Jets beat Blackhawks in OT to regain top spot

[April 02, 2019]  Jack Roslovic scored twice and Kevin Hayes tallied the overtime winner as the Winnipeg Jets claimed a 4-3 road victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday night that restored their lead for top spot in the Central Division.

Hayes made a great individual effort, holding off two defenders as he drove the net before depositing his 19th goal of the season.

Goalie Connor Hellebuyck made 25 saves for the Jets (46-29-4, 96 points), who snapped a three-game losing skid. Winnipeg is two points ahead of the St. Louis Blues and Nashville Predators for first place in the Central. All three teams have three games remaining in the regular season.

The Blackhawks (34-33-12, 80 points) kept mathematically alive by forcing overtime in a crazy game.

Chicago captain Jonathan Toews opened the scoring with a power-play marker at 4:25 of the first period, a lucky tally as his shot ricocheted off a defender.

The Jets responded with three goals. Adam Lowry scored just past the midway point of the opening frame, pouncing on a loose puck near the left faceoff dot and ripping a wrist shot home for his 12th of the season. Then Roslovic caught fire.

Roslovic's first of the night, which snapped a 22-game goal drought that followed a hat trick on Feb. 2, came when he sent a sharp-angled shot that somehow went into the net with 34 seconds left in the period.

Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews (19) scores a goal against the Winnipeg Jets during the first period of their game at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Nuccio DiNuzzo-USA TODAY Sports

His second came 5:11 into the second period, a top-corner shot for his ninth goal of the year.

But then Dylan Strome scored twice for Chicago to force overtime. He made it a one-goal game 72 seconds after his team fell behind 3-1, and netted the equalizer after a wild turn of events.

The Jets thought they had netted an insurance goal to make it 4-2 with three minutes remaining in regulation, but it was ruled offside after a challenge. Strome buried a shot from the slot with 2:20 left for his 19th goal of the season to tie it at 3-3.

Corey Crawford made 34 saves for the Blackhawks, including a penalty shot stop on Mark Scheifele.

--Field Level Media

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