CHICAGO — The home opener for the Chicago Blackhawks kicked off with a red carpet and concluded with a celebration. Overall, the Blackhawks outperformed the San Jose Sharks, demonstrating their significant improvement compared to last season’s matches.
On Thursday night, the Blackhawks triumphed over the Sharks with a score of 4-2, and the locker room was filled with positivity after the win. Teuvo Teravainen contributed two assists.
“It was an important victory, especially being at home,” Teravainen stated. “We need to excel in our home games and take advantage of our fans. Overall, it was a fantastic first game here.”
Teravainen shone during the home opener. Among the offseason acquisitions, he has been the most effective so far, amassing seven points in the first five games. Teravainen and Bedard have developed a strong partnership, particularly during power plays.
“The power play is improving continuously,” Teravainen noted. “We still need to practice and play more, move the puck, and create opportunities. We executed some nice plays during our power plays tonight.”
Tonight, Bedard and Teravainen collaborated on two goals, both scored during power plays. Tyler Bertuzzi and their teammate Nick Foligno were the goalscorers. After the match, Bedard emphasized the solid chemistry with both Teravainen and Foligno.
“We’re really trying to connect with each other,” Bedard mentioned about working with Teravainen. “Foligno helps a lot since he goes to the net and into the corners, allowing Teuvo and me to thrive. He finds open space, and we look for each other.”
Teravainen is currently performing above a point-per-game average, a pace he hasn’t achieved previously. Although he played an important role with the Carolina Hurricanes in recent years, he has embraced a larger role in Chicago. Head Coach Luke Richardson recognizes Teravainen’s talent.
“He identifies openings instantly,” Richardson remarked. “He anticipates the next play even before receiving the puck.”
Lukas Reichel logged 8:31 minutes on the ice and went 1 for 4 in faceoffs, managing one shot on goal. Due to the extended power play time, Reichel may not have seen the ice as much as he typically would in a normal game. After the match, Richardson praised Reichel’s performance.
“I thought he made some solid plays,” Richardson commented. “He was tough in the faceoff circle, blocked a shot in the third period, and showed initiative by making strong strides, whether it was tracking back to support our defense or forechecking. It was a good start for him.”
