A nasty hit from the New Jersey Devils' Brendan Smith in the first period has benched Bedard for the rest of the game. The Blackhawks made it official at the start of the second frame but kept mum about the exact injury details.
Picture this: Bedard takes a hit entering the offensive zone during a power-play, courtesy of Smith's high check. Bedard hits the ice, holding his face, then picks himself up and skates solo to the bench, finally heading straight to the locker room with a team medic.
And of course, it wouldn't be hockey without a scuffle. Blackhawks' Nick Foligno and Philipp Kurashev didn't take kindly to Smith's hit, sparking a brawl. Foligno got a double minor for roughing, while Smith got a single minor in return.
Now, the team's playing it close to the chest with Bedard's injury, but fans are worried, especially about a possible concussion. Losing Bedard for a while would be a tough blow for the Hawks since he's been the go-to guy this season, leading the team in both goals and points as a rookie.
The real kicker? The big news about Bedard's forced exit and the mystery around his injury comes in at the end, adding that extra layer of anticipation and emphasizing the potential impact on the team.
POLL | ||
Is this a big loss for the Blackhawks? | ||
Yes | 351 | 76.8 % |
No | 106 | 23.2 % |
List of polls |