The Chicago Blackhawks had their biggest crowd of the season, and the game didn’t disappoint.
On a night the United Center showered tributes on retiring Hawks Alec Martinez and Pat Maroon, the Hawks showed up for a matchup against the league-leading Winnipeg Jets and took them to a shootout.
Despite a strong start, the Hawks blew a late lead and the Jets prevailed 2-1 in the shootout.
Nick Foligno scored the opening goal shorthanded off a miscue by Winnipeg’s power play.
A pass to Josh Morrissey got past him and drifted to goalie Connor Hellebuyck, who jumped out to clear it but hit Foligno instead.
Kyle Connor tried to cover the goal but was powerless to stop Foligno.
Later in the first period, Connor Bedard scored his 10th power-play goal of the season.
Frank Nazar passed up to Sam Rinzel from the bumper spot, and Rinzel swatted it in Bedard’s direction. Bedard one-timed it through Connor Hellebuyck’s five hole.
Photos: Chicago Blackhawks lose to Winnipeg Jets 5-4 in a shootout in home finale
The Hawks carried the momentum into the second period, but the Jets tilted things after Connor Murphy held Appleton.
Nino Niederreiter sniped a corner shot on the power play as Hawks goalie Spencer Knight was screened by Morgan Barron.
Kyle Connor’s goal came on a defensive breakdown.
Rinzel got distracted by the puck carrier, Iafallo, coming up the right side, unaware as Connor snuck into the zone from the left and took a pass from Iafallo.
That left Connor one-on-one with Knight, and he beat him with a far-side shot.
Both teams got loose in the third.
Josh Morrissey sniped a goal to open the frame.
Ryan Donato tied it 3-3 and, 3 minutes and 12 seconds later, Frank Nazar put the Hawks up again, 4-3, punctuated by his open-arms celebration.
But Morrissey tied the game 2:08 later to send the game into overtime.
The Hawks played a mostly defensive overtime, outshot 6-1.
Connor Bedard and Kyle Connor scored in the shootout, but Cole Perfetti sealed it for Winnipeg
The Hawks have lost five straight games to the Jets dating back to last season.
“Today I thought we did a lot of good things,” Hawks interim coach Anders Sörensen said. “Margins are small, right?
“For the group we had, I think everybody battled as hard as we could. It was an emotional game in a lot of ways, but I thought everybody did their absolute best here to get the win.”
Here are three takeaways.
1. Frank Nazar has had a hot April.
Nazar scored his third goal and third assist this month (six games).
He has averaged a point a game and is one away from January’s high of 7 points, though in seven fewer games.
He has two games left: Monday’s and Tuesday’s road contests in Montreal and Ottawa.
“Yeah, he’s been good,” Sörensen said of Nazar. “That line has been together here for a little bit and they’ve found some chemistry.”
Tyler Bertuzzi “made a heck of a play on that goal. But Frankie, to find those little soft areas and getting a shot off, he was good,” Sörensen said.
2. There’s no going home again — at least this season.
The game had the highest attendance of the season at the United Center: 20,634.
Excluding the 40,933 who saw the Winter Classic at Wrigley Field, the Hawks had an average home attendance of 18,585.
Since being promoted from Rockford on Dec. 5, Sörensen compiled an 11-13-6 home record, beginning and ending his United Center campaign with losses to the Jets.
“It’s been an honor,” he said. “It’s a special place to be in, right?
“You learn a lot from back there. Facilities and the Hawks as an organization, it’s just been an awesome experience. Just an honor.”
3. Martinez knew retirement was “looming.”
The alternate captain could read the tea leaves.
Martinez, who was plagued by injuries this season, turns 38 in July, has a baby due this month and has an expiring contract.
“You have certain things looming,” he said. “I thought maybe last year was my last year, then this opportunity came along. There are certain factors that played into my decision. I’ve had some pretty significant injuries throughout my career and I had a couple this year that flared up, some of that stuff.
“I have some things going on personally that I think it’s time for me to step away from the game and be a husband and a dad. … I’m very fortunate to be in that situation and go out on my terms when I wanted to, and thankful for that.”
