TAKEAWAYS: Blackwell Returns, Blackhawks Snap Skid in Win Over Avs

Before puck dropped on Tuesday night in Chicago’s 3-2 win over Colorado, Colin Blackwell took a few moments to himself — looking around at the crowd kids lined up along the glass during warmups and taking in Jim Cornelison’s his iconic rendition of the national anthem from the blue line in the starting lineup.

“When you see kids standing on the glass, it just reminds me of me as a kid and you just know how far you've come in order to get to this point, nevermind over the last 10 months,” he said. “And then obviously the national anthem gets everybody buzzing.. and I'm happy to get back to that.”

Blackwell is back playing the game he loves after a nearly 10-month injury layoff, with Tuesday’s game his first back in the lineup following sports hernia surgery and a road to recovery that was riddled with setbacks and frustrations.

Injured in Chicago’s game in Anaheim on Feb. 27 of last season, Blackwell underwent surgery on March 22 with an estimated return to hockey activities projected just 12 weeks later. He suffered several offseason setbacks, including one last delay right before training camp opened in September, and wasn’t able to return to skating until late October -- days after he shared he was able to do a simple task like walk his dog around the block for the first time without pain.

“It's been a long, long road and not many ups but a lot of downs,” an emotional Blackwell told Blackhawks.com earlier this season when he first returned to the ice.

Right away in his first game back, Blackwell was back to, as Richardson described, his usual “gritty” self. After the emotions of an opening shift, he delivered a hit to close his second on Avs blueliner Josh Manson in the offensive zone, drawing an early cheer from the sellout crowd on hand at the United Center. He continued his energy all the way through the final whistle, trusted with helping close out the final minutes of a one-goal game and delivered another big hit on Nathan MacKinnon in the process as Colorado looked to tie things late.

“Right from start right to the end,” Richardson said, “I think he was chirpping off the bench, he had them ruffled up all throughout the game, and that's him. He's a little Spitfire -- I think I said that this morning and he came through. He was really good, and happy for him. It's a long road back and but he put a lot of work and he was ready.”

He finished the night with six hits -- double that of any other player on either side -- three shots and 16:41 of ice time. 

“Not bad for a guy that was basically playing men's league for the last month,” Blackwell joked after the game.

“That means a lot to me (to be entrusted late in the game),” he added. “I’ve been putting in a lot of work just to be able to get to this point.”

Blackwell admits his game still has a ways to go to feel in true midseason form. He at times kept his shifts short as he continues to build back his conditioning, and got check-ins from Richardson throughout the game and the medical staff between periods to make sure he was holding up. But the forward is back, and everyone in the Blackhawks locker room is thrilled -- a testament to the effort he's put in behind the scenes to get back to the game he loves.

TOP LINE SUCCESS

Chicago’s win on the night -- one that snapped a four-game losing streak -- centered around execution from up and down the lineup. They contained the third-most potent offense in the league to a pair of power-play goals in the first, but otherwise limited chances and capitalized on opportunities at even strength. Chicago even scored a power-play goal of their own to seal the victory.

The even-strength offense was led by the top line, one that was different than the projected top line at morning skate. Ryan Donato was promoted to the first trio just before warmups in place of Philipp Kurashev -- a late scratch due to illness -- and delivered right away, popping home a rebound in the crease to give the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead 7:29 into the game.

Minutes later, after two Avalanche power-play strikes, Lukas Reichel snapped an eight-game point drought on a 2-on-1 rush as Connor Bedard found his other winger in the high slot for a quick wrister to tie the game, 2-2.

It was a second straight two-point night for Bedard, who also had a secondary assist on Donato’s tally, pushing his season total to 28 points (12G, 16A) in his 31st game. It was the third multi-point game in the last five outings for the rookie center. Bedard didn’t get credit on the scoresheet for it, but it was also his spin-move drop-pass play off a zone entry that served as the catalyst for the power-play game-winner, drawing two penalty killers his way and freeing up space for a pair of quick passes to Tyler Johnson in front for the tap-in.

“I think we have to grab [this momentum] and use it.” Richardson after the win. “We can't just sit on it and think that it just happened. It was a lot of hard work and I think the guys stayed focused. Consistency has been a word we've been looking for this year, and I think tonight's 60 minutes was really good ... A little bit short-staffed and even last-minute changes right a warmup but the guys adjusted and they played the game plan to a tee.”