Recapping the Chicago Blackhawks’ 4-1 loss: After a rough 2nd period, Jarred Tinordi gives them a puncher’s chance

The Chicago Blackhawks knew going into Saturday’s game that the Winnipeg Jets have had their number, and little that happened during a 4-1 loss at Canada Life Centre changed that notion.

The Jets swept the four-game season series and are 8-1-0 against the Hawks in the last nine meetings. They outscored the Hawks 18-4 this season, and 11 of those goals came during the second period — including three on Saturday.

“This was a tough team,” Hawks coach Luke Richardson said. “They’re a very talented team offensively. The couple mistakes we made in the second period they really capitalized on.”

After a scoreless first period, the Jets exploded after the first intermission, starting with Josh Morrissey’s backhander 1 minute, 16 seconds into the second period.

Blake Wheeler added a power-play goal, and Mark Scheifele’s goal on a textbook rush pushed the lead to 3-0.

[ [Don’t miss] Patrick Kane says he wasn’t ‘the happiest’ to hear about the New York Rangers’ trade for Vladimir Tarasenko ]

If there was a highlight for the Hawks, it was Jarred Tinordi tossing gloves with Adam Lowry. It was the defenseman’s first game since going through a patchwork saga with his face.

Tinordi estimated he received more than 100 stitches after a skate sliced open his chin during a Dec. 9 game against the Jets. Nine days later, he suffered facial fractures after catching a slapshot to the face against the New York Rangers.

That didn’t stop him from exchanging punches with Lowry a minute and a half into the third period, and it seemed to light a fire under the Hawks.

Forty-one seconds later, while Tinordi sat in the box for fighting, Tyler Johnson scored the Hawks’ lone goal. The Hawks made a push from that point but couldn’t capitalize on several chances.

Still, Richardson was impressed.

“I really like our push in the third,” he said. “Tinordi gave us little bit of momentum with the fight and it was his first game back. Guys really respect him, so I think that got us going. We scored right after that.

“We had some good looks at the end, even 6-on-5, but (Connor) Hellebuyck’s a good goaltender and they play real strong structure, so we couldn’t get that next one in.”

Wheeler’s empty-net goal squashed any hopes of a rally.

[ [Don’t miss] Chicago Blackhawks taking the cautious approach with Jonathan Toews’ return: ‘He’s going to have to ramp himself back up’ ]

• The Hawks have allowed a host of nightmarish goals by the Jets that they’d like to toss into a trash bin and burn from memory, and Saturday was no exception. On the third goal of the second period, the Jets kept the Hawks defense chasing as they pinballed their way through all three zones. It went Nikolaj Ehlers to Wheeler to Scheifele, who slapped it five-hole to take a 3-0 lead.
• Sam Lafferty caught a bad break during a puck battle, smacking Nate Schmidt in the face with his stick while winding up to take a shot. The play was right on the borderline, but apparently Lafferty lost possession of the puck just long enough that officials — after a video review — ruled he committed a high-sticking infraction and tagged him with a double minor.

• The Hawks penalty kill did an admirable job fending off a 5-on-3 power play, but during the 5-on-4 a failed attempt to clear the puck cost them with Wheeler’s deflection goal.
• Petr Mrázek’s mask had as rough a night as he did, getting knocked off three times. The first was a monster shot from Pierre-Luc Dubois that knocked Mrázek’s mask back a bit before it dropped in front of him.

In the second period, Kyle Connor’s one-timer knocked it off during a 5-on-3 Jets power play. Dubois’ wrister with less than 5 minutes left in the third period completed the “no-hat” trick.

It still wasn’t as bad as when Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews cracked Mrázek’s mask with a point-blank shot on Feb. 18, 2018, when Mrázek was with the Detroit Red Wings.

Perhaps Mrazek should look into Velcro or a medieval knight helmet.

• Tinordi swapped fists with Lowry in the third period. In one sense: Yikes. Tinordi just got back on the ice after a 20-game absence in which his broken jaw was wired shut and he lost 15 pounds while on a soup diet. And his chin was slashed by a skate nine days before that injury.

In another sense: Wow. Tinordi risked reinjury to spark the team, and the Hawks made a push that resulted in Johnson’s goal.

“He gave us some energy,” Richardson said. “He knows that his role is to be a physical guy and he’s a team-first guy and we needed a little bit of a boost. … He shows a lot of guts. He’s coming out of a couple facial surgeries and fighting a tough, big guy in Lowry. I thought the guys reacted really well.”

• Johnson’s goal was a study in perseverance. Patrick Kane tried to connect with Johnson at the doorstep from below the goal line, but Scheifele broke it up. Jason Dickinson swooped in, carried the puck behind the net and found Jake McCabe, who fired on net. Hellebuyck deflected it, but the puck hung around the crease, and Johnson dived to Hellebuyck’s stick side and swept it in.

The Jets scored their seventh power-play goal in 15 opportunities this season against the Hawks, going 1-for-3 in the series finale. The Jets entered with the 16th-ranked power play (22.3%) but had a 46.7% success rate in four matchups with the Hawks.

The Hawks fell to 16-30-5 (37 points), while the Columbus Blue Jackets beat the Maple Leafs 4-3 to improve to 16-33-4 (36 points).

The Hawks flew to Montreal on Sunday and are scheduled to practice at Bell Centre on Monday before playing the Canadiens on Tuesday.