The Chicago Blackhawks are playing with confidence now that Connor Bedard has returned to the ice.
Looking to remain undefeated with their fourth-year star in the lineup this season, the Blackhawks also aim to continue their recent home success against the Dallas Stars on Saturday night.
Chicago won once in its first six games before its young captain returned from shoulder surgery Tuesday, helping the Blackhawks to a 5-3 victory over Pittsburgh. He recorded an assist in the contest, then added another helper and scored his first goal of the season during Chicago’s 4-3 overtime triumph over Winnipeg on Thursday.
“We are building on how we want to play, on that identity on how we want to play,” Blackhawks coach Jeff Blashill told Chicago Sports Network.
Coming off his first 30-goal season, which also produced a career-best 75 points, Bedard has helped the club reset its season this week. He is joined by Blackhawks legend Patrick Kane, who has posted four points in the last four contests.
“They’ve done a real good job of playing off each other,” Blashill added.
“Kaner is one of the best to ever play. Connor is making his way towards that. He is an elite, elite player in this league.”
With two assists Thursday, Kane became the all-time leader among American-born players with 895 assists.
“We got a little bit of momentum,” Kane said. “We want to keep it going.”
Kane has 77 points in 68 career games against Dallas, while Bedard has recorded five goals and two assists in eight career contests against the Stars.
Dallas has won 14 of the last 19 meetings with the Blackhawks. However, three of Chicago’s victories came in the last four meetings at the United Center.
The Blackhawks have totaled 14 goals and gone 5-for-12 on the power play during their last four home games against Dallas.
After dropping their first two games of the season, the Stars are 3-1-1 and recently split a home-and-home series with rival Colorado. After falling 3-2 at home to the Avalanche on Tuesday, Dallas earned a shootout victory by the same score one night later in Denver.
“These (close, competitive) games are going to help us moving forward, because they springboard us into a different quadrant of play,” Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said.
The Stars are 2-1-1 on the road this season. Dallas forward Mikko Rantanen, who recorded an assist Wednesday, has posted six of his team-leading seven points away from home.
Rantanen scored in each of his last three games against Chicago and has totaled 39 points in 30 career games against the Blackhawks.
Teammate Miro Heiskanen has tallied four of his six points this season over the last three contests.
Dallas goaltenders Jake Oettinger (five starts) and Casey DeSmith (two starts) have combined for a 1.71 goals-against average this season.
Meanwhile, the Blackhawks are 3-1-0 at home with Spencer Knight in net. He has recorded at least 31 saves in two of those contests.
Chicago backup Arvid Soderblom, however, has allowed nine goals on 50 shots in his two starts this season, both on the road.