Determined to climb out of their big hole, Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks take on Mike Sullivan and the New York Rangers. It’s set to be an electric showdown between two Original Six franchises in the NHL. In the buildup to the game, the former first overall pick in 2023 made something clear to reporters.
The Blackhawks and Rangers have battled in countless pivotal matchups over the years. However, for Bedard and Chicago’s young core, this one might be the biggest yet. The Hawks enter the night carrying the weight of a two-game losing streak. That may not sound disastrous in an 82-game NHL season, but in Chicago’s case it is—having been outscored 13–1 over their last two outings.
Regardless, Bedard didn’t have too much time to think about that. Instead, the 20-year-old star showed his frustration with the media coverage, offering reporters a stern reminder.
“The beauty of it is: if we win, you guys will forget about it all and we’ll be the best team ever again,” Connor Bedard admitted during his media availability on Tuesday. “So we’re just going to have a good game and get back on track”
Mike Sullivan at the White House after the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 2016 Stanley Cup
Both Hawks and Rangers enter with losing streaks
Chicago and New York will both be looking to end their two-game losing hexes when facing off at center-ice of the United Center. However, that’s about as much similarities as there have been for both sides in their last couple of outings.
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On the one hand, the Blackhawks have been dismantled for all to see, exposing the glaring weaknesses of the league’s third-youngest roster by average age. Meanwhile, Sullivan and the Rangers are coming off back-to-back overtime losses at Madison Square Garden.
Thus, as the Broadway Blueshirts head to Chicago for a special premiere in The Loop, they’ll be leaning on their greatest advantage: playing on the road. New York owns a 12-4-1 record away from The Big Apple, compared to the NHL’s worst 3-8-3 mark on home ice.
