3 takeaways from Chicago Blackhawks loss to Wild
By Thomas Erbe
Former Blackhawk Marc-Andre Fleury put on a show Sunday
In his 995th career game in net, former Blackhawk Marc-Andre Fleury looked like he was playing in the mid-2000s of his career going after a Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He was an absolute brick wall all afternoon, except for a meaningless goal in the third.
The Blackhawks’ only moment of hope this afternoon came in the first period when they received a power-play opportunity. The entire two minutes was spent in the offensive zone and the Hawks put six shots on goal. But Fleury stopped every single one of them, looking like the Fleury of old.
Fleury, a number one overall draft pick himself, took Connor Bedard to school, blocking all three of his shots on goal. It looked like Bedard would find one in that first-period power play, but Fleury wasn’t having it.
Connor Bedard vs. Marc-Andre Fleury, a pair of No. 1 overall picks 20 years apart. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/9HohkdhJFX
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) December 3, 2023
It’d been a tough goal so far this year for Fleury, especially when the Wild were not able to score first. If that first goal is what he needs to get going, the Blackhawks are the perfect opponent for that. The Hawks made Fleury look incredible tonight, like a superhero.
It’s on the table that the Hawks might face another former friend on Tuesday as Kevin Lankinen is now a member of the Predators.
Next. Connor Bedard named rookie of the month. dark