Blackhawks' Connor Bedard on in-game battle with Spencer Martin: ‘It's hockey'

Blackhawks' Connor Bedard on in-game battle with Spencer Martin: ‘It's hockey' originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

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Chicago Blackhawks rookie forward Connor Bedard stayed hot on Monday night with a three-point performance in a 5-3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. He could've had four if it wasn't for another disallowed goal.

Things got interesting in the second period, when Hurricanes goaltender Spencer Martin shoved Bedard when the two teams were skating off the ice after the horn sounded. Bedard turned around and chopped back, appearing to be confused by it.

Martin apparently didn't like that Bedard fell into him on a shift late in the period, but video showed that Hurricanes defenseman Dmitry Orlov pushed Bedard into his goaltender, so there wasn't much Bedard could've done to avoid it.

Bedard went on to have a big third period, and near the beginning of it, he scored a goal on Martin and stared him down afterward. Martin responded by pointing to the scoreboard.

Of course, the goal was eventually overturned because of an offside challenge, but Bedard scored again shortly after and this time it counted. It was a fun in-game battle between the two of them.

Bedard was asked about the exchange after practice on Tuesday.

"It's hockey," Bedard said. "I don't think it was anything too meaningful or whatever. It was funny.

"I'm always excited to play and stuff, but I think noticing how the game was going, I was kind of trying to be more physical or whatever and I guess I got in his face a little bit, which is fair. I don't think either of us are waking up and caring too much about it, but yeah, it's not a big deal at all."

Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson enjoyed seeing the emotion from Bedard.

"If you roll the video all the way back, their D, who was Orlov, cross-checked him into the goalie," Richardson said. "He was kind of trying to stay out of there. I don’t know where the goalie was upset and gave him a shot after the period, but I like Connor’s reaction; he didn’t take it.

"I heard the guys, they loved it. He’s not going to take it. I don’t think he started it, but he’s not going to let it slide by."

The Blackhawks host the Hurricanes at the United Center on April 14, which will be Chicago's third-to-last game of the season.

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