Connor Bedard scores as Blackhawks top Avalanche 3-1

[January 09, 2025]  By JAY COHEN

CHICAGO (AP) — Connor Bedard had a goal and an assist, and the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Colorado Avalanche 3-1 on Wednesday night.

Frank Nazar and Ilya Mikheyev also scored for Chicago, which had lost six of seven. Petr Mrazek stopped 35 shots. 

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (98) skates back to the bench after getting the puck past Colorado Avalanche goaltender Trent Miner (50) but it is declared no goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Bedard made it 3-1 when he beat Trent Miner for his 11th goal 11:54 into the third period. The 19-year-old center has four goals and seven assists during an eight-game point streak, a career-best run in his second season.

Juuso Parssinen scored for Colorado in the opener of a three-game trip. Miner stopped 17 shots in his first career start.

The Avs played without forward Jonathan Drouin, who was sidelined by an upper-body injury. They dropped to 12-4-1 in their last 17 games.

Colorado jumped in front when Parssinen converted a backhand 6:14 into the first period. It was his first goal since he was acquired in a trade with Nashville on Dec. 28.

Mikheyev responded with his eighth of the season with 3:12 left in the first.

Nazar lifted the Blackhawks to a 2-1 lead 10:17 into the second. Colton Dach got his first NHL point when his shot created a rebound opportunity for a streaking Nazar, who knocked it in for his second career goal.

Takeaways
Avalanche: It was a tough start to the road trip for Colorado, which also lost 5-2 to Chicago on Oct. 28.

Blackhawks: Nazar has played well since he was recalled from the minors last month. But he had no goals and two assists in 11 games before breaking through against the Avs.

Key moment
Chicago was clinging to a 2-1 lead when Mrazek made a terrific sliding save on Nathan MacKinnon with 21.2 seconds left in the second.

Key stat
The Avs went 0 for 2 on the power play.

Up next
Colorado visits Minnesota on Thursday night. Chicago is at Detroit on Friday night.

All contents © copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved