Presented by Nationwide Insurance Agent Jeff Vukovich
The Chicago Blackhawks overcame a two-goal deficit to beat the Arizona Coyotes 7-4 on Sunday at the United Center.
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Here are 10 observations from the win:
1. The Blackhawks fell into a 2-0 hole through one period, and it didn't look very promising. But they erupted in the second period, where they outshot the Coyotes 23-9 and outscored them 4-1. It was one of their best periods of the season.
2. Connor Bedard finished with a season-high 16 shot attempts on Saturday in Washington. He followed that up with a three-point outing — two goals and a primary assist. He also had seven shots on goal to match his season-high that came on Nov. 30 in a 5-1 loss to Detroit and 13 shot attempts total.
3. The entire building was on Bedard hat trick watch, but Colin Blackwell was too, and he completed it by scoring the empty-netter to make it 7-4. It was his first career NHL hat trick. Good for him.
Chicago Blackhawks
4. The last time these two teams met, the Blackhawks scored four power-play goals and ended a 22-game road winless streak. They picked up where they left off by converting on two of their five power plays. It was just the fourth time all season the Blackhawks scored multiple power-play goals in a game, the second against Arizona.
5. The Blackhawks finished with 42 shots on goal, which is a new season-high. Their previous best was 37, which came in a shutout loss to Colorado on March 4. The Blackhawks also won for the first time all season when allowing four or more goals; they were 0-27-2 in the previous 29 instances. Crazy.
6. Arvid Söderblom went more than three months without a win. He now has two wins in his last two starts in a five-day span. Of course, right? It wasn't his best game, but the Blackhawks picked him up with some run support.
7. Chicago's first pairing of Seth Jones and Alex Vlasic was dynamite together. It was one of their better games of the season as a duo. Jones registered four assists; he had two goals in the last meeting. What a week for Jones.
8. Andreas Athanasiou is still working his way back from a groin injury that's kept him out of the lineup since Nov. 9. He skated again on Sunday morning but isn't ready yet. The team is hoping he can return on Tuesday or Friday. Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson said there hasn't been a setback, rather they're being overly cautious: "If there’s one little hesitation, then we’re going to wait that extra day. So hopefully it is just the extra day."
9. The Blackhawks were officially eliminated from playoff contention. If you disqualify the 2020 bubble, that's the seventh consecutive year without postseason hockey. It's been a tough stretch, and there probably won't be playoff hockey in Chicago for at least two more seasons, but there's light at the end of the tunnel.
10. Landon Slaggert's senior season at Notre Dame ended on Saturday night, and he wasted no time in signing his entry-level contract with the Blackhawks. The team announced the deal on Sunday before the game; it's a two-year contract at a cap hit of $912,500. Slaggert is expected to join the Blackhawks immediately.