Jets Open Eight-Game Homestand with 3-2 Overtime Victory vs. Chicago

The National Hockey League's 27th and 29th ranked teams met up in Winnipeg on Tuesday night, and they did not disappoint.

Although most were not expecting a 6-5 final, more than two goals apiece may have kept the attention of the 13,929 gathered at Canada Life Centre.

After a quick start from the home team, the Jets gave up a late-period tally, before falling asleep for the better part of the game. The hosts did eventually wake up in time to tie the game before finding the winner in overtime.

Generational talent Connor Bedard dazzled in the Hawks' offensive zone, leading the charge for the visitors. He picked up two helpers for Chicago. 

Tuesday's Central Division tilt was the first game back at home for Winnipeg since February 4 - a stretch which included a lengthy Olympic break and a three-game road trip. 

It also marked the first test of their season-high, eight-game homestand, to which they are back in action on Thursday and Saturday. 

Winnipeg opened the scoring on Samberg's first of the season. 

“Yeah, it was a terrible pass by me and he handled it," Mark Scheifele laughed post-game. "It was obviously good to see him get his first. He made a great pass to me - he was solid all night.”

Midway into an extended four-on-four, Samberg ripped home his first goal in nearly a full calendar year (March 16, 2025). 

But Chicago answered back late in the frame, with Teuvo Teravainen potting a power play goal on a four-minute, Gabe Vilardi double-minor, high-sticking infraction.

Winnipeg outshot the Blackhawks 6-4 through 20 minutes of play. 

The middle stanza provided little to none on the entertainment scale, with Chicago pulling ahead to a 14-13 shot lead. Neither team managed a goal in the frame, with Mark Scheifele coming close, as he hit the post on a wrist shot midway through the period. 

It took just 32 seconds of the third period to find the winner. 

Off a perfect Bedard feed, Ryan Greene put home the Blackhawks' second tally of the game, jumping ahead 2-1 before most fans had even found their seats.

With Connor Hellebuyck on the bench for the extra attacker, Cole Perfetti tied the game on a seeing-eye wrist shot the beat Spencer Knight cleanly with just 38.6 seconds left to play, sending the two cellar dwelling clubs to overtime. 

“I just tried to get it through," Perfetti said. "I knew that their centreman was going to be close to me and I was just getting support for (Mark Scheifele). Obviously, I had a little bit of time to get around the puck. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to make a play, so I tried to just deliver it to the net. Sometimes they go in.”

Then, in the extra frame, Samberg found Mark Scheifele, who ripped home his 200th career goal at Canada Life Centre, putting the seal on the come-from-behind victory, finishing off the Hawks 3-2.

“It was huge," Scheifele said of the win. "Bucky held us in there for the first two periods and it was nice for us to kind of get going. In this room in between periods we just said that we had to put our best foot forwards and just see what happens. It was awesome that we got the win.”

Knight finished the game with 29 stops on the 32 pucks sent his way, while Hellebuyck turned aside 18 of 20 shots on goal by Chicago. 

Next up is a battle with Tampa bay on Thursday, before Vancouver rolls into town on Saturday.