Connor Bedard scored off a rebound at 3: 57 of overtime to give the Chicago Blackhawks a 3-2 victory over the Utah Mammoth on Thursday night, and dylan guenther opened the scoring with his 31st goal of the season.
Bedard Ends It In Sudden Death
In the 3-on-3 overtime, Alex Vlasic blasted a shot off the post and Connor Bedard controlled the rebound before snapping the puck into the net at 3: 57 of overtime for the game-winner. Bedard celebrated by pounding on the glass after the goal, which completed the 3-2 final.
Spencer Knight returned to the lineup and stopped 29 shots, including several key saves in the extra frame, helping Chicago secure the win.
Dylan Guenther Opens Scoring; Third-Period Drama
dylan guenther put Utah on the board first with his 31st of the season at 5: 47 of the second period. The goal followed a turnover that led to a feed from Logan Cooley and stood as the only goal through two periods.
Tyler Bertuzzi tied the game 1-1 on a 4-on-3 power play 2: 18 into the third period, and Bertuzzi now leads the team in goals, with his tally also marking a strong contribution on the road power play. Frank Nazar gave Chicago a 2-1 lead at 9: 17 of the third to extend his points streak to a career-best five games, but JJ Peterka tied the score with 6: 15 remaining to force overtime.
Karel Vejmelka made 20 saves for Utah in the loss.
Sweep, Standings Impact and What’s Next
The Blackhawks completed a season sweep of the Mammoth in the teams’ third meeting in 12 days, marking a clean series result. This victory was part of a multi-game stretch in which Chicago found ways to beat a divisional opponent that figures to be competing for playoff position.
Utah continues to hold the first wild card spot in the Western Conference, six points ahead of San Jose. Chicago is scheduled to visit Vegas on Saturday night, while Utah will host Pittsburgh on Saturday night.
Chicago’s win had a small cloud: Wyatt Kaiser was injured toward the end of the game and there was no immediate update, with the expectation that more will be known on Saturday. Spencer Knight’s strong outing was his first start after missing three games with an illness, and he finished with 29 saves on 31 shots in his return.
