The Blackhawks defeated the Lightning, 5–3, on Thursday night behind a performance from rookie Connor Bedard, which was the best of his brief NHL career.

Bedard scored two goals and provided two assists in the Blackhawks’ victory, totaling four points, three of which came in the opening frame. In addition to becoming the third-youngest player in NHL history to score four points in a game, it was Bedard’s first-ever four-point performance. 

According to Christopher Kamka of NBC Sports Chicago, Bedard, who is 18 years and 115 days old, is the youngest player to record a four-point game since Armand “Bep” Guidolin, who was a member of the Bruins, back in 1944. 

On February 5, 1944, Guidolin turned eighteen years of age, 58 days. In January 1944, less than a month before Guidolin’s historic night, Ted Kennedy of the Maple Leafs became the youngest player in NHL history to score four points in a game.

According to Kamka, Bedard’s idol, Sidney Crosby, became the fifth-youngest player in history to score four points in a game in 2006 at the age of eighteen years and seventeen1 days. 

Following the victory, his teammates gave him a large puck chain in recognition of his outstanding performance. In the locker room, former Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall was seen encircling Bedard’s neck with the enormous gold chain. 

In addition to his two goals and two assists, Bedard registered five shots on goal during his 17:55 on the ice on Thursday night. After 12 NHL games, he now has seven goals and eleven points, averaging almost one point per game.

After recording his first four-point performance in 79 years on Sunday, Nov. 12, when the Chicago Bulls play the Panthers, Bedard will aim to maintain his hot play.