Artyom Levshunov scored 97 seconds into overtime for the Chicago Blackhawks, who beat the Winnipeg Jets 4-3 on Thursday to win their second straight game.
The Belarusian defenseman, the second overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, got his third career goal and first in OT on a backhand pass from Connor Bedard to the high slot. Bedard, in his second game of the season, scored a power-play goal, and Patrick Kane assisted on both.
Chicago’s Frank Nazar scored a goal in his first game back after serving a two-game suspension for an illegal head check last week, and Ryan Donato tallied his second of the season.
Blackhawks goalie Spencer Knight made 31 saves. His biggest was his last, as his outstretched pad save kept Neal Pionk from winning the game and allowed Chicago to set up the game-winning rush.
Pionk finished with a goal and two assists as Winnipeg rallied from down two after a period to get a point. Kyle Connor extended his goal-scoring streak to four games, and Alex Iafallo got his second of the season.
Stuart Skinner stopped 24 shots for the Jets, who have earned at least a point in each of his five games.
The Blackhawks started as the more aggressive team and finally broke through thanks to a 5-on-3 power play. Bedard’s goal with 11:49 left in the first period — and two seconds left on the two-man advantage — came off a give-and-go with Kane.
That assist was the 895th of Kane’s career, allowing him to supplant Phil Housley for the most by an U.S.-born player in NHL history.
Nazar doubled the home team’s advantage nearly seven minutes later after a rebound of a shot from the point by Winnipeg’s Jack St. Ivany skidded into the neutral zone and created a breakaway opportunity.
Pionk answered for Winnipeg, with a slap shot from the point that was redirected by the stick of Chicago’s Ethan Del Mastro with 3:03 remaining in the first. However, Donato needed just 14 seconds to make it 3-1.
Chicago outshot Winnipeg 14-8 in the opening period, but the Jets controlled the final 40 minutes of regulation. Connor cut the deficit to a goal on his power-play goal with 15:16 left in the second period. The Jets forward now has eight goals in seven games.
Iafallo tied the contest at 5:39 of the third period, knocking in the rebound of a Pionk shot from the right point.
–Field Level Media
