Toews' late tip-in lifts Blackhawks over Oilers

[August 06, 2020]  Jonathan Toews scored the game-winner with 76 seconds remaining, and the Blackhawks claimed a stunning 4-3 comeback win over the Oilers in Edmonton on Wednesday, putting Chicago one win away from advancing to the Stanley Cup playoffs' round of 16.

The Blackhawks, the lowest seed in the Western Conference to reach the qualifying round, lead the Oilers 2-1 in the best-of-five series. Chicago will look to complete the upset on Friday.

With overtime looming, Toews got a piece of a Connor Murphy point shot that also deflected off Oilers defender Ethan Bear and past Oilers goalie Mikko Koskinen for his second goal of the game and fourth of the series.

Chicago goalie Corey Crawford stopped 25 shots to earn the win.

After a pedestrian start to the game, especially compared to the first two tilts in this series, Chicago's Olli Maatta opened the scoring at the 9:14 mark of the opening frame with a point blast that hit the spot.

The Oilers needed a wakeup call, and apparently that goal was it. Leon Draisaitl tied the game 28 seconds later when he buried a chance set up by the forecheck of Kailer Yamamoto and Tyler Ennis.

Then Toews netted a fortunate power-play goal with 4.2 seconds left in the opening period to restore his team's edge. Toews fanned on a shot during the five-on-three advantage, but the puck ricocheted off his skate and across the line.

Draisaitl, who had a three-point night, again tied the game. After he forced a turnover, the Oilers standout was on the spot for a loose puck and buried it to make it a 2-2 game at 4:07 of the second period.

Connor McDavid's power-play goal with 7.8 seconds left in the second period gave the Oilers their first lead of the night. McDavid was on the spot for a loose puck and showed off his skill by lifting it.

But the back and forth didn't end there. Matthew Highmore's deflection tally -- a nifty touch from the high slot -- with 5:47 remaining in regulation again tied the game and set up the unexpected finish.

The loss was doubly costly for the Oilers. They were forced to go without defenseman Adam Larsson due to an undisclosed issue, and then Ennis left the ice without putting weight on his right leg after he was drilled by Kirby Dach.

Koskinen made 21 saves for the Oilers.

--Field Level Media

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