3 takeaways from the Chicago Blackhawks’ OT win, including Alex DeBrincat 40th goal — and Alex Vlasic’s 1st

Somebody had to win.

In the battle of two NHL lottery chasers, the Chicago Blackhawks gave up a two-goal lead to the Arizona Coyotes in the third period, but pulled out a 4-3 win in overtime — thanks to Alex DeBrincat’s game-winner.

“Feels good,” coach Derek King said. “I thought we played pretty decent. I didn’t like some of our puck plays at the end, especially when they tilted the ice. But young mistakes and this is how they’re going to learn.”

DeBrincat said, “Feels like we’re battling every night. We let them back in there but it’s nice to get a win.”

Here are three takeaways from the win.

It means a lot statistically — let’s be clear — but DeBrincat and Winnipeg’s Kyle Connor are the only members of the 40-goal club this season whose teams have been eliminated from playoff contention, and Connor’s Jets were just eliminated Wednesday night.

DeBrincat has been chasing the ghost of 2018-19 when he put up 41 goals. That breakout season put those expectations on him, fairly or not.

He actually shot better (20.6%) during last year’s 56-game schedule with 32 goals, but despite a 15.7% clip this season, “40-goal season” carries a different air.

“It’s awesome,” DeBrincat said. “I think I’ve had a lot of good players I’ve been playing with. Lot of credit to them. I don’t think you cherish it as much when it’s in your second season, and then you realize how hard it is to get back.”

Against the Coyotes, Patrick Kane slipped a cross-crease pass to DeBrincat for a backdoor tap-in with 37 seconds left in overtime. Kane, who has assisted on 35 of DeBrincat’s goals (29 as the primary), helped his linemate break up a seven-game dry spell.

“So I was stuck there for a while, but lucky I’ve got Kaner passing to me,” DeBrincat said.

Kane was at the goalmouth when Vlasic fired down from the top of the left circle, and the puck bounced off Nick Schmaltz’s skate and into the net.

First NHL goal in the books for the rookie defenseman.

“It’s good to get it out of the way and I don’t know how that one snuck in there but I’m just glad it went in, I guess” Vlasic said.

But then there’s the adage: Rookies taketh, but they also giveth away.

In the Hawks defensive zone, Vlasic attempted to pass up ice to DeBrincat when Schmaltz, looking over his shoulder at Vlasic, intercepted the pass to set up Anton Stralman’s third-period score for the Coyotes that forced overtime.

“I definitely could’ve made a better play with that, just putting it up the wall instead of up through the middle,” Vlasic said. “But that’s just part of the game, you make mistakes, try not to dwell on it too long.”

King said, “This is the stuff he’ll learn as he gets some more (maturity) and he’ll get better and better, more games under his belt.”

That was a critical mistake, but defensively Vlasic looked more confident than he had in his nine previous games, playing sound defense, forechecking hard and making smart and timely plays with his stick.

“He was probably our best defenseman on the ice today,” King said.

Vlasic will get a chance to celebrate with cousin and San Jose Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic, who he’ll see for the second time this month later this week.

“We’ve got a day off coming, hopefully I can get out to my cousin’s house for a little bit,” the rookie said. “I think he said something about a steak dinner, but I don’t know if I’ll hold him to it.”

The Hawks carried a 3-1 lead into the third period, but allowed two Coyotes goals to send it to overtime.

It’s familiar territory for the Hawks. They took a one-goal lead in the second period against the Nashville Predators, then gave a goal right back 43 seconds later.

The Hawks grabbed the lead three times against the Sharks and had a two-goal lead in the third period, but had to scratch out a shootout victory.

And then there’s the infamous Buffalo Sabres game, when they frittered away a 4-0 lead and lost 6-5 with a power-play goal with 12 seconds left.

“I think maybe we get away from our game a little, try to put more up on the board,” DeBrincat said. “We just need to play sound defense, not turn the puck over and hopefully we can get in their zone and start playing offense.”

King added, “When we have the lead, we don’t realize we don’t need to score a goal every shift that we get out there. Sometimes you’ve got to live to fight another day kind of attitude, get the puck deep, you don’t have to make that extra play to see if we can get some offense going.

“And that’s where we’ve been making mistakes and that’s what’s been costing us for the season.”