In Chicago, the visiting Winnipeg Jets blew a two-goal lead to the Blackhawks on Friday night, and needed a goal from Kyle Connor with 29 seconds gone in extra time to give them a 3-2 win.
“They had a little bit of a break in the neutral zone,” Connor said. “Good play by (Jets defenseman) Josh Morrissey to kind of break it up. I was trying to hit them back door there and it kind of went off a skate. Sometimes you’ve got to be lucky to get a couple there.”
The extra session became necessary when Tyler Johnson knotted the game, 2-2, with 43 seconds left in the third period.
Connor Hellebuyck made 33 saves in the win.
The Jets improved to 35-15-5.
“They play very hard against us,” Winnipeg coach Rick Bowness said of the Blackhawks. “Home ice, (Chicago coach) Luke [Richardson] was getting the matchups he wanted. And that’s fine. We expect our guys to play through it no matter what. Give their team a lot of credit, their coaching staff. They do a great job. They’re ready to play against us. They give us a hard time. When we get opportunities, Mrazek was making a lot of big saves against us.”
Nikolaj Ehlers hit for a double in the game to the give the Jets their 2-0 lead in regulation.
He scored his first at 14:47 of the opening stanza. It was his first marker in 10 games.
Ehlers collected his double at 1:49 of the middle frame as the Blackhawks were called on a delayed penalty.
“I tried to build a lot of speed,” he said. “At first, you just try to get into the zone. After that, I saw an opening and thought I could sneak through and maybe get a good shot off.”
The Blackhawks dropped to 15-39-4 off their 11th loss in 12 matches.
“I thought we played really well in the third period,” Chicago coach Luke Richardson said. “It was a great effort most of the game, but the third period, we really spent a lot of time in the O-zone carrying most of the play.”
Colin Blackwell got one back for Chicago when he scored off a breakaway with 16 minutes gone in the second period to make it 2-1 headed to the third period.
“I just got the puck in the middle there, and ‘Blackie’ just took off,” Chicago’s Seth Jones said. “That’s what I saw. It was a great play by him. Usually when there’s a turnover in the hash-mark area, no one expects a breakaway play. So it’s great recognition by Blackie, and I just tried to put it on his tape.”
Petr Mrazek made 28 saves in the loss.
“Especially when you tie it up late, obviously, the first overtime shift you get scored on,” he said. “But that’s hockey. I thought for the most part we played a pretty solid game. I think we got away from it occasionally, but if you want to say that’s a steppingstone of learning, we have to play a direct game, sure.”
You must be logged in to post a comment.