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Blackhawks' Jeff Blashill defends Connor Bedard's unsportsmanlike penalty vs. Kraken Thursday
Photo credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
The Chicago Blackhawks head coach Jeff Blashill defended Connor Bedard for his unsportsmanlike penalty in the game against the Seattle Kraken on Thursday.
After the 5-2 win against the Calgary Flames earlier this week, Bedard jokingly said that the referees were nicer to him because he had a letter on his jersey for the time.
However, last night, the officials made two questionable decisions involving Bedard that show they won't treat him any differently now that he's an alternate captain.
Indeed, they didn't call a penalty when a Kraken player stopped Bedard from scoring on a breakaway, and when Bedard let them know his dissatisfaction, they called an unsportsmanlike conduct.
If you missed it, here's what went down:
After the game, Bedard and Jeff Blashill shared their thoughts on the situation.
Jeff Blashill Defends Bedard After Questionable Unsportsmanlike Conduct
The referee's decisions raised a lot of eyebrows, including Blashill's.
According to the coach, a penalty should've been called on Ryan Lindgren for what he did to Bedard, and even if he doesn't know what Bedard said, it must've been personal for the ref to be that sensitive about it.
In his own words:
"When you don't have position on a guy, you put your stick in there and you hit his glove... it's a penalty," Blashill said. "Yes, [Lindgren] got the stick, but the first contact was on his glove.
Then, I don't know what was said, but it better have been really, really personal to be that sensitive about it. Because you're deciding games. ... It better have been really, really personal if you're not going to have enough thick skin to just keep playing through it."
Then, I don't know what was said, but it better have been really, really personal to be that sensitive about it. Because you're deciding games. ... It better have been really, really personal if you're not going to have enough thick skin to just keep playing through it."
As for Bedard, he also believed a penalty should've been called, but added that he must be better at managing his emotions:
"Obviously, in the moment, you think it's a penalty. But I have to control my emotions in a better way. I put our team in a vulnerable spot there, so [I've] just got to be better."
Bedard and the Hawks will be back on the ice tonight to bounce back from their 3-2 loss as they travel to Buffalo to face the Sabres.
Previously on Chicago Hockey Insider
| POLL | ||
NOVEMBRE 21 | 198 ANSWERS Blackhawks' Jeff Blashill defends Connor Bedard's unsportsmanlike penalty vs. Kraken Thursday Do you think the referee made a mistake by calling an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Bedard? | ||
| Yes | 170 | 85.9 % |
| No | 28 | 14.1 % |
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