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Chicago Blackhawks Dominate Anaheim Ducks 7-2
Connor Bedard showcased his talent with a goal and four assists, achieving his single-game high in points. Philipp Kurashev also shined, scoring twice and adding two assists, contributing to the Chicago Blackhawks’ commanding 7-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night.
Ryan Donato, Seth Jones, MacKenzie Entwistle, and Tyler Johnson all found the back of the net for Chicago, marking their second consecutive win this season. Meanwhile, Brett Leason netted both goals for the Ducks, who suffered their third consecutive loss.
Bedard, the top pick in last year’s draft and a frontrunner for Rookie of the Year, displayed his prowess by earning his fifth point of the night with an assist on Johnson’s power-play goal in the third period. The 18-year-old phenom has tallied an impressive eight points in just two games and 10 points in the last four matchups.
Blackhawks’ Power Play Dominance
Chicago’s power play unit came alive, capitalizing four times with the man advantage. Goaltender Petr Mrazek had a relatively quiet night, making 27 saves for the Blackhawks. On the other end, John Gibson stopped 20 shots for the Ducks before getting involved in a physical altercation and being replaced by Lukas Dostal.
Leason opened the scoring with a short-handed goal in the first period, but the Blackhawks responded before the power play expired when Donato found the back of the net amid a goal-mouth scrum.
Key Moments in the Game
Chicago quickly tied the game at 2-2 early in the second period following Leason’s goal, with Kurashev converting Bedard’s pass on a 2-on-1 opportunity. Jones extended the lead to 3-2 with a power-play goal, assisted by Bedard.
In the closing seconds of the second period, Bedard notched his 20th goal of the season, assisted by Kurashev who reached his 100th NHL point milestone. Bedard’s achievement as an 18-year-old marks a significant feat, with Ed Olczyk being the only other Blackhawk to reach the 20-goal mark at the same age back in the 1984-85 season.
Additionally, Andreas Athanasiou made a return to the Blackhawks’ lineup after a 60-game absence due to a groin injury, making an impact by setting up Entwistle’s goal.
Upcoming Matches
Next up, the Anaheim Ducks will face off against the Minnesota Wild on Thursday, while the Chicago Blackhawks are set to host the Los Angeles Kings on Friday.
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