THE FUTURE IS NOW PEOPLE. If you had any questions, concerns or thoughts about the future of the Chicago Blackhawks, I beg you save the first period of the game in Tampa on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023 as the moment we collectively realized that OH EM GEE IT’S HAPPENING.
Remember this morning in our bullets and then in the pregame when I cited a quote from Luke Richardson about how he and the front office view Tampa as one of the model franchises they’re trying to build the team to look like in the future? And how this game meant a little more at this point in the rebuild? Well…
The only negative from this game was the injuries. The Blackhawks had three players leave the game — one in each period — because of injury. They have a few extra bodies with them on the trip but this is clearly not ideal.
Star 1: CONNOR BEDARD
What are we even doing right now? The kid’s mom is in the suite upstairs with the other moms and they’re all having a lovely evening in Florida and BOOM GOAL and then BOOM ASSIST and then BOOM GOAL and then the first period ended and Bedard already had three points on the board. Just a beautifully silly performance from Bedard in the first.
He got clipped in the mouth by Tanner Jeannot 72 seconds into the second period, drawing blood and giving the Blackhawks four minutes of power play time. Exactly 60 seconds into the power play, Bedard ripped a shot at the net that was tipped in by Corey Perry and he had a four-point night in 32:12 of game time.
Star 2: Kevin Korchinski
If Bedard didn’t go full Oppenheimer in the first period, Korchinski might have been an easy call for the top star after scoring his first career NHL goal. Strangely enough, Korchinski’s goal was the only one of the Blackhawks’ four in the first period that Bedard didn’t either score or assist on. The future is now, people. We’re watching it happen in front of us.
KEVIN FIRST NHL GOAL APPRECIATION POST pic.twitter.com/McnV2akPvq
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) November 10, 2023
Star 3: Petr Mrazek
I could have gone with Nick Foligno here (three assists) or Philipp Kurashev (two assists), but I’m going to heap praise on Mrazek tonight. The Blackhawks gave up a quick goal in the first, and then Tampa took a 2-1 lead later in the first. This game’s score looked to be under control from the mid-point in the first period through the duration of the event only because Mrazek was marvelous after allowing the second goal. He finished the night stopping 31 of 34 (.912 save pct).
Key Takeaways
Presented without additional comment#Blackhawks defensemen thru 2 periods (from @NatStatTrick ) pic.twitter.com/PyeIARhTC4
— Tab Bamford (@The1Tab) November 10, 2023
