Sizzling special teams helped the Chicago Blackhawks close a season-high, six-game road trip with three consecutive victories.
Back on home ice Wednesday for the first time since Oct. 28, the Blackhawks are eager to show their fans how much the power play and penalty kill have improved as they face the New Jersey Devils.
Chicago is 5-for-7 on the power play and 10-for-10 on the penalty kill during the winning streak. Sunday’s 5-1 romp at Detroit featured goals on the man advantage from Connor Bedard and Tyler Bertuzzi, who are tied for the club lead with nine goals.
“Early in the year, when we lost some games I thought we could have won, we weren’t winning the special teams battle,” Blackhawks coach Jeff Blashill said. “Now we are. We’re not perfect, but … our compete (level) up and down the lineup has been really good. We make mistakes a lot of times. We make up for it with work ethic.”
Bedard enters Wednesday with goals in three straight games and 18 points over an eight-game point streak. Bertuzzi has six goals in the past three games and Artyom Levshunov has four assists over the same span.
Chicago also is hopeful about getting increased production from winger Oliver Moore after he netted his first career goal to cap the scoring in Detroit.
“It’s all about the guys in here making it easy for me to come in,” Moore said. “If we keep playing winning hockey, hopefully it’s the first of many.”
Wednesday marks the beginning of a five-game road trip for the Devils, who are 3-3-1 following an eight-game winning streak.
On Monday, New Jersey lost its first game at Prudential Center this season, falling 3-2 in overtime to the New York Islanders.
Beset by numerous injuries, especially along the blueline, New Jersey rallied to force OT when defenseman Simon Nemec scored with 4.7 seconds remaining in regulation.
“Nemo has shown when guys are hurt and the opportunity arises that he can step up and rise to the occasion, but we don’t have a lot of other options right now,” Devils coach Sheldon Keefe said. “We need these guys to step up and take these minutes on, take this responsibility.”
Nemec has collected points in two of his past three games as he gets increased ice time.
“I feel really good,” he said. “Yeah, it (stinks), the injuries, but for me it’s better to play more minutes and play my game. I think I’ve showed that the last couple games, but I just have to be patient and be ready for everything.”
Forward Zack MacEwen (upper body) returned from a 13-game absence and registered two shots and four hits in 9:35.
Jesper Bratt registered his fourth multi-point game of the season and first since Oct. 21, contributing two assists. Luke Hughes leads New Jersey with five multi-point games, while Dawson Mercer also has four.
Frank Nazar, a late scratch for Chicago on Sunday after sustaining an injury two days earlier, did not practice Tuesday.
–Field Level Media
