On the evening he notched his one hundredth profession level, Blackhawks star Connor Bedard seemed completely defeated.
That’s life on the Hawks, who dropped their third consecutive recreation Monday — a 5-2 loss at residence in opposition to the Flames — and maintain falling additional into final place within the NHL.
“It’s actually irritating,” Bedard stated, slapping his thigh in exasperation. “We’re aggressive athletes, and we take a number of satisfaction in our video games, our group as a staff and our fan base. It’s been laborious. It’s been a number of video games to lose. It weighs on you. Yeah, I imply, [we’re] simply looking for a manner out of it, making an attempt to get higher day by day. But it surely’s laborious.”
Bedard’s power-play purpose within the second interval of his 112th profession recreation tied him with Jeremy Roenick because the seventh-fastest participant to achieve the 100-point mark in franchise historical past. The Hawks’ teenage cornerstone now has 20 factors in 18 video games below interim coach Anders Sorensen and seems on observe to change into a famous person.
For comparability, though Connor McDavid wanted solely 92 video games to build up his first 100 factors, Auston Matthews took 112 video games — the identical as Bedard — and reigning Hart Trophy winner Nathan MacKinnon wanted 143 video games. Jack Hughes wanted 160 video games. Bedard’s manufacturing up to now has been elite for this stage of his profession.
Apart from Bedard, nevertheless, the Hawks appear like a desolate wasteland. Even Sorensen, who has preached persistence so far as seeing on-ice enhancements, admitted he’s stunned they haven’t come but.
“We’d hope to see extra progress by now, for certain,” Sorensen stated.
The Hawks have been by no means actually within the recreation. They trailed 3-1 after the primary interval and by no means seemed linked in any respect in entrance of a meager United Heart crowd of 15,966, their smallest since April 2023.
In some ways, it felt like a rock-bottom evening. Then once more, many nights have felt like that this season.
“We’re all on this as one, and we’ve received a number of work to do, clearly,” Bedard stated. “Our file reveals that. Nobody’s powerless, whether or not you’re within the lineup, out of the lineup, coach [or] gear supervisor. Everyone seems to be pulling on the similar rope. And that’s how we’ve received to method it.”
Jones’ catastrophe
Defenseman Seth Jones’ hunch devolved into disaster as he delivered one other terrible efficiency in opposition to the Flames. He was booed every time he touched the puck later within the recreation.
In five-on-five play, Jones already had been on the ice for a team-high 13 targets in opposition to since Dec. 21 and was on the ice for 3 extra Monday, together with one the place he couldn’t discover the puck between his skates within the defensive crease. The Flames outshot the Hawks 13-6 throughout his five-on-five shifts.
Jones, the Hawks’ highest-paid participant, additionally dedicated an inexcusable turnover on the ability play within the second interval, and the Flames promptly scored short-handed on the following two-on-one rush. That purpose squashed the Hawks’ transient hopes of a comeback.
Sorensen stated the teaching employees hasn’t mentioned the opportunity of scratching Jones, as they lastly did Monday with fellow defenseman T.J. Brodie — a lot to the followers’ delight. However Sorensen gave Jones solely 16:19 of ice time, his lowest quantity since becoming a member of the Hawks.
Anders Sorensen on Seth Jones, who was a minus-4 tonight in simply 16:19 of ice time, his lowest as a Hawk:
“All of us must do some trying inwards, proper? It isn’t simply him. I believe it is all of us.”
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) January 14, 2025
Combined bag
Apart from Jones and Alec Martinez, the opposite 4 defensemen the Hawks dressed have been all 23 or youthful. Predictably, they gave the staff a mixture of good and unhealthy performs.
Towering Louis Crevier, whose function has grown considerably below Sorensen, scored the Hawks’ opening purpose, and Nolan Allan continued his stable current play with some savvy breakout passes.
Wyatt Kaiser, nevertheless, didn’t field out Matt Coronato on the Flames’ second purpose, Alex Vlasic dedicated some defensive-zone turnovers and all of the Hawks’ defensemen struggled to win battles or make quick-enough selections in opposition to the Flames’ tenacious forecheck.
It’s value noting that Allan ranks second amongst NHL rookie defensemen in video games performed (37) and factors (eight). The offensive facet of his recreation has grown lately. He had earned main assists in every of the final two video games earlier than Monday.
“I don’t know if [offense is] going to be his bread-and-butter, however [it’s] good to see,” Sorensen stated about Allan. “It has been a nice shock. When you will get contributions like that from him, that’s superior.”
