Connor Bedard continues heating up in Blackhawks' win over Avalanche

Connor Bedard knows he needs to play a role in the Blackhawks' effort to establish a more tenacious identity during the second half of the season.

And in the Hawks’ encouraging 3-1 win Wednesday night against the Avalanche, he did that.

“Being hard to play against is different for everyone,” Bedard said. “There’s guys that are going to throw big hits. It’s not really me. I just need to make the smart plays, try to win my battles and do what I can to be in the offensive zone. Because being hard to play against isn’t just physicality — it’s when you don’t have the puck.”

The Hawks’ teenage star almost singlehandedly turned the momentum late in the first period after the Avalanche controlled the first 15 minutes, eventually assisting on Ilya Mikheyev’s tying goal. Then he overcame a second-period goal of his own being negated upon review (because of a kicking motion) and ripped in a no-doubt snipe to give the Hawks insurance in the third period.

Bedard’s two-point night extended his point streak to eight consecutive games. Since the day it started — Dec. 21 — he’s tied for seventh in the NHL in scoring with 11 points. His heating-up rate has been more like an electric stove than an airplane engine, so it hasn’t garnered a ton of attention, but he’s hot enough now that it should begin to.

His goal and celebration were vintage Bedard, but the way he created Mikheyev’s goal was less characteristic and therefore more meaningful.

Instead of probably turning the puck over by trying to skate it through the Avalanche’s blue-line trap, he safely dumped it in, then got on the forecheck with an active stick and forced an Avalanche turnover. Bedard did try to do too much on a few zone-entry attempts later in the game, but he’s learning gradually.

“We’ve talked about . . . our identity as a group to understand when it’s time to forecheck,” interim coach Anders Sorensen said. “He set an example with that.”

Veterans step up

Goalie Petr Mrazek and defenseman Seth Jones, two Hawks veteran cornerstones, had both struggled in recent weeks since returning from injuries. Finally, both regained form Wednesday.

Mrazek saved 36 of 37 shots, including some desperation stops moving laterally in the crease. Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon looked thoroughly frustrated by his line’s plethora of chances and lack of goals.

“I just was battling since I returned,” Mrazek said. “I knew there was going to be a game that I could prove I can still play the game.”

Jones was much more reliable, too. Sorensen praised him for closing on opponents and killing plays more decisively in the defensive zone, and he made a great breakout pass that led to Bedard’s goal.

Reichel limping along

Not only has Sorensen's arrival not benefited Philipp Kurashev as initially hoped, but it also hasn’t done much good for Lukas Reichel. That’s in spite of the fact Sorensen worked with Reichel in Rockford for much longer — and much more recently — than he did with Kurashev.

Reichel had been a healthy scratch the last two games before returning to the lineup, and he hasn’t gotten an opportunity to play higher than the fourth line in months now.

“He’s got abilities — we know that — but let’s [see him] get on the inside and create stuff,” Sorensen said.

Reichel didn’t help his case in the first period, when he turned the puck over in the offensive zone and lost a 150-foot race that led to the Avalanche’s lone goal.