The scoreboard said 3-1. The game told a different story.
Spencer Knight was outstanding Saturday night at Ball Arena, stopping 23 of 24 shots and keeping the Chicago Blackhawks in this game far longer than their 9-shot effort deserved. For 40 minutes, it was a 1-1 hockey game. For 40 minutes, Knight gave his team every chance to steal a point on the road against one of the best teams in the Western Conference.
Then the third period happened. And the Blackhawks went quiet again.
Cale Makar scored twice, Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas each added two assists, and the Colorado Avalanche pulled away for a 3-1 victory — handing Chicago their third consecutive loss and dropping them to 29th overall in the NHL standings with 53 points, tied with the New York Rangers.
BEDARD DELIVERS — AGAIN
Connor Bedard gave the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead at 6:31 of the first period, converting a Tyler Bertuzzi cross-ice feed in the right faceoff circle and beating Blackwood to the glove side for his 25th goal of the season. His fourth goal in his last five games. Five points in that same stretch.
Bedard was dangerous all night. He could have had five goals. He created chances that most NHL forwards only dream about. He did his job — completely and without question.
The rest of the Blackhawks did not.
Chicago managed 9 shots on goal through 40 minutes of hockey. Nine. Against a Colorado team that was not even playing its best game. That number tells you everything you need to know about where this franchise stands offensively right now, outside of its franchise player.
Captain Nick Foligno said it plainly after the game — the team cannot put everything on Bedard’s shoulders. The supporting cast needs to find ways to generate offense, create run support, and take pressure off the 19-year-old who is carrying this team on his back every single night.
He is right. And the numbers back him up brutally.
THE OFFENSIVE DROUGHT IS A CRISIS
This was the 14th game this season in which the Blackhawks scored one goal or fewer. Fourteen times. In their last nine games, they are 1-6-2, scoring 18 goals — an average of exactly 2.00 per game. Since the beginning of 2026 the offensive drought has become the defining storyline of this team.
Three goals in three games heading into Saturday night. Three goals. From an entire roster.
Andrei Burakovsky is a perfect example of the problem. Ten straight games without a point. One goal in his last 15 games. Two goals in his last 26. Yet Jeff Blashill continues to dress him in the top six and give him over 16 minutes of ice time. At some point, that decision needs to be revisited seriously.
YOUNG PLAYERS NEED MORE OPPORTUNITY
There were positives Saturday night beyond Bedard. Ayrtom Lvshunov played one of his best games in recent memory — his skating was sharper, his decision making cleaner, and he moved the puck with confidence. That is exactly the development the organization needs to see from him.
Kevin Korchinski was in the lineup but played only 8:24. Sam Ringel was a healthy scratch entirely.
This raises a question Davidson and Blashill need to answer directly — what is the plan for the young players? At some point, this organization has to decide whether it wants to evaluate its prospects properly and give them meaningful ice time or continue managing veterans in a season that is clearly not a playoff push.
You cannot develop young players in 8 minutes a night.
DEADLINE WEEK ARRIVES
With one week remaining before the March 6th trade deadline, Saturday’s loss adds urgency to what Kyle Davidson does next. The Blackhawks sit 29th overall, two points ahead of the St. Louis Blues.
Murphy, Dickinson, and Mikheyev are the names most connected to deadline movement. All three are UFAs. All three have value to contenders. Their departures will hurt the penalty kill but bring back picks and prospects that feed the long-term rebuild.
The Bedard era is real. The supporting cast around him is not ready yet. Saturday night in Colorado was just the latest reminder of exactly how much work remains.
Game Stats
| STAT | COLORADO | CHICAGO |
| SCORE | 3 | 1 |
| Shots on Goal | 35 | 15 |
| Faceoffs Won | 33 (60%) | 22 (40%) |
| Power Plays | 0/4 | 1/5 |
| Hits | 13 | 20 |
| Blocked Shots | 11 | 13 |
| Giveaways | 18 | 16 |
| Takeaways | 5 | 4 |
Next Game
The Blackhawks left Colorado immediately after the final buzzer, heading straight to Utah for a Sunday matinee against the Mammoth. Puck drop is 3:00 PM CDT at the Delta Center.
This is the second meeting between these two teams this season. Chicago won the first matchup 3-1 back on October 13th — but that Utah team looks very different today. The Mammoth have gone 6-4-0 in their last ten games and currently hold a Western Conference wild card spot. They are playing meaningful hockey in March and they will be ready for Chicago on home ice Sunday afternoon.
For a Blackhawks team that has scored three goals in their last three games, this is not a favourable matchup.
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