Presented by Nationwide Insurance Agent Jeff Vukovich
The Chicago Blackhawks bounced back to beat the Winnipeg Jets 2-1 in overtime on Wednesday at the United Center.
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Here are 10 observations from the win:
1. The Blackhawks collapsed in the third period on Saturday against St. Louis after allowing five unanswered goals. To make matters worse, the team had to bus back home because the fog in Chicago was so bad. Salt on the wound, and a tough game to have to sit on for three days.
2. Going into Wednesday, Connor Bedard hadn't scored a goal at home since Nov. 4, which is a span of 13 games. He finally got the monkey off his back in the first period by following up his shot twice — one between the legs — and scoring on the second chance, and then potting his first career overtime winner in the NHL. Epic.
Chicago Blackhawks
3. The Blackhawks didn't record their first shot on goal until the 14:56 mark of the opening frame. They struggled to find their legs. Winnipeg registered the first nine shots on goal. But it was the Blackhawks who went into the first intermission with a 1-0 lead. They were fortunate.
4. Petr Mrazek has been great this season, and they needed him to be in this game to weather the storm. He won't be happy with himself on Winnipeg's first goal but he was otherwise excellent after stopping 37 of 38 shots for a save percentage of .974. I imagine he'll get some rope moving forward here as Arvid Söderblom works on his game in practice.
5. Jason Dickinson had another very strong night at the faceoff dot. He won 16 of 23 draws for a win percentage of 69.9.
6. The Jets dominated the Blackhawks at even strength, which is no surprise. The Jets have a +28 goal differential during 5-on-5 action this season, which ranks No. 2 in the NHL. As of today, they're a sneaky darkhorse to come out of the West.
7. The Blackhawks seem to play much better against playoff-type teams vs. bottom-feeders. My theory is their focus is heightened because if they're not on their A game, it could get ugly. This was another example of the Blackhawks competing hard against a very good hockey team. The opponent playing down to the Blackhawks probably has something to do with it as well.
8. Alex Vlasic returned to the lineup after missing the last four games with an AC joint injury. He's still not feeling 100 percent, but he said it feels "good enough" to play. His presence was missed.
9. Lukas Reichel found himself back on the fourth line. He's still battling right now, and the Blackhawks want him to work his way out of the slump.
"I know he's not happy with his game," Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson said on Wednesday morning. "But he's in the lineup and it doesn't matter where he is in the lineup, he has to figure out how to make an impression and do something to help the team."
10. Seth Jones (shoulder) is expected to start skating on his own near the end of the road trip, which means he'll likely be out for at least five more games. Joey Anderson (shoulder) should begin working his way back a little bit after Jones. And Andreas Athanasiou, who's been out since Nov. 9 with a groin injury, recently had to shut down his gym workouts because of the lingering issue. He visited a specialist and found the root of the problem, so he's expected to start up his workouts again soon. Still no timetable for a return.