Frondell's First Goal and Bertuzzi's Career High Not Enough as Jets Win 4-3 in OT

Game Summary

Anton Frondell scored his first career NHL goal. Tyler Bertuzzi set a new career high with his 31st. The Blackhawks erased a two-goal deficit and tied it in the third. And then Kyle Connor ended it 33 seconds into overtime. The Winnipeg Jets beat the Blackhawks 4-3 in overtime at the United Center on Tuesday night, extending Chicago's losing streak to four games and dropping their OT/shootout record to a painful 7-14 on the season. The Blackhawks fall to 27-34-14.

Frondell — wearing No. 16 after switching from 15 for his home debut — gave Chicago a 1-0 lead at 4:42 of the first. Louis Crevier's shot went wide, Ilya Mikheyev retrieved the loose puck and fed Frondell, who scored on one knee from the slot. "An amazing feeling," he said afterward. "Dream come true and happy to do it in my first home game." It was the only goal of the first period, and the Blackhawks looked sharp heading into the intermission.

The second period undid all of it. Josh Morrissey tied it just 66 seconds into the frame, skating along the goal line and flipping the puck past Spencer Knight on the backhand. Cole Perfetti scored on the power play at 11:19 to put Winnipeg up 2-1, and Isak Rosen made it 3-1 just 38 seconds later at 11:57, burying a rebound after being left alone in front. Three goals in the second, all on Knight, and the deficit was two. Bertuzzi pulled one back at 13:26 with a spinning backhand that beat Connor Hellebuyck cleanly to the glove side — his 30th of the season, tying his career high — to make it 3-2 heading into the third.

Chicago dominated the third period. Blashill said they were "excellent" and "only gave up one chance." Bertuzzi completed the comeback at 9:46, jamming the puck through Hellebuyck's five-hole off a Mikheyev pass for his 31st — a new career high. The building was alive. But overtime has been the Blackhawks' kryptonite all season, and this one was no different. It lasted 33 seconds. Scheifele won the opening faceoff, found Connor in the slot, and Connor buried it top shelf. Game over.

The New-Look Roster

This was the best the Blackhawks have looked since the Islanders win a week ago, and Blashill knew it. "The process we had through lots of that game was really good," he said. But the 3-on-3 problem is real — 7-14 in overtime and shootout games this season. "We haven't been good enough three-on-three, so that's frustrating for all of us." A few more overtime wins and the Blackhawks would be sitting at 30-plus wins instead of chasing it with seven games left.

Frondell's first goal was the moment of the night. He's now at 1 goal and 4 assists in five NHL games — the third Blackhawk in the past 15 years to record 5 or more points in his first five career games, joining Henri Jokiharju (2018-19) and Artemi Panarin (2015-16). Not a bad list to be on. The goal itself was instinctive — Mikheyev found him in the slot, Frondell got it off on one knee, and it was in the net. He also made defensive misreads on the Jets' first and third goals, which is part of the process for an 18-year-old adjusting to NHL speed. The good far outweighed the bad on this night.

Bertuzzi was the other star. His spinning backhand for goal 30 was a highlight-reel play, and the tying goal in the third was all effort — jamming it through Hellebuyck's five-hole to force overtime. He's been one of the most consistent players on this roster all season, and setting a new career high with 31 goals is earned. "I've done it before," he said. "I'm going to keep going to the net, keep doing the same things."

Before the game, Blashill confirmed that Artyom Levshunov (left hand) and Matt Grzelcyk (upper body) are both done for the season. Levshunov's tumultuous rookie year is over, and Grzelcyk's one-year tenure with the Hawks is likely finished. Kevin Korchinski is now a lineup fixture for the remaining games. Andrew Mangiapane is close to returning and could join the team for the upcoming road trip.

Looking Ahead

The Blackhawks head out on a three-game road trip starting Thursday at the Edmonton Oilers, then Seattle and San Jose. At 27-34-14 and 68 points with 7 games to play, they need to win three of the final seven to reach 30 wins on the season — a reasonable benchmark for a step forward in the rebuild. Frondell has now played 5 of a possible 9 games before the first year of his entry-level contract burns. Jonathan Toews returned to the United Center for the second time this season and received a warm ovation during "O Canada" and his first shift — he threw the first pitch at Wrigley on Sunday while the Jets were in town. And in a touching moment before the game, beloved former Blackhawks player and broadcaster Troy Murray — who passed away on March 7 — was named to the inaugural Blackhawks Hall of Fame class as a "builder." The induction ceremony is April 10, with an on-ice celebration April 11 against the Blues.