Blackhawks lose to Penguins as Bedard returns
CHICAGO (AP) — Sidney Crosby scored twice, Reilly Smith and Bryan Rust added goals, and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1 on Thursday night to snap a three-game losing streak.
The Penguins had lost to Minnesota, Winnipeg, and Florida in succession, but controlled their third road game in four starts from the outset. With the victory, Pittsburgh moved past Washington and into sixth place in the Metropolitan Division. The Blackhawks, last in the NHL, dropped their eighth straight game (0-7-1).
Blackhawks star rookie Connor Bedard had an assist in his return a 14-game absence because of a broken jaw. After a sluggish first period, he set up Phillipp Kurashev with a nifty pass through traffic midway through the second. Kurashev dumped it past sprawling goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic. That drew the largest roar of the night from the United Center crowd of 19,423 for this year's top draft pick.
Bedard lost the game's opening face-off to Crosby, then lost contact with the veteran center, who deflected Marcus Pettersson's fluttering pass over the left shoulder of Blackhawks goaltender Arvid Soderblom 15 seconds in.
Smith made it 2-1 at 12:40 of the first, beating Soderblom with a wrist shot on the glove side after scooting past Bedard.
Crosby was left alone on the goal line to the right of the net for his second goal 5:51 into the third period. Chicago defensemen Seth Jones and Alex Vlasic never got close to him. It's the 12th time Crosby has scored at least 30 goals in a season.
Rust scored from 190 feet into an empty net with 50 seconds remaining.
Nedeljkovic made 27 saves. Soderblom had 23.
Bedard's assist moved him a point ahead of Minnesota's Brock Faber in the rookie scoring race, 34-33.
Pittsburgh placed forward Jake Guentzel on injured reserve because of an upper-body injury on Thursday, recalling three players to fill his and other roster gaps. Vinnie Hinostroza, Valtteri Puustinen and Jonathan Gruden were called up. Guentzel, who was tied in points with Crosby before the game, is expected to miss four weeks, out of action past the March 8 trading deadline.
In addition to Bedard, the Blackhawks brought defenseman Jarred Tinordi off injured reserve.
UP NEXT
Penguins: Host Los Angeles on Sunday.
Blackhawks: Host Ottawa on Saturday.
