(SportsNetwork.com) – The Chicago Blackhawks look to avoid a second straight
loss on Sunday night when they return home to battle the Winnipeg Jets.
The Blackhawks opened the season on a five-game point streak, going 4-0-1, but
have lost four of six since and were bested 3-2 in Toronto last night despite
a solid offensive effort.
Chicago didn’t lack in the shot department, but Maple Leafs goaltender James
Reimer made 45 saves, including 26 in the third period.
“The third period might have been one of our best periods all (season),” said
Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville. “We had the chances and good opportunities
and had pucks around the net. If you play like that, you’ll find ways to score
goals.”
Brad Richards scored his first goal with the Blackhawks and Brent Seabrook
also lit the lamp, while Corey Crawford returned to make 24 saves. Crawford
had missed the past six games with an upper-body injury.
The Jets were also in action on Saturday night and they picked up a 1-0
shootout win over the hosting New York Rangers.
Ondrej Pavelec made 38 saves through overtime and stopped three of the four
skaters he faced in the tiebreaker. He was awarded for the effort with his
first shutout of the season and 12th of his career.
“We haven’t been able to give the guy a whole lot of goal support, so he
figured out how to win the game,” Jets head coach Paul Maurice said of
Pavelec. “Just spectacular.”
Pavelec has allowed only five goals over Winnipeg’s last four games, with the
club going 3-0-1.
Evander Kane and Blake Wheeler had the shootout tallies for the Jets, who
conclude a four-game road trip tonight.
The Jets had lost seven in a row to the Blackhawks before winning the last of
four meetings a season ago, 3-1 in Chicago. That was their first victory in
the last four encounters in the Windy City.
