The Chicago Blackhawks were playing their best hockey of the season Thursday night against the Seattle Kraken.
Then the script flipped.
Tyler Bertuzzi and Teuvo Teräväinen scored during a stellar second period that showed what the Hawks can be. The third period showcased what they shouldn’t be.
The Kraken stormed back with three goals in the third, with Jaden Schwartz scoring the tiebreaker on a power play with 2:18 left to hand the Hawks a crushing 3-2 defeat at the United Center.
After goals from Tye Kartye and Shane Wright erased the Hawks’ 2-0 lead, Connor Bedard had a breakaway with a prime chance to put the hosts back in front late in the third. But Kraken defenseman Ryan Lindgren used his stick to prevent the center from getting a shot off.
The forward, irate, skated to the referee to argue the no-call, pleading for a hooking or slashing penalty on Lindgren. And he appeared to have a case.
Instead, Bedard was called for an unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty with 4:32 remaining. On the ensuing power play, Schwartz collected a pass in the blue paint from defenseman Brandon Montour and scored the game-winner with 2:18 left.
“I haven’t watched it or anything, but I thought so,” Bedard said. “But who knows?”
Added Blashill: “It’s a penalty, (but) we have to control what we can control. When you don’t have position on a guy, you put your stick in there and you hit his glove, which he did. He got the stick after but the first contact was on his glove. It’s a penalty.”
The Hawks fell to 10-6-4 and saw their six-game point streak come to an end.
Photos: Seattle Kraken 3, Chicago Blackhawks 2 at the United Center
“I’ve got to control my emotions in a better way,” Bedard said. “I put our team in a vulnerable spot there, so just got to be better. Everyone is going to get frustrated, but (it’s) knowing (the right) time and place. It’s something that ultimately lost us the game, so (I) can’t do that.”
Boos rained down from Hawks fans after the penalty on Bedard.
“You can’t take a penalty there, he knows that, he’s already said that, so I get that and we’ll handle that internally,” Blashill said. “That’s a big call at that moment (and) it better have been really personal (to call that).”
After outshooting the Kraken 14-6 in the second period, the Hawks were outshot 12-3 in the third and didn’t see an attempt hit goaltender Joey Daccord until 14 minutes had passed.
Lindgren was the villain of the night. The defenseman delivered a hard hit to the head of André Burakovsky late in the first period that knocked the Hawks forward’s helmet off and sent him straight to the locker room.
Burakovsky, who has seven goals and eight assists this season, missed the rest of the game. He also was ruled out for Friday’s road game against the Buffalo Sabres.
A fairly clean first period turned physical after Lindgren’s hit. The Hawks weren’t happy with how they played, but they made sure to stick up for their teammate.
“Our guys were mad, they thought it was a bad hit,” Blashill said. “I thought our guys reacted the right way.”
Added Bedard: “It’s back-to-back games (that) guys (are) going right to the head and nothing happens. I think that sucks. He’s a great player and it’s (expletive).”
Bertuzzi’s goal on a 3-on-1 breakaway just 43 seconds into the second period broke a scoreless tie. It was his 10th of the season and the 15th time the Hawks scored first, which leads the NHL. Bertuzzi then set up Teräväinen’s goal at 10:07 with the potential assist of the season, but the Hawks collapsed in the third.
With a game Friday in Buffalo, N.Y., they need to put the frustrating loss behind them quickly.
“It’s a big one tomorrow (since) we let that one slip away,” Bedard said. “With how tight everything is, that’s one we can’t really lose.
“We have to go in there tomorrow and give a good effort.”