After a drama-filled NHL Trade Deadline that saw dozens of transactions throughout the day, Connor Bedard scored an overtime winner and snapped an eight-game goalless drought to help the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Utah Hockey Club 4-3 on March 7.
Game Recap
Utah HC got the offense going less than a minute into the game, with Nick Schmaltz burying his 14th of the season to make it 1-0.
In the second period, it was all Blackhawks, scoring three times thanks to Wyatt Kaiser and Ilya Mikheyev, as well as a penalty shot snipe from Frank Nazar, giving Chicago a 3-1 lead.
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John Marino scored a few minutes into the third period to make it 3-2, and Clayton Keller buried his 23rd of the season on the power play to tie it at three, forcing the game to go to overtime.
However, it was the 19-year-old Bedard who fired a wrister past Utah HC goalie Karel Vejmelka, his 17th goal of the season, to seal the victory for the Blackhawks.
Bedard now has 17 goals and 34 assists for 51 points in 63 games this season.
The Blackhawks were outshot 39-25 by Utah, with Chicago netminder Spencer Knight stopping 36 of 39 shots. Meanwhile, Vejmelka had 21 saves on 25 shots.
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The Blackhawks are now 20-35-8 with 48 points, last in the Central Division, and second last in the Western Conference. The win was just their sixth in their last 22 games. They now prepare for a four-game road trip, starting March 8 against the Nashville Predators, then they take on the Colorado Avalanche, San Jose Sharks and Vancouver Canucks.
As for Utah HC, they’re now 28-25-10 with 66 points, sixth in the Central Division and only a few points out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference wild card race. Following their March 7 contest, they host the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 10, the Anaheim Ducks on March 12, then they head on the road to take on the Seattle Kraken, Canucks and Edmonton Oilers.
