Puck management, special teams waste Bedard's effort against Predators

The last time we saw the Chicago Blackhawks, they had a lackluster effort in a 4-0 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. While some sloppiness was expected after a three-week layoff, they looked energized and ready to play. However, the Nashville Predators scored three unanswered goals after the Blackhawks took a 2-1 lead early in the third period to earn a 4-2 win.

You knew both teams would look disjointed after 22 days without a game. The Blackhawks had more problems with puck management than the Predators, and it cost them. Special teams were another big factor in the loss. The Blackhawks went 1-for-5 on the power play tonight. Not scoring a goal after getting six minutes of power-play time in the first 10 minutes of the game came back to haunt them. On the flip side, the NHL’s top-ranked penalty kill failed to kill off the Blackhawks’ only penalty of the night.  

“We’ve got to find a way to win the game,” head coach Jeff Blashill said. “That’s part of this process of growing. You’re on the road, you get the lead, and then you’ve got to find a way, way to kill that penalty. I thought the first half of the game, we hurt ourselves with our puck play. There was not enough poise and support. As it went along, it got better. We certainly had enough chances to score, but we’ve got to lock that game down.”

Connor Bedard Comes Out Firing

During the Olympic break, Blashill went back to some familiar combinations at the top of his lineup. Connor Bedard was back with Andre Burakovsky and Ryan Greene. He also put Frank Nazar and Tyler Bertuzzi back together on the second line.

Bedard could be playing the last 25 games with a Maple Leaf-shaped chip on his shoulder after being left off Canada’s Olympic roster, and I am here for it. While the first period was a bit sloppy and disjointed, as expected, the Blackhawks' young star hadn’t missed a beat.

After an energetic first period, Bedard and Greene teamed up for the Blackhawks' first goal. Both young forwards got in on the forecheck. Once Greene drew the attention of two Nashville defenders, he got the puck to Bedard in space, and he went post-and-in for his 24th goal of the season, a new career high.

He had two more prime scoring chances in the second stanza. First, he was sprung on a breakaway after a nice lead pass by Connor Murphy, but he was denied by Justus Annunen. A few minutes later, Burakovsky fed him below the left dot, but Annunen made another nice save off a quick release.

Bedard finished his night with five shots on goal and four individual scoring chances at 5-on-5. The top line had a 6-4 advantage in scoring chances and doubled up the Predators in high-danger chances, 2-1. Tonight was also the first time Bedard took faceoffs since injuring his shoulder on Dec. 12, and he went 7-for-16.

"I thought Burky and Greener were unreal tonight, like they have been all year, and making it really easy for me,” Bedard said of his linemates. “I think they set me up for five or six Grade As. That's on me to put one more of those in, and maybe it's a different game."

More Ups and Downs for Artyom Levshunov

Artyom Levshunov’s rookie season in the NHL has been a roller coaster, as one would expect for an inexperienced defenseman. His season took its biggest dip heading into the Olympic break as he sat out the last three games as a “reset.” Blashill liked what he saw out of him during the last few practices, but you can’t replicate game speed at the Blackhawks Ice Center.

Levshunov served up the Predators' first goal by turning over the puck on a sloppy play. Spencer Knight couldn’t play the puck cleanly behind the net, then Levshunov skated into the forecheck of Erik Haula, and gave it right to Filip Forsberg. He needs to do a better job of seeing the pressure and getting rid of the puck sooner.

Blashill didn’t exactly throw Levshunov under the bus for this play after the game. While he said he needed to “eat it” in that situation, he put some blame on Nazar and the forwards for heading up the ice too quickly despite a heavy forecheck. Poor situational awareness was not limited to No. 55 on this play.

He made up for the turnover with a great defensive play late in the third period. The Predators got a 2-on-1 shorthanded rush after Greene was knocked over and took out Oliver Moore, and Levshunov made a nice diving stick check to prevent a prime scoring chance.

Levshunov ended the game with two shot attempts, two hits, and a blocked shot. Somehow, he wasn’t credited with a giveaway for the play in the first period.  At 5-on-5, shots were even 4-4 when he was on the ice, and the Blackhawks had a 3-2 scoring-chance advantage. His pairing with Matt Grzelcyk only allowed one high-danger scoring chance.

When Levshunov is playing on his toes and using his instincts, he’s been very good. When he thinks too much, it slows him down and gets him in trouble. We saw a little bit of both tonight. You just have to ride the wave at this point and let him play through his growing pains. The talent is there. He just needs to catch up between the ears, something every young blueliner struggles with.

Sam Rinzel Sees a Little Bit of Everything

Sam Rinzel was the benefactor of Levshunov’s aforementioned “reset,” as he was recalled from the AHL to take his place. After playing a couple of games for the Rockford IceHogs during the break before returning last week. Blashill was happy with the difference in the young defender when he got back to the NHL club.

“What happens in this league, especially as a young defenseman, it can start to eat away at your confidence,” he said. “It can happen to any player, but certainly a young one. He was able to go down to Rockford and renew that confidence and that swagger with the puck. I thought we saw it when he came back up, and we’ve seen it in practice. The other side of it is just learning how to defend better.”

However, he fell victim to a savvy play on Nashville’s game-winning goal. Rinzel was in the right position, but O’Reilly put his stick between his legs to direct Roman Josi’s pass in behind Knight.

Rinzel will have some new scars and bruises after the third period. He needed a few stitches midway through the third period when Murphy’s stick came up and caught him in the mouth. A few minutes later, he was on the wrong side of a sucker punch from Michael McCarron after he had a dangerous trip of Murphy behind the net.

The highlight of Rinzel’s night was the secondary assist on Tyler Bertuzzi’s power-play goal that gave the Blackhawks a 2-1 lead. In addition to being victimized on the game-winning goal, the Blackhawks were outshot 9-6 with him on the ice and allowed three high-danger scoring chances. Rinzel was active in the offensive zone with three shots on goal, six shot attempts, and two individual scoring chances.

Nuggets & Tidbits

• Even with the assist, I’d like to see Rinzel and Levshunov swap power-play units. I know Blashill is big on making players earn their time on the man advantage, but Levshunov was drafted to be an elite power-play quarterback. Let him use these last 25 games of the season to get there by playing with the likes of Bedard and Nazar.

• We gave Greene his flowers earlier for setting up Bedard’s second-period goal. However, I want to give him credit for two plays that didn’t show up on the scoresheet. In the first period, he hustled back defensively to break up an odd-man rush after Murphy pinched. Later in the second period, he made a similar play to prevent another prime scoring chance.

• Puck management was a major factor in the loss. The Blackhawks had 15 giveaways to the Predators’ six. Nine of the 15 came from Bedard, Nazar, and Teuvo Teravainen, with three each. Nazar’s third giveaway led to Steven Stamkos’ late empty-net goal. These are three of your top playmakers and offensive drivers. They can’t be the ones putting your team in danger.

• Speaking of Stamkos, his empty-netter put him ahead of Blackhawks legend Bobby Hull on the NHL’s all-time goals list with 611.

• Finally, congratulations to Rockford IceHogs broadcaster Dana Grey for making his NHL debut tonight. He is filling in on the radio for John Wiedeman, who is skipping the trip after feeling under the weather. Tonight was his first NHL call, but it won’t be his last. He’s got a bright future ahead of him.