Connor Bedard records an assist during his first NHL game as the Blackhawks come from behind to defeat Crosby and the Penguins with a score of 4-2.

PITTSBURGH — Connor Bedard skated into the faceoff circle, saw one of his idols standing across from him and tried to soak in the moment.

That really was Sidney Crosby within arm’s reach. That really was referee Kelly Sutherland welcoming him to the NHL on national television. That really was a sellout crowd pulling cameras out trying to capture the meeting of two generational talents at opposite ends of their careers.

After the puck was released, Bedard’s natural instincts, which have positioned him as the NHL’s upcoming sensation at just 18 years old, immediately took over.

Bedard displayed an impressive fearlessness and charm while playing, leading to a stunning comeback victory of 4-2 against Crosby and the Penguins in Chicago on Tuesday night.

The top pick in the draft picked up an assist and fired five shots at Tristan Jarry while playing 21:29, hardly looking intimidated by the stage, the stakes or pretty much anything else.

“I believe that, personally, my goal is to improve with each shift and every game,” expressed Bedard. “I made some progress, although there are areas where I can still enhance. Overall, I felt quite satisfied.”

PHOTOS: Connor Bedard picks up an assist in his NHL debut as the Blackhawks rally past Crosby, Penguins 4-2

It also appeared quite impressive. Penguins defenseman Kris Letang delivered a few hits to Bedard as a way to keep up with him, rather than as a means to convey a message.

“He possesses exceptional skills and is incredibly elusive,” Letang expressed. “I had to apply intense pressure while defending against him. His ability to deceive is truly remarkable. You cannot afford to divert your attention from the puck for even a moment, as he is exceptionally quick.”

Chicago trailed 2-0 when Crosby began his 19th season by scoring his 551st career goal, a shot into an open net off a pass from Jake Guentzel 11:56 into the second period.

The Blackhawks roared back behind a goal from Ryan Donato – with a secondary assist from Bedard – in the second period and Cole Guttman’s goal midway through the third. Jason Dickinson gave Chicago the lead with 4:31 remaining. Nick Foligno’s empty-netter with 1:33 to go sent most of the sellout crowd that came to watch one of the NHL’s brightest stars take on one of its newest home.

Dickinson expressed satisfaction with the game, stating that it was a well-rounded performance. The team executed their game plan and played with determination, resulting in a rewarding outcome.

Petr Mrazek stopped 38 shots for the Blackhawks.

Crosby and Bryan Rust found the net for the Penguins, whose streak of 16 consecutive playoff appearances came to an end last year partly due to a late-season stumble against the Blackhawks. Pittsburgh made changes during the summer, which included the acquisition of Erik Karlsson, a defenseman who has won the Norris Trophy three times.

The NHL’s oldest team, unfortunately, struggled to find success with fireworks. Jarry managed to make 32 saves, but the Penguins allowed their lead to slip away towards the end, which was a recurring issue for them in the previous season.

“I don’t believe anyone is performing at their best in the first game,” stated Crosby. “There are definitely areas where we can improve, particularly in terms of defensive precision.”

Bedard’s entry into the NHL had been expected for a long time, similar to Crosby’s arrival when he was chosen as the top overall pick by the Penguins in 2005, just 13 days after Bedard was born. His arrival in Chicago has provided a much-needed boost to the struggling franchise, even though there will likely be some difficulties as the team has failed to make the playoffs in five of the last six seasons, following their dynasty that won three Stanley Cups from 2010-2015.

Similar to Crosby, Bedard appears comfortable with the spotlight that has accompanied him since he was a young prodigy in hockey. He made a lighthearted comment during the morning skate, stating that he slept peacefully. Prior to the game, he and fellow Blackhawks rookie Kevin Korchinski energetically skated onto the ice during warmups, momentarily enjoying the rink all to themselves, as is customary for players making their NHL debuts.

Bedard was fidgety during the national anthem, his legs in constant motion, eager to get a moment he’d been dreaming about since he was a phenom growing up in British Columbia, Canada.

Although he was not successful in winning the initial faceoff, and his success rate on draws was only 2 out of 13 attempts, Bedard displayed remarkable speed and agility once the puck was in play.

He recorded the first shot of his career just over six minutes in on a one-timer with Chicago on the power play. He kept right on pumping pucks at Jarry, his No. 98 constantly in motion. He was unafraid to fling his 5-foot-10, 185-pound frame into tight spaces, be they the front of the net or the corners.

Bedard caught Jarry off guard with a shot from a difficult angle in the beginning of the second period. Later in the same period, Bedard made a backhand pass to Vlasic, who powered his way towards the net and took a shot. The rebound from Vlasic’s shot landed on Donato’s stick, resulting in a goal for the Blackhawks and bringing the score to 2-1.

Guttman then tied it just past the midway point of the third period with a laser from the slot and Dickinson put the Blackhawks in front to offer a glimpse of the team Chicago hopes it can become on a regular basis, with Bedard at the center of it all.

“He is an exceptionally mature child considering his age,” Dickinson remarked. “He has been burdened with a significant amount of responsibility, yet it does not appear to affect him. It doesn’t even seem to faze him.”

UP NEXT

The Blackhawks will be heading to Boston on Wednesday.

The penguins will be paying a visit to their long-standing rival, Washington, on Friday in the Metropolitan Division.