Blackhawks score late to down Jets
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Winnipeg, MB (SportsNetwork.com) - Jonathan Toews scored the winning goal with 30.8 seconds to play to lead the Chicago Blackhawks to a 4-3 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday.
With time winding down, Niklas Hjalmarsson blasted a shot on net from the right point that hit off Toews and went in to give Chicago the lead and the team was able to keep the Jets from getting another shot before time expired.
Patrick Sharp, Andrew Shaw and Brad Richards all scored for the Blackhawks, who had lost three of four coming in.
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"It was nice to see our guys creating that much offense," said Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford. "We were definitely feeling it tonight."
Crawford stopped 31 shots in the win for Chicago, which has 96 points on the season and sits in the third spot in the Central Division, one ahead of Minnesota and three back of St. Louis.
Dustin Byfuglien scored twice and Blake Wheeler also scored for the Jets, who had won six of seven. Ondrej Pavelec stopped 20 shots in the loss.
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Winnipeg is holding on to the final wild card spot in the Western Conference with 90 points, two ahead of Los Angeles.
"It's a tough loss," said Winnipeg head coach Paul Maurice. "You're not taking away any of the pain or frustration tonight, so we'll chat with the players tomorrow. We'll follow our normal routine. We'll deal with it tomorrow and it will be done by the time we hit the ice."
The Blackhawks struck first with 90 seconds to play in the first with a power- play goal. Duncan Keith kept in a clear in the high slot and whipped the puck over to the left circle for Brandon Saad, who got a shot on net and Shaw cleaned up the rebound for his 14th of the year.
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Winnipeg tied the game 4:34 into the second on the power play as Byfuglien kept the disc up and chipped a shot on net that Crawford tipped, but the puck went into the air and fell into the net.
Just three minutes later, the Jets took the lead off a rush play while shorthanded that saw Wheeler finish it off when he tucked the disc behind Crawford for his 25th of the season.
Chicago tied the game at 16:19 of the second when Richards redirected a Johnny Oduya shot, but the Jets went back on top with 25.9 seconds left in the frame with another power-play goal that saw Byfuglien blast a shot in from the high slot.
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The Blackhawks tied the game once again at 6:27 of the third as Sharp picked the puck up off a turnover in the neutral zone and flew into the Winnipeg end, snapping a shot over the glove of Pavelec for his 14th of the season.
Game Notes
Chicago hosts Los Angeles on Monday ... Winnipeg hosts the Rangers on Tuesday ... Winnipeg was 2-for-4 on the power play while Chicago went 1-for-3 ... Winnipeg forward Ladd posted two assists in the contest.