Bedard’s 2 goals, 2 assists boost Blackhawks to win against Lightning

TAMPA -- Connor Bedard had two goals and two assists for his first multipoint NHL game, and the Chicago Blackhawks defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-3 at Amalie Arena on Thursday.

Bedard, a center who was the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, became the third-youngest player in NHL history with a four-point game (18 years and 115 days). He has 11 points (seven goals, four assists) in 12 games.

"I felt like there were games when I could have created more than this and I had zero points," Bedard said. "You never know. I think it’s just kind of sticking with it. That’s how things go sometimes. It feels good to get on the score sheet."

Chicago coach Luke Richardson said, "He’s new to the League, he's been here for a dozen games. He’s starting to really figure it out, use his skills to the best of his ability. It paid off for him, and for us, tonight."

Corey Perry and Tyler Johnson also scored for the Blackhawks (5-7-0), who had lost eight straight against the Lightning. Petr Mrazek made 30 saves.

"We weren’t happy with our effort Sunday (4-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils)," Bedard said. "To come out and beat a team like that -- playing against them, you can see why they’ve done what they’ve done in the past few years. To get a win against them is big."

Nikita Kucherov, Anthony Cirelli and Steven Stamkos scored for the Lightning (6-4-4), who lost in regulation at home for the first time this season (4-1-2). Jonas Johansson made 24 saves.

Cirelli gave Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal at 3:20 of the first period.

"It's little things that we've got to clean up," Cirelli said. "… Turnovers. We've got to be better in our own zone. Those things are on us. It's nothing system-wise, we've just got to go out and execute."

Bedard tied it 1-1 at 4:42 with a chip-in at the right post off a pass by Philipp Kurashev.

"He created the whole first goal," Richardson said of Bedard. "He was hard on the defenseman, and he has a good stick, good stick skills. He’s not in there slashing; he’s lifting sticks and disrupting things. Good things happen when you play hard in the right way."

Kucherov put the Lightning back in front 2-1 at 12:31 when he put in a rebound off a shot from Tanner Jeannot.

Kevin Korchinski tied it at 2-2 with his first NHL goal at 16:43. His shot from the left wing deflected off the skate of Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh.

"It took a lucky bounce," said Korchinski, who played his 12th NHL game. "But I’ll take it."

Johnson put Chicago ahead 3-2 at 17:38 when he finished a 2-on-1 off a backhand pass by Bedard following a Tampa Bay turnover in the neutral zone.

"The first 10 minutes they were possessing the puck," Bedard said. "We showed patience and waited for their mistakes. The guys did great things, and I got the benefits."

Bedard extended the lead 4-2 at 19:52 on another odd-man rush after a Lightning turnover. Johansson made the initial save on Bedard from in close, but Cirelli fell into the goalie, and the puck went in the net.

"He's a good player, don't get me wrong, but we just gave it to him," Tampa Bay defenseman Mikhail Sergachev said of Bedard. "It's totally on us."

Perry made it 5-2 with a power-play goal at 2:12 of the second period with a tip from in front. It was his first game against the Lightning since they traded him to the Blackhawks on June 29.

Stamkos scored at 17:50 of the third period with Johansson pulled for an extra attacker for the 5-3 final.

"Listen, we had the momentum in this game clearly for the first 10-12 minutes, whatever it was,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said, “and we gave the momentum back with our self-inflicted errors, plain and simple. Turnovers, lack of execution, and we just gave them freebies. It's tough to win if you're going to continue to do that."

NOTES: The two youngest players with a four-point game are Toronto Maple Leafs forward Ted Kennedy (18 years, 27 days; Jan. 8, 1944) and Boston Bruins forward Bep Guidolin (18 years, 58 days; Feb. 5, 1944). … Blackhawks forward Taylor Hall was helped off the ice and left the game at 14:27 of the third after taking a hit along the boards from Lightning forward Michael Eyssimont. Richardson had no update. ... Chicago forward Nick Foligno had three assists. ... Mrazek is 4-12-3 against Tampa Bay. ... Kucherov has a four-game goal streak and 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in that span. ... Stamkos has seven points (two goals, five assists) during a five-game point streak.