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Chicago Blackhawks rookie phenom Connor Bedard left in the first period of Friday's game against the New Jersey Devils with an undisclosed injury. The team announced at the start of the second period that he would be out for the remainder of the contest.
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The play happened midway through the first period when Devils defenseman Brendan Smith laid a big hit on Bedard, who was seen holding his mouth before heading to the locker room. He did not return.
Philipp Kurashev immediately came to the defense of his teammate, as did Nick Foligno, who was hit with two roughing penalties. The Blackhawks not only killed off the penalty but they scored on the power play to make it 1-0.
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Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson didn't provide much of an update on Bedard after the game, saying they would have more information on Saturday.
"I think he obviously banged his head," Richardson said. "But I just got in there now and I hadn't heard anything other than everybody's coming home. We'll get it checked out at home."
For the most part, the Blackhawks didn't seem to have a problem with Smith's hit on Bedard. Boris Katchouk was the exception.
"I mean, everybody saw it," Katchouk said. "It's dirty, so. I think it's dirty."
The Bedard loss is a brutal blow for the Blackhawks, who have seven players on injured reserve. Three of those players — Taylor Raddysh (groin), Tyler Johnson (foot) and Anthony Beauvillier (wrist) — were placed on IR during this five-game road trip.