- Macklin Celebrini knocked Connor Bedard down on the opening draw
- No penalty was called on the play
- Watch below for the viral clip between the two young stars
Macklin Celebrini set the tone early on Tuesday night.
The Sharks center caught Connor Bedard completely off guard at the opening faceoff, pulling his skate and sending the Blackhawks star to the ice at United Center. No penalty was called on the play, and the clip went viral within minutes.
Celebrini won the draw cleanly and added a little extra on his way through. Bedard went down hard. The internet did what the internet does.
Watch the moment below:
The best part is these two are good friends. Celebrini and Bedard both grew up in the North Vancouver area, train together every offseason, and have talked openly about pushing each other. None of that mattered once the puck dropped.
Fans online were calling it everything from a hook to a trip to the greatest faceoff move they’d ever seen. The truth is probably somewhere in between.
Bedard got the last laugh on the scoreboard. The Blackhawks rallied from a 2-1 deficit with four third-period goals in a 5-2 win, with Bedard picking up two assists. Celebrini was held off the scoresheet.
The 19-year-old Celebrini still had a monster sophomore season for San Jose, finishing with 112 points as the 2024 first overall pick. Bedard, the 2023 first overall pick, put up 75 points of his own in his third NHL season despite playing on a weaker Chicago roster.
Tuesday’s game was their third and final meeting of the regular season. The Blackhawks won two of three.
I love these moments between the next generation. Celebrini and Bedard are going to be linked for the next 15 years, and that opening faceoff is the kind of clip that ages perfectly.
