Connor Bedard Gets First Overtime Goal Amid Incredible Game

It sounds impossible, but the Blackhawks’ rookie may be exceeding our expectations at this point.

After he was heralded as one of the best prospects in NHL history, Connor Bedard was drafted first overall by the Blackhawks, who won the draft lottery and knew who they were drafting nearly two months before it happened. As the team’s top-line center and face of the franchise at barely 18 years old, Bedard had huge expectations from day one.

The rookie has continued to exceed all of those expectations while rewriting the record books on a nightly basis. As if he wasn’t doing enough for his team, which has struggled all year, Bedard is currently riding a pretty impressive heater. His performance Wednesday night bumped his points streak to five games, the longest of his young career. Extending the streak in the game against Winnipeg wasn’t a gimme, either. Bedard knew finding the net would be tough against Jets goaltender and Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck, but that didn’t faze him - the rookie netted two goals, including… his first overtime game-winner!

Though the Blackhawks got off to a slow start in the first period, it was Bedard who got his team on the scoring sheet first. After the rebound from his shot was left in front of the net, the youngster charged the crease and put it in for his first home goal since November 4th. How’s that for a broken streak?

It wasn’t until late in the overtime frame that Bedard got his second goal of the night, resulting in a 2-1 Blackhawks win. A hectic overtime period culminated when Bedard grabbed the puck deep in his own zone, wove through Jets defensemen, and released the filthy wrister we’ve all grown to love, which found the back of the net.

Bedard has already had plenty of “firsts” in his career, but his first game-winner is a moment he won’t soon forget.

Bedard, who has shown a love for the crowd in the United Center, was met with a deafening roar both when he scored and in his postgame interview. The first star of the game stuck around on the bench to answer questions and had to pause multiple times to be heard over a raucous crowd, which is thrilled he’s sporting a Blackhawks jersey and should be for years to come. In that interview, Bedard’s words were music to the ears of those fans:

“I’m super grateful to be here, and I love being a Blackhawk.”

- Connor Bedard