The Chicago Blackhawks rallied with three goals in the third period but couldn’t overcome past mistakes in a 6-4 loss to the host Calgary Flames on Saturday at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
Tyler Bertuzzi sparked the rally with two goals in the third, and he assisted on the Hawks’ first goal, by Connor Bedard in the second. But five Flames goals in the first two periods made for a tough hill to climb, snapping the Hawks’ three-game winning streak.
The Hawks got off on the wrong foot, allowing a short-handed goal by Jonathan Huberdeau, assisted by Blake Coleman. Nazem Kadri followed up in the first with a score off Kevin Korchinski’s turnover.
Huberdeau, Coleman, Matt Coronato and Connor Zary each had a goal and an assist.
Zary’s goal in the second came 28 seconds after Bedard’s, taking some steam out of the Hawks after they had pulled within 2-1.
The game was underscored by a bit of controversy.
Martin Pospisil hit Bedard in the head during the first period, and Bedard looked around for the referees to make a call that never came.
Perhaps Bedard’s teammates didn’t see the play at the time, but Pospisil’s infraction in the second period didn’t escape them.
Pospisil roughed Frank Nazar with a forearm that made Nazar’s head whiplash back. Ryan Donato raced over, flung off his gloves, pulled Pospisil’s head down and started raining uppercuts.
Bertuzzi said of Pospisil: “That’s just how he plays. A couple good hits. Obviously we reacted the way we should. But, no, he’s playing hard.”
