The Chicago Blackhawks feel they’ve had a rough week of officiating and let it be known after Thursday’s 3-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken.
Thursday’s game turned late in the third period, when star Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard appeared to be hooked on a breakaway with the game 2-2. Kraken defenceman Ryan Lindgren wasn’t penalized on the play, and Bedard let the official have it, picking up an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
Seattle scored late in the power play, taking the lead with just over two minutes left and holding on to it from there.
Blackhawks head coach Jeff Blashill sounded off on both the non-call and the penalty to Bedard postgame.
“When you don’t have position on a guy, you put your stick in there and you hit his glove, which [Lindgren] did. Yes, he got the stick after, but the first contact was on his glove. It’s a penalty,” Blashill said, per The Athletic. “Then, you know, I don’t know what was said. It better have been really, really, really, really personal to be that sensitive about it because you’re deciding games.
“So, if it was super personal, I wasn’t there. I don’t know, but it better have been really, really, really personal if you’re not going to have enough thick skin to just keep playing through it.”
Connor Bedard’s unsportsmanlike penalty leads to Blackhawks’ loss: ‘It better have been really personal’
My story from last night ⤵️ https://t.co/Fi79Qr0c4y
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Bedard declined to reveal what he told the referee, but called on himself to better control his emotions.
“But in the end, we’re professionals,” Bedard said. “I’ve got to have a better response there when that doesn’t go my way. Just learn from it and don’t let it happen again.”
“You can’t take a penalty there; he knows that. He’s already said that. So, I get that and we’ll handle that internally,” Blashill added. “Again, I just think that’s a big call at that moment. It better have been really personal. I think sometimes in the heat of action, things happen.
“I know why Connor’s upset. He’s got a breakaway, and someone takes a penalty on him. [It] doesn’t excuse him taking a penalty. I think there are times, whatever, just walk away. Both ways, both ways.”
The frustration with the officials appeared to boil over from another non-call on Lindgren in the first period, when he caught Andre Burakovsky with a high hit as the Blackhawks forward jumped up for the puck. Burakovsky lost his helmet on the play, skated to the bench and did not return.
That came on the heels of a unpenalized high hit on defenceman Connor Murphy in Tuesday’s win over the Calgary Flames.
“It’s back-to-back games, guys going right to the head, and nothing really happens,” Bedard said. “I think that sucks. He’s a great player. It’s bulls—.”
“Honestly, he doesn’t have the puck and he gets hit square in the head,” added Blashill of the hit on Burakovsky. “Of all the stuff that was called tonight, he doesn’t have the puck. He never had the puck. He had the puck up in the air. I mean, if you pass that puck and started his pass, I get it. The puck’s up in the air, he doesn’t have the puck, it’s not even close to him, and he gets hit directly in the head.”
Burakovsky was ruled out of Friday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres after the loss, while Murphy was back in the lineup against the Kraken.
Bedard finished without a point in Thursday’s loss but continues to enjoy a strong start to the campaign with 13 goals and 29 points in 20 games.
The Blackhawks are in the thick of the early playoff picture with a 10-6-4 record through 20 games.