Connor Bedard shines again, but chicago blackhawks fall to Devils in overtime thriller

Connor Bedard once again proved why he’s becoming the face of the Chicago Blackhawks’ rebuild. The 19-year-old phenom opened the scoring late in the first period with a 5-on-3 power-play goal, extending his points streak to a career-high nine games. During this stretch, Bedard has collected eight goals and 11 assists, ranking among the NHL’s top scorers, tied for second in total points (26), fifth in assists (16), and tenth in goals (10).

His early strike energized the Blackhawks, but the Devils quickly showed why they sit near the top of the Eastern Conference standings. Despite Spencer Knight’s heroics in goal, including an impressive stretch where he faced 14 shots in the second period and kept Chicago alive, the relentless New Jersey offense eventually broke through. With just 15 seconds left in the second frame, Simon Nemec skated in from the left and tucked a smooth backhander past Knight to tie it 1-1, marking his first goal in 15 games this season.

The third period was full of action and emotion. Landon Slaggert, who was called up from Rockford of the AHL just a day earlier, made an immediate impact by deflecting a shot into the net to give Chicago a 2-1 lead. The Devils responded when Dawson Mercer fired home a one-timer from a perfect feed by Jack Hughes.

Then came one of the highlights of the night, a breathtaking solo effort from Sam Lafferty. Blazing past defenders, Lafferty scored his first point of the season to put Chicago ahead 3-2 with a little over six minutes to play. It felt like the Blackhawks might finally break their losing streak against New Jersey. But the Devils weren’t done yet.

Nemec, set up once again by Hughes, unleashed a powerful one-timer from the left side with under four minutes remaining in regulation to tie the game 3-3, setting the stage for an intense overtime.

Simon Nemec’s hat trick steals the show in overtime

As overtime began, both teams pushed hard for the extra point. But it was Simon Nemec who completed his unforgettable night. Just 3:38 into the extra period, Nemec received a long stretch pass from goaltender Jacob Markstrom, raced in on a breakaway, and beat Knight high on the glove side to seal the 4-3 win for the Devils.

The 21-year-old defenseman’s performance was nothing short of remarkable, scoring his second straight game-winner, recording his first multi-goal outing, and notching his first career hat trick. Meanwhile, Jack Hughes continued his strong play with two assists, helping New Jersey improve to 3-0-1 in their last four games. Markstrom, steady in the net, finished with 17 saves for the Devils.

For Chicago, Spencer Knight stopped 33 shots in a solid effort, while Bedard, Lafferty, and Slaggert all contributed goals. Ryan Donato also reached a personal milestone, skating in his 500th NHL game, a proud moment even on a tough night.

While the overtime loss stung, the Chicago Blackhawks showed resilience and flashes of their growing potential. Connor Bedard’s continued brilliance remains a bright spot for fans, and as the team settles into its homestand, there’s plenty of optimism that better results are just around the corner.