By Canadian Press

Perfetti helps Winnipeg Jets to 3-1 win over Chicago Blackhawks

Dec 2, 2023 | 3:04 PM

WINNIPEG — Cole Perfetti scored midway through the third period to lead the Jets to a hard-fought 3-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday afternoon. 

Morgan Barron and Mark Scheifele also scored for Winnipeg. 

Connor Bedard replied for Chicago. 

Goalie Connor Hellebuyck stopped 20 of 21 shots for Winnipeg (13-8-2) before 14,189 fans at Canada Life Centre – the biggest of the season. It snapped a four-game winning streak for Hellebuyck. 

Goalie Arvid Soderblom made 25 saves on 28 shots for Chicago (7-15-0). 

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It was the third of a four-game homestand for the Jets. 

Perfetti deflected a point shot from defenceman Dyalan Samberg past Soderblom to give Winnipeg a 3-1 lead midway through the third period. Defenceman Declan Chisholm also assisted. Perfetti’s ninth goal of the season is aa new career high for the young forward. 

Both goalies made some quality saves in the second. Soderblom twice stopped backhands from Gabe Vilardi. Hellebuyck made a glove grab off a quick Bedard shot, then stopped a shot from Philipp Kurashev, who was set up alone in front by Bedard. 

Winnipeg took a 2-1 lead in the second period. Forward Nikolaj Ehlers sent Barron in alone of Soderblom and the forward beat the netminder cleanly. Defenceman Dylan DeMelo also assisted. 

With the score tied 1-1, Hellebuyck made a great save on forward Dickenson, who had a 2-on-1 with winger Joey Anderson. 

The Jets had tied the score 1-1 on the powerplay midway through the first. With Chicago defenceman Connor Murphy off for interference, forward Gabe Vilardi charged down the ice, deked around Hawks defenceman Alex Vlasic, then fed Scheifele in front of Soderblom for the Winnipeg goal. Defenceman Josh Morrissey, who started the play inside his own blueline, also assisted. 

Chicago had opened the scoring with their first shot on net at 4:39 of the opening period. Bedard pounced on the puck after it had deflected off a Jets defenceman’s shinpad. The Blackhawks wunderkind then fired a shot past Hellebuyck. Kurashev, whose shot was blocked, got credit for the only assist. 

The goal extended Bedard’s NHL road point streak to eight games. Only Nathan McKinnon had a longer streak for players 18 years old and under. 

NOTES 

Chicago forward Anthony Beauvillier, who was recently acquired from Vancouver, made his debut in a Blackhawks uniform against the Jets … Blackhawks centre Connor Bedard was leading all NHL rookies with 10 goals and 18 points heading into Saturday’s game. He also led the Hawks in points … Promising Declan Chisholm replaced Nate Schmidt on the Winnipeg defence … Jets forward Vladislav Namestnikov missed the match with a lower-body injury. He was replaced by David Gustafsson … With his goal in the third period, Winnipeg forward Cole Perfetti has now scored at least a point in 13 of his last 15 games when he entered Saturday’s contest. 

UP NEXT 

Jets: Will host the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday. 

Stars: Will travel to Minnesota to face the Wild on Sunday afternoon. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 2, 2023.

Jim Bender, The Canadian Press