Coyotes’ Clayton Keller scores twice in loss to Blackhawks, Colin Blackwell delivers hat trick

CHICAGO (AP) — Colin Blackwell got his first career hat trick and Connor Bedard had two goals and an assist, leading the Chicago Blackhawks to a 7-4 victory over the Arizona Coyotes on Sunday night.

It was Chicago’s highest scoring game of the season. The last-place Blackhawks improved to 3-13-3 in their last 19 games, including a 5-2 win at the Coyotes on Tuesday.

Seth Jones had a career-high four assists for Chicago, and Ryan Donato had a goal and an assist. Tyler Johnson also scored.

Clayton Keller had two goals for Arizona, running his team-best total to 25 on the season. Nick Schmaltz had a goal and two assists against his first NHL team, and Dylan Guenther also scored.

The Coyotes surrendered four power-play goals in their previous loss to the Blackhawks, and then allowed two more on Sunday.

Colin Blackwell has his first career hat trick! 👏

Hat Trick Challenge presented by @AstraZenecaUS pic.twitter.com/MqHrlpl4i8

— NHL (@NHL) March 11, 2024

Bedard leads NHL rookies with 19 goals and 46 points in 51 games. The 18-year-old center had no goals and four assists in his previous eight games.

The No. 1 overall pick in last year’s NHL draft attempted 15 shots during Saturday night’s 4-1 loss at Washington, but only four were on net.

Arvid Soderblom made 32 saves for Chicago. Connor Ingram stopped 34 shots for Arizona.

Keller opened the scoring during a 4-on-4 stretch 6:09 into the first period. He beat a screened Soderblom high on the stick side.

Keller made it 2-0 just 11 seconds into the second. He sped behind the Blackhawks’ defense, took Schmaltz’s feed and slid a low shot past Soderblom’s stick side.

So smooth with it, @ClaytonKeller37. 😌 pic.twitter.com/esZHxSbNQQ

— NHL (@NHL) March 10, 2024

Bedard cut it to 2-1 at 5:28 when his centering pass from behind the net deflected in off Arizona defenseman J.J.Moser.

That got Chicago rolling. Blackwell tied it at 2 at 6:57, popping in a rebound of Alex Vlasic’s shot from the point.

Bedard put Chicago ahead during a 5-on-3 power play at 10:05. He danced into the slot from the right circle and snapped a shot past Ingram.

Guenther tied it on a rebound with 6:04 left in the second.

Set up by Bedard’s diagonal feed across the slot, Johnson ripped in a one-timer from the left side of the net with 2:10 left in the period to put Chicago back in front.

Blackwell swatted in his second goal from the crease 33 seconds into the third. Schmaltz ripped in a rebound at 6:49 to complete a flurry.

Donato poked the puck free, then moved in to make it 6-4 at 8:00.

Blackwell completed his hat trick with an empty-netter with 2:28 left.

The Coyotes are at Minnesota on Tuesday.

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