CHICAGO – The Winnipeg Jets were looking for a big game before heading into the All Star break the next few days. The United Center which isn’t a very kind place to visiting teams is a place where the Jets have had some success and seem to bring their A game every time they face the Blackhawks.
“I don’t really have a great explanation for you. I mean, [they’re] one of the top teams in our conference perennially. It must just be a matchup thing. They must just bring out the best in us, so we always look forward to these matchups because we like to see how we stack up against the best. And they certainly are,” Winnipeg’s  Blake Wheeler said of the Jets’ success in Chicago.
Connor Hellebuyck was back in the pipes for the Jets for the first time in six games and had been given the hook in his previous two starts before that.
The Blackhawks who were on a two-game losing skid were looking to get back on track against the inconsistent Jets.
Scott Darling was in goal for Chicago and he was welcomed just six minutes in with the Jets on the power play, rookie sensation and the Jets All Star rep Patrik Laine took a feed from Bryan Little and ripped home his 22nd of the season.
Just 42 seconds later Shawn Matthias tipped home a Jacob Trouba blast for his seventh of the year to give the Jets a 2-0 lead.
With Nic Petan off for hooking for the Jets the Blackhawks got some life when Duncan Keith scored his fourth goal of the season a power play marker making it 2-1.
In the second period, which hasn’t been kind all season for the Jets, the Hawks took some control as Nick Schmaltz scored his third and Tanner Kero notched his fourth to give the home squad a 3-2 lead heading into the third.
The Winnipeg Jets were a measly 4-20-1 when trailing after two periods and just as things looked somewhat bleak with four minutes left Andrew Copp ripped home his eighth of the season to tie the score at 3-3 .
Bryan Little scored his 13th just 32 seconds later and Mark Scheifele added his 22nd into an empty net giving the Jets a 5-3 come from behind victory and their fourth win over the Blackhawks this year.
“[Copp’s goal] was huge,” Little said. “We were positive on the bench and we knew we were going to get some chances to get ourselves back in the game. Once everyone saw that one go in, I mean, you could feel the momentum switch sides.”
Hellebuyck made 38 saves picking up the all important win.
“You certainly can’t be happy. There were some positives in both games [this week], but definitely an awful taste now,” Chicago head coach Joel Quenneville said.
The Jets got multipoint nights from Copp , Little , Laine , Scheifele , and Trouba.
“I think we’ve been doing a good job, except these last two, with closing games in the third period … especially this one,” Blackhawks defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson said. “It’s going to kind of ruin the break a little bit. This one’s going to take a while to swallow, the way we lost this one.”
WATCH: All Jets vs. Blackhawks highlights
With a few days off to enjoy themselves they will take some time and get ready for there next game against the Blues next week.
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