The Chicago Blackhawks are coming off a disappointing 3-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken on Thursday night. In the game, Connor Bedard took an unsportsmanlike penalty. After the game, head coach Jeff Blashill laid into the referees over the call that led to the penalty.
Connor Bedard took an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after arguing there was a missed call on his breakaway attempt pic.twitter.com/hwh4YH7FR3
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) November 21, 2025
“It's a penalty… When you don't have position on a guy, and you put your stick in there and you hit his glove — yes he got the stick after, but the first contact was on his glove — it's a penalty,” said Blashill about the lack of a call for Bedard, according to Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times.
In the third period of the game with the Kraken, Bedard had a breakaway. He was seemingly hooked by Ryan Lindgren of the Kraken. There was no call on the play, and momentum brought Bedard directly in front of the official. He made comments to the officials about the lack of a call, which led to an unsportsmanlike penalty.
“And then I don't know what was said, but it better have been really, 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,” Blashill continued, being thoroughly disgusted with the call.
The penalty was called during a 2-2 game at the time. While on the powerplay resulting from the penalty, Jaden Schwartz scored, with the assists from Brandon Montour and Mason Marchment. This gave Seattle the 3-2 lead, and it would be the deciding goal in the game.
Had the play on Bedard been called a penalty, it would have resulted in a penalty shot. While there is no certainty that Bedard would have made the shot, the resulting powerplay for Seattle would not have happened, and this game could have at least gotten Chicago one point in the standings.
Bedard finished the game without a point, while having five shots in the game. He has found the back of the net 13 times this year and added 16 helpers. That places him fourth in the NHL with 29 points.
Chicago is now 10-6-4 on the season, which is good for a tie for third place in the Central Division. The team returns to the ice on Friday night on the road, facing the Buffalo Sabres in Western New York.
