Little, Jets beat Blackhawks 5-3
CHICAGO (AP) - Andrew Copp and Bryan Little scored in a 32-second span in the third period, and the Winnipeg Jets beat Chicago 5-3 on Thursday night for their fourth straight victory against the Blackhawks this season.
Little, Copp, rookie Patrik Laine and Mark Scheifele each had a goal and an assist, helping the Jets to their third win in their last nine games. Connor Hellebuyck made 38 saves on the final night before the NHL All-Star break.
The Blackhawks had a 3-2 lead before Copp tipped Josh Morrissey's shot past Scott Darling with 4:03 left. Little then blasted a shot by Darling for his 13th of the season, silencing the crowd of 21,746.
Scheifele added an empty-netter at 17:57 for his 22nd goal, moving the center into a tie with Laine for the team lead.
Duncan Keith, Nick Schmaltz and Tanner Kero scored for the Blackhawks (30-16-5), who were coming off a 5-2 loss to Tampa Bay on Tuesday. Darling finished with 28 stops.
Winnipeg also scored two goals in a 42-second span in the first, continuing a disturbing trend for Chicago. The Blackhawks allowed two in 46 seconds against Vancouver on Sunday, and then surrendered a pair of goals in 30 seconds against the Lightning.
Kero's fourth of the season, finishing a slick passing sequence with Patrick Kane, gave Chicago a 3-2 lead at 16:37 of the second. The Blackhawks had a couple more opportunities after taking the lead, but Hellebuyck held them off until the Jets put together their strong finish.
Winnipeg jumped in front in the first when Little made a great pass across the ice to Laine, who drove a one-timer by Darling for a power-play goal at 6:16. Laine returned Tuesday after missing eight games with a concussion.
Jacob Trouba then had a big slap shot go off the right skate of Blackhawks defenseman Brian Campbell and past Darling, with Shawn Matthias getting his stick on the puck just before it crossed the line. It was Matthias' seventh of the season.
The Blackhawks, who controlled much of the early action, then got one back after Nic Petan was whistled for hooking at 13:02. Just 5 seconds into the ensuing power play, Keith drove a slap shot by Hellebuyck from the left point with Chicago center Artem Anisimov providing a perfect screen in front.
Schmaltz got the tying goal 4 minutes into the second. While Winnipeg defenseman Mark Stuart repeatedly checked Chicago center Marcus Kruger in the back while the two were on the ice, Schmaltz picked up the loose puck, skated in and beat Hellebuyck on the short side for his third of the season.
NOTES: Kruger played in his first game since Dec. 30. He was activated from injured reserve on Tuesday after being sidelined by a hand injury. ... The Jets scratched Ds Brian Strait and Julian Melchiori and G Michael Hutchinson. ... Blackhawks C Dennis Rasmussen, who is battling an illness, skated Thursday morning, but was scratched. D Michal Rozsival and F Jordin Tootoo also were inactive. ... Blackhawks D Niklas Hjalmarsson played in his 600th NHL game.
UP NEXT
Jets: Continue a four-game road trip Tuesday night against St. Louis.
Blackhawks: Begin a six-game road trip at San Jose on Tuesday night.
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Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap