In Ottawa, Sam Lafferty and Patrick Kane scored in the back half of the third period on Friday to get the Chicago Blackhawks even with the Senators, 3-3.
“I just thought we never really gave up,” Kane said. “Even down 3-1, we had a good attitude on the bench. The first period was good, second period was not, and then the third, obviously being down 3-1 you don’t have much life. But you get a short-handed breakaway and then all of a sudden it’s 3-2 out of nowhere, and you feel like you have a chance.”
Brady Tkachuk had scored early in the third to give the Sens a seemingly solid 3-1 lead.
“Definitely going to be talking to [Sogaard] after that one,” said Tkachuk. “It’s not even remotely close to his fault. We just made too many turnovers to finish off the game.”
Chicago completed the rally with a strike from Andreas Athanasiou at 2:52 of extra time for the 4-3 win.
“I think we just stuck with it, stuck with it together,” Athanasiou said. “We kind of just chipped away and didn’t try to make any crazy plays. We just kind of put our nose down, didn’t say much and just worked and found a way.”
The victory snapped a three-game skid for the Blackhawks.
Petr Mrazek made 28 saves in the Chicago win.
The Blackhawks moved to 17-32-5.
“I always just enjoy going into that room after the game and watching them have some fun when they win,” Chicago coach Luke Richardson said. “The players deserve it. I thought they played a really good start of the game and then finish of the game. I think we can clean up that second period, but the way they persevered to come back from two goals down on the road after a long road trip, that shows a lot of guts from our team.”
Kane hit for a double in the win, his first came with 44 seconds gone in the game for a 1-0 lead.
“You get that guy (Kane) the puck in a prime scoring position, there’s a good chance it’s going in,” Athanasiou said of Kane. “He had a couple good chances tonight and both of them went in. Obviously when your best player’s on fire like that in the game, it’s a good feeling.”
The Senators dropped to 26-24-4.
Ottawa knotted the game, 1-1, in the middle frame on a marker from Shane Pinto.
“It’s the NHL,” Ottawa coach D.J. Smith said, “and if you lay off the gas just for a second, that’s what happens.”
Claude Giroux scored at 2:11 of the third to push the Senators in front, 2-1.
“I think we’re just frustrated right now,” Giroux said. “Anytime you have a 3-1 lead, you want to be a team that knows how to shut teams down.”
Mads Sogaard made 28 saves in the Ottawa loss.
“I’m the last line of defense,” Sogaard said, “and I’ve got to step up and make a save. And I didn’t, so I’ll go back and work hard tomorrow.”
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