5 takeaways from the Chicago Blackhawks’ weekend, including Connor Bedard’s 1st goal and following a ‘frustrating’ loss with an upset win

EDMONTON, Alberta Philipp Kurashev celebrated his 25th birthday Saturday, and the Chicago Blackhawks forward treated himself.

Kurashev scored the opening goal in the first period, his first of the season, during the Hawks 5-2 upset of the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place.

Everyone was happy for him, Connor Bedard said.

We were telling him hes getting a little old now, but its good to see him put one in for sure.

In fact, the Oilers gifted the Hawks a few things: Bedards first goal of the season and his fifth career three-point game.

The previously anemic power plays first two goals, courtesy of Teuvo Teravainen.

The Hawks first win, soothing the heartache of a last-minute collapse that led to a 2-1 overtime loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Friday.

A furious third-period push by the Oilers, last seasons Stanley Cup runner-up, to help the Hawks prove to themselves they could stand up to the pressure after Fridays game.

Against the Jets, the Hawks coughed up the tying goal with 1 minute, 4 seconds left in regulation and allowed the winning goal 38 seconds into overtime.

Obviously last game was frustrating with how it ended, and going to the third (Saturday) we obviously had the chance to close it out, Bedard said.

We were on our heels a little bit, but to be able to make do of our power plays, see the pucks go in was nice for sure.

Coach Luke Richardson agreed it was a little bit maybe erratic at the end.

We were scrambling because they were putting pressure on and had a few icings, but wed rather take icings than turnovers, Richardson said.

The guys hung in there tight against a really strong, powerful offensive team.

...

When you get some goals, you start playing with some more confidence, and the power play showed that tonight as well.

As rough of a start as the Hawks had in a 5-2 loss to the Utah Hockey Club in the season opener, they have steadily improved with each game as newcomers such as Teravainen, Alec Martinez and Tyler Bertuzzi have acclimated.

However, after taking a 1-0 lead into the first intermission Saturday, the Hawks frittered away another lead.

Corey Perry backhanded Jeff Skinners rebound, and the puck went in off Hawks defenseman T.J.

Brodie.

The Hawks regained the lead on Seth Jones power-play goal after Mattias Janmark hooked Bedard and he took a hard spill.

Bedard and Teravainen assisted Jones rip from the high slot, his first goal of the season.

Perry? Janmark? Who knew this was a revenge game for marginal ex-Hawks? Bedard got his payback late in the second period.

He entered the zone with Teravainen and circled behind him using him to run interference on two Oilers defenders then picked a corner above Calvin Pickards glove-side shoulder.

The Blackhawks Teuvo Teravainen (86) and Seth Jones celebrate a goal against the Oilers during the third period Saturday, Oct.

12, 2024.

(Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP) Teravainen scored on the power play 5:35 into the third to pad the lead to 4-1, and that sent the Oilers into desperation mode.

Viktor Arvidsson momentarily gave the Oilers life with an apparent goal, but it was ruled he committed goalie interference by backing Brodie into Petr Mrazek.

Jones committed an interference penalty and Leon Draisaitl capitalized on the power play to draw the Oilers to 4-2 with 9:59 to play.

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Lets settle this Utah Hockey Club nickname once and for all.

Chicago Blackhawks | 5 takeaways from the Chicago Blackhawks season-opening loss, including a paltry power play and 2 newcomers standing out The Oilers outshot the Hawks 14-3 in the third, but Teravainen scored his second power-play goal of the period with 47 seconds left to put the game out of reach.

Teravainen, with three goals in the back-to-back games, is looking more and more like the offensive salvation the Hawks hoped he could become when they signed him to a three-year, $16.2 million contract in July.

He said it was good to see the Hawks puck luck change, especially the power play too.

We didnt score yet before tonight, so thats big.

We need those to win the games.

The Hawks didnt need to be flashy to beat the high-flying Oilers.

We like our group, Bedard said.

We can really frustrate teams and just be annoying to play against.

And I think thats going to be our identity, a lot of simplicity.

Here are five takeaways from the weekend back-to-back.

The Oilers Connor McDavid (97) battles against the Blackhawks Connor Bedard during the first period Oct.

12, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta.

(Leila Devlin/Getty Images) Oilers superstar Connor McDavid and Bedard went head to head for the second time.

Bedard scored in the first meeting, too, but McDavids two assists helped propel the Oilers to a 4-1 win on Dec.

12, 2023, in Edmonton.

Bedard then broke his jaw on Jan.

5, two games before what wouldve been the first of two rematches in January, both of which Bedard missed.

Bedard looked like the better Connor on Saturday.

Connor was excellent tonight on both sides of the puck, Richardson said.

Were asking him to do some things defensively, and I think hes starting to realize the puck will come back to him.

...

Him and Teuvo have found each other a few times, and on the power play it was working well.

The Blackhawks Tyler Bertuzzi (59), Taylor Hall (71), Philipp Kurashev, right, Wyatt Kaiser, rear left, and Connor Murphy, rear right, celebrate a first-period goal against the Oilers on Oct.

12, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta.

(Leila Devlin/Getty Images) Kurashev mans the second line with Bertuzzi and Taylor Hall, and the Hawks are giving Bedards former wing man a look at center while they try out Teravainen in Kurashevs old spot.

Kurashev had a lowlight in overtime against the Jets, taking the wrong route on defense and letting Mark Scheifele blow by him for the game-winner.

But the fifth-year Hawk found a measure of redemption Saturday with a tip-in off Nick Folignos shot.

Kurashev scored a career-high 18 goals last season, and the Hawks hope he can reach the 20-goal plateau and help spread some of the offensive production.

The Oilers Corey Perry battles along the boards against the Blackhawks TJ Brodie (78) and Andreas Athanasiou during the second period Oct.

12, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta.

(Leila Devlin/Getty Images) Before two costly miscues in the last 1:42 of the overtime loss to the Jets, the Hawks defense looked as competent as it has in a very long time.

Simple in its organization but stifling for the better part of three periods.

Structured.

(Most structured) since Ive been here, I think, Jones said with a chuckle after the Jets game.

We were above the other team most of the night and frustrated them, Richardson said.

We were pretty much even on five-on-five chances against a really good team, and thats what we want.

It was a bit sloppier for the Hawks in the first period Saturday, but the Oilers failed to cash in on Grade A chances.

The Oilers got it together and really hunted the Hawks in the third, but Hawks defenders held up for the most part, particularly a penalty kill that has been strong so far.

You get their big guns coming at you on the power play and then putting them together on the same line on a five-on-six situation, for us thats pretty difficult to handle, Richardson said.

The Jets Morgan Barron skates away from the Blackhawks Wyatt Kaiser during the first period Friday, Oct.

11, 2024, in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

(Fred Greenslade/The Canadian Press via AP) Kaiser made his season debut against the Jets after returning from an illness.

He assisted on Kurashevs goal Saturday, but a third-period play was just as big.

Kaiser squashed McDavid into the corner and they fell down together.

Yet McDavid was penalized for roughing instead of Kaiser for the takedown.

Teravainen scored on the power play.

He plays everybody the right way, Richardson said of Kaiser.

Puts them to the outside, leads with the stick, finishes through the body.

He doesnt care if its one of the best players in the world or not.

He just did the proper thing.

I think it frustrated Connor McDavid, but for a young defenseman to build respect in this league, hes got to play like that.

It was excellent to see.

Blackhawks goalie Petr Mrazek makes a save against the Oilers Ryan Nugent-Hopkins during the second period Oct.

12, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta.

(Leila Devlin/Getty Images) Its a good thing Richardson opted to rest Mrazek for the front end of the back-to-back.

He had a lot on his plate with a late Saturday night start.

Mrazek made 36 saves, including a tic-tac-toe attempt in the first period in which he shut down Derek Ryans shot from the front door.

Mrazek also made a big stop on Ryan Nugent-Hopkins close-range wrister with 1:56 left, when the Oilers had six attackers.

Raz was unbelievable, Bedard said.

He really held it down in net.

Mrazek credited a bend-but-dont-break defense in the third.

We were getting pucks out, icings, but just chip it out and they were coming, skating well in our zone, he said.

So pretty tired right now, but rewarded with two points..

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