Connor Bedard's emotional reaction after ending 12-game goal drought
Yesterday at 10:33 PM
It’s been a rough run of form for Chicago Blackhawks star Connor Bedard as of late. He emerged as Chicago’s best player in 2023-24 even with the team failing to win many games. The Blackhawks made moves to support Bedard at the top of the lineup, but it hasn’t worked so far. In fact, Bedard entered play Wednesday against the Dallas Stars with a 12-game goal drought.
Thankfully, he ended that goal drought on Wednesday night. Bedard fired home his fourth goal of the year early in the second period. The former first-overall pick has certainly felt pressure to perform on the ice. And his reaction to his goal against the Stars captured his relief to finally be back on the scoresheet.
Connor Bedard looks to the heavens after snapping a 12-game goal drought. The weight lifted off his shoulders. #Blackhawkspic.twitter.com/Mt97F5N088
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) November 28, 2024
Bedard has not recorded another point in the game against Dallas. However, he also hasn’t needed to. Veteran forward Taylor Hall scored a massive hat trick on Wednesday night following a controversial benching. Chicago entered the second intermission with a comfortable 6-1 lead in front of their home fans at the United Center.
Blackhawks’ Connor Bedard has been frustrated in recent games
Connor Bedard is well aware of the expectations placed upon him. Part of this is due to the high expectations he places on himself. But he is far from being alone in having struggles early in one’s career. In fact, Blackhawks teammate Taylor Hall knows this all too well.
"My second year, I had three goals after 17 games," Hall told The Chicago Tribune earlier in the week. He recalled a moment in 2011-12 when he scored a hat trick against the Blackhawks, ironically. It helped turn things around for him, mentally and in terms of statistical production.
"I ended the year at, like, a half-goal-a-game clip and had some good totals," Hall said, "and I felt that I had a pretty good season, even though it was shortened due to injury."
Bedard has been hard on himself as of late. It’s hard not to be when as a professional athlete, especially one of Bedard’s caliber. But he remained determined to find a solution earlier as his goalless streak continued.
“I could name 100 things [I could do better],” Bedard said last week, via ESPN. “I don’t know, man. It has been frustrating, for sure. I just don’t feel like I’m really doing anything. So just keep chipping away at it, I guess, and hopefully find my game again.”
Bedard has finally found the back of the net. It’s certainly a positive sign for him as a player. And it’s even moreso a positive sign for the Blackhawks. Now, it’s about building on this goal and continuing to get better as the 2024-25 season goes along.
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