Rookie Alexandre Fortin picking up speed with Blackhawks

SHARE Rookie Alexandre Fortin picking up speed with Blackhawks
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Blackhawks rookie Alexandre Fortin celebrates after scoring his first NHL goal Sunday against the Lightning at the United Center. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)

The game is starting to slow down for Blackhawks rookie Alexandre Fortin, but he’s as fast as ever.

That’s a good combination for the 21-year-old forward. Fortin will try to build on his two-game point streak when he and the Hawks host the Ducks on Tuesday.

Fortin has two points in his last two games, including a breakaway goal — the first goal of his career — Sunday against the Lightning. The recent success has boosted his confidence.

‘‘I’m more comfortable with the puck,’’ Fortin said. ‘‘You know it’s a fast game out there. You don’t have the puck a lot during the game, so when you have it, you just have to do something good with it.’’

The last few weeks have been a whirlwind for Fortin, a native of Quebec who went undrafted and unsigned before joining the Hawks after a stellar prospect camp in 2016. He started this season in Rockford of the American Hockey League before earning a promotion Oct. 9.

Now he is hoping to stay in the NHL for good.

Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said he likes what he has seen from Fortin offensively.

‘‘He does what you want,’’ Quenneville said. ‘‘He creates space and speed. He’s dangerous in that way. I think defensively and technically, he’s getting better every game. . . . You’ve got that ingredient [of speed] that you don’t want to slow down.’’

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Fortin showed off that speed on his goal. He spotted an opening in the neutral zone and pointed his stick to signal for a pass from defenseman Jan Rutta, who hit him in stride. Fortin buried a hard forehand moments later.

‘‘He screamed that he was wide-open,’’ Quenneville said. ‘‘It was a nice pass, and it was a good finish. I just think his speed, it keeps the other team aware or backed off a little bit.’’

Fortin subdued his emotions after the game because the Hawks lost 6-3.

‘‘It’s a good feeling,’’ Fortin said of his first goal. ‘‘I’m happy for it. I just look forward for more [shots in] the net.’’

NOTES: Mutliple outlets reported the Hawks put goalie Anton Forsberg on waivers.

Forsberg, 25, must clear waivers to be sent to Rockford. The Hawks would prefer to keep him in their system, but he hasn’t played this season after falling to third on the depth chart behind veterans Corey Crawford and Cam Ward.

Forsberg went 10-16-4 with a .908 save percentage and a 2.97 goals-against average in 35 games (30 starts) for the Hawks last season.

Defenseman Gustav Forsling took another step toward returning when the Hawks assigned him to Rockford.

Forsling, 22, had wrist surgery in late July and hasn’t played this season. He had 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) in 41 games with the Hawks last season. He also played in 38 games with them in 2016-17, notching five points (two goals, three assists).

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