NEWSLETTER
The second night of a back-to-back is always tough. When there’s travel involved, it’s tougher. When you feel pretty good about yourself after two solid efforts against bad teams and then roll into Winnipeg to play a legitimate Western Conference title contender who’s had the week off? Recipe for a butt-kicking. And a three-goal second period put the Blackhawks in a hole they couldn’t overcome in a late night against the Jets.
Star 1: Kyle Davidson
Look, the Blackhawks pulling three out of four points in their two home games coming out of their bye week wasn’t ideal from a draft position standpoint. But both games went to overtime so the results against Anaheim (two points) and Arizona (one) weren’t completely a loss for the Blackhawks from a lottery perspective. So when Columbus upsets Toronto and the Coyotes pick up an OT point (and St. Louis gets two points) with a Blackhawks’ regulation loss, it’s a good night for Davidson and crew.
Oh, and when (almost) half of your first draft class scored a goal on the same night? The ol’ resume loves that!
Star 2: Tyler Johnson
He scored Chicago’s first goal of the night. Tyler also led the Blackhawks in shots on net and continues to prove that he’s an important piece of Chicago’s offense.
Star 3: The Centers
Jonathan Toews has taken the majority of Chicago’s faceoffs against Winnipeg in previous matchups this season, so with him out of the lineup for a third straight game since returning from the bye week this would be a test. Max Domi, Jason Dickinson and Sam Lafferty led a terrific Toews-less effort at the dot tonight.
