The talented Connor Bedard will have several great nights throughout his National Hockey League career and Wednesday will be one of his defining moments.
For the first time since his professional debut, the Chicago Blackhawks rookie hit the target in overtime, deceiving the alertness of Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. His wrist shot gave his team a 2-1 win and he now has an eight-game streak with at least one point.
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With 32 points in 34 appearances this season, Bedard is increasingly comfortable in his work environment, according to his head coach Luke Richardson.
“I think he just enjoys coming to work and play. You can see it when he celebrates a goal: it gives him great joy. However, when he returns to the bench, he is not the type to taunt the opponent or do anything like that. “He’s minding his business and ready to get back on the ice for his next series,” he told NHL.com.
The personality of the ice hockey player in question can't hurt either. The first pick of the 2023 draft remains in control.
“He's a good guy. He works with his teammates and is easy to lead. He listens and asks questions. He's obviously trying to add elements to his game. The pilot estimated that the people around him were modest by nature. He's a really good person and I don't think he wants all the attention, but he'll have to get used to it. She'll be there.”
Rare victory
Bedard was definitely happy with his performance, especially since he also scored the Hawks' first goal against the Jets. The feeling of succeeding in front of a larger audience is hard to ignore.
“It's nice to score goals, especially with the crowd here. It was great, he said. So it was great to score in extra time because scoring goals is always nice. I don’t know if I thought about it too much other than it made me happy.”
This is therefore a rare moment of joy for a team that has returned to normality after very difficult weeks. The Hawks remain in the basement of the Central Section with 11 wins and 23 points. They will try to topple the Dallas Stars on Friday.