Barron snaps tie as Winnipeg Jets beat Chicago Blackhawks 3-1

WINNIPEG, Manitoba - Morgan Barron celebrated his 25th birthday in style.

Barron snapped a tie in the second period, and the Winnipeg Jets beat Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1 on Saturday.

"It was pretty good, and a win, too," Barron said. "So, that’s all you can ask for."

Mark Scheifele and Cole Perfetti also scored for Winnipeg, which had dropped three in a row. Connor Hellebuyck made 20 saves.

Bedard scored his team-high 11th goal in the 22nd game of his rookie season, but last-place Chicago lost for the third time in four games. Arvid Soderblom made 25 stops.

Nino Niederreiter #62 of the Winnipeg Jets plays the puck down the ice as Connor Murphy #5 of the Chicago Blackhawks defends during second period action at the Canada Life Centre on December 2, 2023 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images / Getty Images)

The 18-year-old Bedard put the Blackhawks in front when he beat Hellebuyck from the left circle 4:39 into the first period.

"I thought he was excellent," Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson said. "I thought the first two periods, especially, he had some really excellent bursts out there, which we have been talking about — just adding a little bit more speed to that talent and I think we saw that. He created some on his first goal just by skating."

Scheifele responded during a Winnipeg power play midway through the first. Gabriel Vilardi set up Scheifele’s eighth goal with a nice drive and pass.

Barron put the Jets ahead to stay 6:23 into the second. Nikolaj Ehlers sent Barron in alone on Soderblom, and the forward beat the goaltender cleanly.

"Nikky made a beautiful pass," Barron said. "I felt as though the goalie was challenging me, so usually, when they are a little bit out of the net, I try to find some space five-hole. I actually didn’t think it went in at first, but it did."

Both goalies made some quality saves in the second. Soderblom twice stopped backhands from Vilardi. Hellebuyck made a glove grab off a quick Bedard shot, then stopped a shot from Philipp Kurashev, who was set up alone in front by Bedard.

Perfetti deflected a point shot from defenseman Dylan Samberg past Soderblom to give Winnipeg a 3-1 lead midway through the third. It was Perfetti’s career-high ninth goal.

"He’s trying to take the next step," Jets coach Rick Bowness said. "The more he plays, the more experience he gains. You hope he just keeps getting better and better. Yeah, he’s got that hockey IQ, he’s got that ability to see the ice and know where to be and know where to put his stick and know where people are. You can’t teach some of the stuff that he does."

Anthony Beauvillier made his debut for Chicago after he was acquired in a trade with Vancouver on Tuesday. The veteran forward skated for almost 17 minutes.