This game had plenty of intrigue, with Sidney Crosby, a future Hall of Famer who has captained the Penguins to three Stanley Cups and is entering his 19th season, and Connor Bedard, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, sharing the ice. Crosby contributed a goal, while Bedard, who has been touted as the latest generational talent, recorded an assist for Chicago.
Nick Foligno notched a goal and an assist, while Ryan Donato and Cole Guttman also found the back of the net for the Blackhawks. Corey Perry chipped in with two assists, and Petr Mrazek made 38 saves in goal.
In addition to Crosby’s goal, Bryan Rust scored for the Penguins, while goaltender Tristan Jarry turned aside 32 shots.
The Penguins grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the first period when Rust deflected a pass from Kris Letang into the net at the 7:04 mark.
Crosby extended the lead to 2-0 for the Penguins in the second period when he received a pass from Jake Guentzel and maneuvered the puck between the legs of defenseman Alex Vlasic and past Mrazek.
However, the Blackhawks responded in the second period. Donato scored his first goal with Chicago to make it 2-1, as he capitalized on a rebound from a Vlasic shot.
Guttman tied the game at 2-2 in the third period when he received a pass from Seth Jones and scored on the glove side.
With just over 4 minutes remaining, Dickinson’s falling shot from the right dot eluded Jarry to give the Blackhawks a 3-2 lead. Foligno added an empty-net goal with 1:27 left to secure the 4-2 victory for Chicago.
The game showcased the skill and excitement that both Crosby and Bedard bring to the ice, providing a glimpse of the present and future stars of the NHL.
(With Reuters inputs)