CHICAGO — The Chicago Blackhawks face their biggest test thus far this season on Sunday against the Colorado Avalanche at United Center (7 p.m. ET; CHSN, NHLN, ALT, SNO, SNE, TVAS) at a time when they’re also facing adversity.
Chicago’s past four periods have been tough. The Blackhawks went through lapses — they were getting hemmed into their own zone too often and not bringing their best, issues that haven’t been as problematic this season as they were the previous few. They allowed 12 goals in those four periods in back-to-back regulation losses to the Seattle Kraken (3-2) and at the Buffalo Sabres (9-3) on Thursday and Friday.
Now it’s time for Chicago (10-7-4) to show its ability to bounce back, a trait that’s been evident more often this season. It’ll get that chance against Colorado, which has won eight in a row and has the best record in the NHL (15-1-5).
“We go into every game thinking we’re going to win,” Blackhawks center Connor Bedard said. “We go into every third period thinking we’re going to win. We just believe in ourselves, believe in each other. I think that also comes from just being a tight group and a group that wants to play for each other. That stuff helps too.”
But the Blackhawks have stumbled in the third period their past two games. The loss Thursday to Seattle was the first time they were unable to win when leading after the second period (they were 6-0-0). Despite the recent setbacks, they’ve outscored opponents 34-21 in the third.
Chicago is 3-2-3 when tied heading into the third, but three of those losses (0-2-1) came in its first three games of the season.
“I think we know when the time is run down and it’s getting close to the game’s over, 60 minutes for the most part, we know that if we’re down a goal or we’re tied, we have nothing to lose,” defenseman Alex Vlasic said. “There’s nothing left on the line for us. We have to exert everything we can.”
As far as individual performances for Chicago, it all starts with Bedard. The No. 1 pick from the 2023 NHL Draft has been one of the best players in the League this season, with 31 points (13 goals, 18 assists) in 21 games. He’s already had two hat tricks within a month (Oct. 28 against the Ottawa Senators, and Nov. 13 against the Calgary Flames).
“Points do come and go … now for a guy like him, they come more than they go but his consistency in his approach has been really good,” Blackhawks coach Jeff Blashill said. “The fact that he’s come and competed and stopped on pucks and played pretty good defensively and really tries to do the right things on a consistent basis, and then he gets rewarded for that with offense over this stretch that he’s been kind of going. So, it’s a great thing.”
Tyler Bertuzzi continues to provide a presence in front of the net and has found consistency again with Blashill, who also was his coach with the Detroit Red Wings (2016-22). After scoring 23 goals in 82 games last season, Bertuzzi already has 12 in 18 games, including 10 in his past eight.
“He’s one of the best at [the net]; it’s pretty amazing to see how many times he can get open back door,” Chicago forward Frank Nazar said of Bertuzzi. “It helps having guys good enough to find him there helps, but he’s sneaky. I don’t know how to explain it. He just finds his way there. Pass it anywhere, he’ll find a way to get it in.”
Indeed, the offense has been there for the Blackhawks, but they must again find a way to finish games strong, to not allow frustration to overwhelm them. They have to show their mettle, that they won’t let a couple of bad games snowball into a bigger slide.
“We just have to use this as fuel,” defenseman Connor Murphy said after the game Friday. “It’s a long season. You hope to not have games like but if you do, you can’t let it affect you negatively. It’s got to be used as fuel to come forward and bring your best effort.
“You have to almost take it personal and look at yourself in the mirror after those games and how you let your team down individually and be super motivated to make sure that doesn’t happen and make sure that we come out on top.”
