Arvid Soderblom replaced Petr Mrazek in the Blackhawks’ loss to the Blues on Wednesday.
Scott Kane/AP Photos
ST. LOUIS — The Blackhawks‘ last trip to Missouri culminated in one of their biggest late-game meltdowns in recent memory.
On Wednesday’s follow-up visit, they got the tsunami of goals allowed out of the way quickly en route to a 5-2 loss to the Blues.
The Blues scored four times on four shots within the first seven minutes of the game, quickly getting things out of hand and chasing Hawks starting goalie Petr Mrazek from the game. After the fourth goal, defenseman Jarred Tinordi seemed half-inclined to fight the entire Blues’ lineup — as they attempted to celebrate their goal — out of pure frustration.
All told, the Hawks allowed an absurd nine goals in a span of just 19 minutes and six seconds of game time at Enterprise Center dating back to their late-December disaster.
Landon Slaggert created one feel-good moment by scoring his first career NHL goal in the third period, getting loose behind the Blues’ defense and finally hitting the net after a number of post-clanks and near-misses.
Nonetheless, the Hawks have now dropped nine of their last 10 games in St. Louis since fall 2018.
Back to center
Bedard’s first NHL stint as a winger lasted only a few games. Richardson’s decision to move Lukas Reichel up to the top line and reunite Jason Dickinson with his usual linemates, Joey Anderson and Colin Blackwell, meant Bedard moved back to center Wednesday.
In discussing the switch, Richardson continued to emphasize that the difference between winger vs. center is minimal in the Hawks’ system and that Bedard will functionally get to experience the duties of all three positions, no matter where exactly he lines up for a given faceoff.
“I don’t think he cares,” Richardson said. “You could put him on defense and he’d be fine with it. I’m not sure about goaltender. That would be the only place he wouldn’t want to play. But…anytime I’ve asked him to go and take a shift with someone on the right wing or left wing, he [replies], ‘No problem, who have I got?’ He’s ready to go.”
Radio contract extended
WGN Radio announced Wednesday they have extended their radio broadcasting rights with the Hawks for the next three years.
Play-by-play broadcaster John Wiedeman, color commentator Troy Murray and pregame-postgame show host Joe Brand have each signed three-year contract extensions, maintaining full status quo on the radio front.