Blackhawks faced nightmare journey back following 7-5 loss to Blues, reached home at 4 am: Report
The Chicago Blackhawks faced a challenging night on and off the ice as they grappled with a 7-5 loss to the St. Louis Blues, reportedly culminating in a nightmarish journey back home.
Blackhawks insider Charlie Roumeliotis reported that the weather was so bad that the team only returned at 4 AM. According to Roumeliotis, head coach Luke Richardson described it as a fitting way to cap off a disappointing night.
"Luke Richardson said they had a rough travel night after Saturday's 7-5 loss against Blues 'just to cap off the night.' I'm told the fog was so bad in Chicago that the team had to bus back from St. Louis. They didn't get home until almost 4 a.m. #Blackhawks."
St. Louis winger Jordan Kyrou netted two goals, while Justin Faulk, Jake Neighbours and Brandon Saad contributed in the third period. It helped the Blues overcome a three-goal deficit and secure the win against the Chicago Blackhawks.
Faulk's late third-period goal and Kyrou's empty-netter sealed the Blues' comeback, leaving the Hawks grappling with the challenge of regaining momentum.
Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard's lacrosse-style goal
Despite a lacrosse-style goal from rookie sensation Connor Bedard and a two-goal performance from Nick Foglino, the Blackhawks couldn't maintain their lead. The loss marked their sixth defeat in seven games, reflecting the team's recent struggles.
Hawks defenseman Jarred Tinordi was quoted as saying by ESPN:
“We've got to learn in those moments. We’ve had leaks before this year. We’ve kind of given them up and battled back. ... I think sitting back and sitting on your heels is never the recipe to win.”
Coach Richardson acknowledged the talent displayed by Bedard in his unique goal but emphasized the missed opportunity to turn it into a victory.
“We’ve seen a couple of things like that,” Richardson said. “He’s got quick hands, and I didn’t even realize what happened until it went in. That’s the vision that he has. He can see that when the puck is probably wobbling a little bit. He gets his blade under it, and he can scoop it as he’s moving. He’s able to do those things.
“Unfortunately, we couldn’t propel it into a win tonight.”
The Hawks will look to learn from their mistakes and refocus for the games ahead.