Connor Bedard DESTROYS his stick by slamming it against the boards as Blackhawks are dismantled 5-1 by Red Wings in second game since Corey Perry was waived for ‘unacceptable’ conduct
Blackhawks center Connor Bedard broke his stick after slamming it into the boards as Chicago was blown away by the Detroit Red Wings.
Bedard, a first overall pick considered one of the top prospects of his generation, exploded in anger in the second period of Thursday's 5-1 loss.
He hit his stick along the planks until it broke and then threw it on the floor. Bedard's temper boiled again as he punched the plates after heading to the bench.
The embarrassing loss for the Blackhawks came in their second game since the release of veteran Corey Perry.
An internal investigation found that Perry “engaged in conduct that is unacceptable and violates both the terms of his standard player contract and the Blackhawks' internal policies designed to promote a professional and safe work environment.”
Connor Bedard broke his stick when he hit it against the boards in the 5-1 loss to Detroit
The blowout loss was the Blackhawks' second game since the team waived Corey Perry
It came just days after the 38-year-old quit the team for personal reasons and earlier on Thursday Perry announced in a statement that he was seeking help for his mental health and alcohol problems.
Perry also denied that his release was related to his teammates or their families.
On the ice, JT Compher and Robby Fabbri both scored twice for the Red Wings on Thursday night.
Bedard set up the tying goal for Lukas Reichel early in the first period, giving the rookie center a team-high 18 points in 21 games, but the Blackhawks couldn't keep up at either end of the ice as they lost for the seventh time. in nine games.
Alex Lyon stopped 34 shots for the Red Wings, who won four of five games to build momentum ahead of Patrick Kane's expected debut with the team next week.
Former Detroit goalie Petr Mrazek had 24 saves.
Compher scored a short-handed goal (2:29) in the first, capping off an odd rush with Andrew Copp. A minute later, Bedard's pass from behind the net assisted Reichel with his second goal this season.
Fabbri, who had a goal and an assist in a loss at the New York Rangers on Wednesday night, dangled the puck around flailing defenseman Wyatt Kaiser and his backhander gave the Red Wings the go-ahead goal midway through the first game. In ten games in an injury-shortened season, Fabbri scored seven goals.
Bedard was the first choice and is considered one of the best prospects of his generation
Both JT Compher and Robby Fabbri scored twice for the Detroit Red Wings in the win
Detroit pulled away in the second, leading by two on Ben Chiarot's goal and taking a 4–1 lead with its suddenly powerful power play.
Compher's goal extended the Red Wings' power play scoring streak to five games after they went five games without scoring on the power play. It was Compher's ninth career multi-goal game and first since December 1, 2022, when the winger played for Colorado.
Fabbri's second goal midway through the third allowed the Red Wings to run out to a four-goal lead and gave them an eighth goal on the power play in five games.
Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin missed his second straight game with an injury. Larkin is expected to return soon and may have Kane at the top, putting him alongside former Blackhawks teammate Alex DeBrincat.