NHL officiating shows heavy favorites in Thursday's Blackhawks vs. Kings game

The night already carried playoff-style tension, so every whistle or silence felt oversized for two teams grinding through a heavy schedule. Chicago entered the game with 11 wins, fighting to stay near the wildcard picture.

Frank Nazar, still twenty-one and gaining traction after his 2022 first-round selection, created a clean entry late in the third. Perry reached from behind, pulled him back, and disrupted the rush. The play unfolded feet from the official, and Chicago players immediately looked for an arm raised.

The moment mattered the most since the score sat within one, and Chicago's power play had clicked earlier on in the game.

Three minutes later the confusion sharpened when Connor Bedard brushed Adrian Kempe on a contested puck. Kempe, who hit thirty-six goals last season, reacted sharply, and the official signaled a hook that left Bedard shaking his head.

This ref is going to be fired if he makes calls like this moving forward.

The second clip spread quickly online, partly because it mirrored the earlier Perry sequence. Chicago fans argued that if the Bedard call met the standard, the Nazar play should have reached that bar as well.

This isn't the first time Connor Bedard's been involved in officiating controversy this season.

As matter of fact, there has been several other occasions where the Blackhawks forward appeared to receive mistreatment from on-ice officials.

Both teams forechecked aggressively all night, yet only one of the borderline plays drew a penalty.

These are moments young teams remember, and the Blackhawks will want a cleaner whistle when they meet the Kings again.