Bedard has 3 points, Blackhawks defeat Oilers for 1st win
Teravainen has 2 goals, 2 assists for Chicago; Draisaitl scores for Edmonton
By
Gerry Moddejonge
NHL.com Independent Correspondent
Teuvo Teravainen had two goals and two assists, Seth Jones had a goal and two assists, and Petr Mrazek made 36 saves for the Blackhawks (1-1-1), who were coming off a 2-1 overtime loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Friday.
"Obviously, last game was frustrating with how it ended, going into the third we had a chance to close it out, and tonight we were on our heels a little bit,” Bedard said. “But to be able to close it out and make due of our power plays and see the pucks go in, it was nice for sure. ... [Mrazek] was unbelievable and he really held it down in net there, and we have to give him credit."
Leon Draisaitl and Corey Perry scored for the Oilers (0-2-0), who host the Calgary Flames on Sunday (8 p.m. ET, TVAS, SN, NHLN). Calvin Pickard made 15 saves in his first start of the season after relieving Stuart Skinner in a 6-0 loss to the Jets on Wednesday.
"Giving up five and six, you’re not going to outscore that most nights, but at the same time, we have been around it," Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said. "It is just a matter of battling, finding a way to put it in, getting those second and third opportunities and playing off that.
"But we have been around it, so it is nice we get to get back at it tomorrow."
Philipp Kurashev, who turned 25 on Saturday, put Chicago ahead 1-0 at 15:50 of the first period, tipping a wrist shot from the point by Taylor Hall past Pickard's blocker and inside the far post.
Perry was credited with the goal that tied it 1-1 at 4:55 of the second period when a rebound at the side of the net was kicked in by Blackhawks defenseman TJ Brodie.
“In two games we’ve only scored one even-strength goal, and that was at the end of a power play and they shot it in, so we need to bury our chances," Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said. "We had chances, we just needed to finish them.
“Disappointing. Everything needs to be a little better: 5-on-5, power play, penalty kill."
Jones put the Blackhawks ahead 2-1 at 10:19, scoring a power-play goal with a wrist shot from the point that squeaked through Pickard's pads.
Bedard made it 3-1 at 13:58, beating Pickard high glove side from the slot.
"We were snapping it around pretty good," Bedard said. "The start was pretty ugly with the break-ins, but once we got in the zone, a couple of quick plays and then a shot on net.
"We had a face-off play and 'Vlads' (Alex Vlasic) made a nice play. It was about moving it quick and taking a shot on net there."
Teravainen extended the lead to 4-1 on the power play at 5:35 of the third period, bouncing a sharp-angle shot in off the skate of Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse.
"We played a good team game. They lost their first one, too, so we knew they were going to go hard on us today," Teravainen said. "We played good defense, we battled for the pucks, blocked shots and Petr was good. And simple road hockey.
"We were just trying to make plays. We had been watching video and talking about what’s been going good and what’s been going wrong, so just better plays today."
Viktor Arvidsson appeared to score at 8:35 to pull Edmonton to within 4-2, but the goal was waved off after Chicago successfully challenged for goalie interference.
Draisaitl did make it 4-2 at 10:01 when he snapped in a cross-crease feed from Connor McDavid on the power play.
Teravainen scored his second power-play goal of the game at 19:13 for the 5-2 final.
Chicago was 3-for-3 with the man-advantage. Edmonton was 1-for-3.
"When you get some goals, you start playing with a little bit more confidence, and I think the power play showed that as well tonight," Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson said. "I thought the guys hung in there tight against a really strong, powerful offensive team, and obviously Petr was great for us again in the net."
NOTES: This was the second head-to-head meeting between Bedard and McDavid. McDavid had two assists and Bedard scored in the Oilers’ 4-1 win on Dec. 12, 2023. … The Blackhawks had lost six straight to the Oilers. … Nugent-Hopkins had an assist on Draisaitl’s goal for his 700th NHL point.
