their last five. The team’s confidence had taken a hit, and the Anaheim Ducks made the Hawks pay early.
Within 47 seconds of the puck dropping, Cutter Gauthier and Olen Zellweger had scored. The Ducks had a three-goal lead after Chris Kreider’s goal at 10:25 in the first period, and you could hear hear a pin drop in the United Center.
Needing a win before a West Coast trip, the Hawks answered the bell and bounced back.
The Hawks (11-9-5) scored five unanswered goals to complete a home sweep of the Ducks with a 5-3 victory. The teams play again Dec. 7 in Anaheim, Calif.
Connor Bedard had four points, including the last two goals — both unassisted. He made easy work of Ducks goaltender Ville Husso — who subbed in for an injured Petr Mrázek, the former Hawks goalie — to score the go-ahead goal at 9:55 in the third period.
“Everyone took it upon themselves to up their game (in) a game that we needed,” Bedard said. “Five games straight without being able to get a win, so we all took initiative after the first.”
Clawing out of a three-goal hole isn’t how the Hawks want to play consistently, but it’s a confidence booster for a young team to do that against a quality Ducks team (15-9-1). The Hawks needed the uplifting performance.
“I don’t want to make a habit of that being how we get wins,” alternate captain Jason Dickinson said. “But it’s crucial for the group to know that we can play in those games, we can play in those moments and it doesn’t consume us.
“There’s going to be lots of highs and lows in the season, even within a game. To ride the wave and be able to stick with it and get the win, it creates a lot of confidence and a sense of accomplishment amongst the group that we can do it.”
Frank Nazar started the scoring for the Hawks by sending a snipe that Tyler Bertuzzi redirected for their first goal. Nazar still is looking for his first goal in a month, but the center has an assist in the last two games and his shots have had a notable increase in power.
On the top line, Ryan Greene may have found his finishing touch. The rookie forward out of Boston University has scored in his last two games and had even more scoring chances set up by Bedard.
“If you play with Connor, you’re going to get opportunities, (and) to his credit, (Greene’s) really smart about finding spots,” Hawks coach Jeff Blashill said. “He can shoot the puck, (has) a legit shot and a legit ability to pass.”
Added Bedard: “He’s been playing unbelievable. He’s always in a spot where one of us can find him and he can get a look. He’s been hitting posts, sticks and everything you can hit.
“(If) you keep getting those looks, they’re going to go in. He’s been such a great player for us and will keep getting better. Good to see someone like that succeed.”
Former Hawks coach Joel Quenneville made his second appearance at the United Center since becoming the Ducks coach. He had a 452-249-96 record with three Stanley Cups as the Hawks coach from 2008-19.
This is Quenneville’s first season behind the bench since returning from a lengthy NHL ban for his part in the Hawks’ mishandling of sexual abuse allegations by a former player in 2010. He’s an early favorite for the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year, an honor he won in 2000 with the St. Louis Blues.
Ducks center Mason McTavish and Bedard got into a scuffle after the final horn. The two youngsters skated together for Team Canada in the 2022 World Juniors, so it was competitive juices flowing rather than bad blood.
“We’re pretty close, but that’s who he is, someone that always wants to compete,” Bedard said. “I was roommates with him and was teammates with him for a couple of years, and everything we do, he’s trying to make it a competition. It’s fun to play guys like that.”
After his second goal of the third period, Bedard and the Anaheim bench exchanged words. The Hawks center doesn’t hide his own competitive spirit, and Blashill prefers it that way.
“I don’t know any great players who aren’t hypercompetitive,” Blashill said. “I don’t think he’s always demonstrative about it, but the best ones … want to win at everything they do (and) he’s certainly got that trait.”
The comeback win could be the get-right game that Friday’s loss to the Nashville Predators should’ve been. It will need to be with games against current playoff teams coming up.
“These games are played for 60 minutes for a reason, (and) you play 82 for a reason,” Blashill said. “One game doesn’t make a season, one period doesn’t make a season (and) a minute of hockey doesn’t make a game.
“Let’s just grind through it and keep doing it the right way.”