Makeshift Blackhawks lineup not enough in Connor Bedard's return

The Chicago Blackhawks got their young superstar, Connor Bedard, back in the lineup against the Washington Capitals. However, they also have a flu bug going through their locker room, which caused a handful of players and head coach Jeff Blashill to miss today’s morning skate. Earlier in the afternoon, the team recalled defenseman Kevin Korchinski and goaltender Drew Commesso from the Rockford IceHogs.

It was Commesso who led the Blackhawks onto the ice as both Spencer Knight and Arvid Soderblom were out with illness. Dave Nozzililo was signed as the emergency backup goaltender. Korchinski drew in as Louis Crevier missed the game, as did forward Ilya Mikheyev.

The makeshift lineup struggled to get anything going and had too many defensive breakdowns in a 5-1 loss to the Washington Capitals. After the game, head coach Jeff Blashill said it’s a stomach bug going through the locker room. There is no doubt that a lot of guys on the ice tonight were far from 100%. Blashill said Mikheyev will travel and play tomorrow against the Nashville Predators, but there is a lot of uncertainty, including both goaltenders.

“I just didn’t think we had it,” Blashill said. “What’s the reason? Certainly, talk about no excuses, but the reality is a lot of guys didn’t feel very good. So, there’s reality in there. You call up some guys late. Spence got sick really late, and I thought Drew went in and played good, but that puts him in a tough spot. All that stuff, it is what it is. We have a good enough lineup for sure to go win a hockey game. We’ve got to play better than we did.”

Connor Bedard Shows No Signs of Rust

When Bedard left the ice in great pain on Dec. 12, the immediate fear was that he would miss the rest of the season. While there was never a concrete timeline for his return, it felt as if a severe injury had been avoided. Ultimately, he missed a dozen games with the Blackhawks going 5-6-1. That record was impressive considering they lost the first five games without Bedard and played the last eight games without Frank Nazar, as well.

As one would imagine, it wasn’t just the fan base who was excited to see the young star back in the lineup.

“He’s a big part of our team, and he was playing really well before he got injured, and we’re excited to have him back,” assistant coach Mike Vellucci said this morning. “He’s ready to play. As soon as you can get somebody like Connor's ability back in the lineup, we want to get him in as fast as possible without putting him in jeopardy, and he’s ready to go.”

Bedard’s first game back started with him on the wing, playing with Oliver Moore and Nick Lardis. This move made sense as you didn’t want to break up the top line with Tyler Bertuzzi, Ryan Greene, and Andre Burakovsky. And with the way Moore has looked down the middle, easing Bedard back into game action on the wing was a logical choice. However, his time on the wing lasted one period as he was back at “center” between Greene and Burakovsy to start the second.

“I thought Connor played solid,” Blashill said. “Trying to work him back into it, and he’s been out for a little bit, and he hasn’t had any practice. I thought he got better as the game went along, which is probably to be expected. Part of it is trying to feel out what’s going to hurt and what’s not. I know he felt probably more comfortable at the end than he did in the beginning, so that’ll only help him for tomorrow.”

Bedard finished with four shots on goal in his 17:07 of playing time. He did not take any faceoffs, and Blashill said that will be the norm for the foreseeable future. The bottom line is that he didn’t look rusty or tentative. That’s a positive to take out of a relatively negative night.

Drew Commesso Struggles in Tough Spot

Tonight was Commesso’s second NHL start and third appearance. His only other start was a 4-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Dec. 14, 2024. In Rockford this season, he is 6-11-2 with a 2.72 goals-against average and .909 save percentage.

The first period was rough, as he gave up a goal on the first shot he faced. This was the second straight game in which the opponent scored on their first shot. However, it was hard to blame him as Martin Ferhervary made a nice pass to Anthony Beauviiler at the side of the net for an easy tap-in goal.

Commesso allowed three goals on just six shots during the opening frame. The second goal was a short breakaway, but Connor McMichael exposed Commesso’s five-hole rather easily. The third goal was one he should have stopped, as Ethen Frank fired a quick wrister from just a few feet out.

After the rough opening frame, Commesso settled in and stopped 16 of the 18 shots he faced over the final 40 minutes. We’ll see what happens in Nashville, as the health of Knight and Soderblom remains unknown. Overall, this was a tough spot for the young netminder to step into. He started his day at the IceHogs’ morning skate, preparing to play the Chicago Wolves. Then he was recalled to back up Knight, before being told he was starting not long before puck drop.  

Kevin Korchinski has a Concerning Season Debut

Korchinski made his Blackhawks season debut paired with veteran Matt Grzelcyk. In 32 games with the Rockford IceHogs, the third-year pro has two goals and 19 points. His 17 assists were tied for the second-most on the team at the time of his call-up.

The return to the NHL was not kind to Korchinski. After being on the ice for the first Capitals goal, he was victimized on their second tally. His reaction in the neutral zone left a lot to be desired, as it took too long to turn around and skate towards Connor McMichael. He doesn’t turn around until he is already in the offensive zone, and by then it is far too late to make a play.

Korchinski ended up on top of Commesso for the Capitals' fourth goal, which is not ideal.

At some point, Korchinski needs to show something at the NHL level. He’s been good in the AHL, but the seventh overall pick needs to be better than just good in the AHL. I’m not writing him off yet, but I am far less enthusiastic about his potential than I was a year ago. He looked like a player who was thinking far too much on the ice. He needs to trust his instincts and play freely. The only way that will happen is with more playing time in the NHL.

Nuggets and Tidbits

• Besides Bedard’s return, the other big positive takeaway was the power play. They went 1-for-4, improving to 8-for-18 since Dec. 30. The top unit created numerous chances, including five shots on goal during an extended 5-on-3 in the first period. I still have no idea how they didn’t score during a mad scramble in the crease. Moore scored the Blackhawks' lone goal on a second-period power play, and it was a thing of beauty.

• Not only did Lardis pick up his first NHL assist on Moore’s goal, but he was the first player to jump to his defense after Justin Sourdif hit him up high. These are the moments that endear a young player to his teammates and coaching staff.

• Artyom Levshunov led the Blackhawks with a career-high 24:42 of ice time. That included 2:51 on the penalty with Crevier out of action. He was on the ice for three goals against, but still had two shots on goal, five shot attempts, three hits, and a takeaway.