Johnson scores in SO, Blackhawks edge Golden Knights 3-2
By MATT CARLSON | Associated Press
CHICAGO (AP) — Tyler Johnson scored the lone goal in a shootout to give the Chicago Blackhawks their third straight victory, 3-2 over the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday night.
Johnson beat Laurent Brossoit with a low shot in the third round of the tiebreaker after scoring a power-play goal with 55 seconds left in regulation to for force overtime.
“Tyler plays so hard and he does all the right things for us,” Chicago coach Luke Richardson said. "It was great to see him have that opportunity to tie it up and then have that chance in (the shootout.)
“It looked like he was going to deke and he just slid it in there.”
Johnson tied it on a screened shot from the high slot after Vegas defenseman Alex Pietrangelo was penalized for delay of game for lofting the puck over the glass and goalie Petr Mrazek was pulled for an extra attacker.
Johnson was set up on a cross-ice pass from Patrick Kane.
“You just kind of dream about those shots," Johnson said. "Those are the ones you want to hit.”
Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy wasn't happy about the play by Pietrangelo, a steady 15-year veteran.
“That's on us a little bit, right?" Cassidy said. “Maybe it's just a little bit of a lower rim (along the glass). Veteran guys, you've just to to manage it better in those situations.”
Jack Eichel scored his 18th goal and Keegan Kolesar also connected for the Golden Knights, whose five-game winning streak ended. Vegas has points in seven straight game, however (5-0-2) and remained in first place in the competitive Pacific Division.
Rookie Cole Guttman scored in his second straight game for Chicago, who have 43 points and climbed out of last place in the NHL. Guttman netted his first NHL goal Sunday.
Kane appeared to score on breakaway as overtime ended, but a video review showed his high shot sailed past Brossoit just after time expired.
“I think it would have been cooler if Kaner scored that goal,” Johnson said. “I think that would have made it a lot more fun. I thought it was in."
Brossoit made 37 saves through overtime in his first start for Vegas this season. The 29-year-old goalie appeared in 24 games for Vegas in 2021-22.
“A few jitters in the first period, but I think overall it was a net-positive for how I felt,” Brossoit said.
Mrazek blocked 34 shots through overtime and all three in the shootout.
The Golden Knights failed to score on their lone power play, extending their dry spell to 24 straight chances dating to Jan. 22, a span of nine games.
Kolesar opened the scoring 3:26 in, whipping in a shot from the slot after Kane turned the puck over to Nicolas Roy deep in the Chicago zone.
Guttman broke in behind the Vegas defense and tied it 1 at 12:39 of the first, beating Brossoit between the pads.
Eichel put Vegas back in front 2-1 at 11:32 of the second period with his third goal in five games. He fired a shot under Mrazek’s blocker from the right circle.
VEGAS GOALIE MOVES
Knights goalie Adin Hill is out day-to-day with a lower-body injury after winning four straight starts. He was hurt in a 5-4 victory over Tampa Bay on Saturday.
Vegas recalled 32-year-old Michael Hutchinson from Henderson of the AHL to back up Brossoit on Tuesday. Knights All-Star goalie Logan Thompson is out week-to-week with a lower body injury, suffered on Feb. 9 at Minnesota.
KANE COUNTDOWN?
Kane started and seemed to be soaking in the United Center ambiance as he stood at the blue line and looked up to the crowd during the national anthem.
Kane, second in points in Blackhawks franchise history, has been the subject of trade rumors. Rebuilding Chicago has only one more home game, on March 2 versus Dallas, before the NHL’s March 3 trade deadline.
Kane’s eight-year contract is set to run out at the end of the season, but it has no-movement clause and he’d have to consent to a deal before then.
WORTH NOTING
The Blackhawks placed F MacKenzie Entwistle (right wrist) on IR retroactive to Feb. 14. Chicago also placed F Reese Johnson in concussion protocol.
UP NEXT
Golden Knights: Host Calgary on Thursday night.
Blackhawks: At Dallas on Wednesday night to start four-game trip.
More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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