Blackhawks Fall in Shootout to Jets, as Maroon & Martinez Say Goodbye

There was a lot of emotion in the United Center on Saturday as one of the biggest crowds of the season came out for the final home game. With two beloved veterans playing in their last NHL games, the young Chicago Blackhawks gave it their all against the NHL-leading Winnipeg Jets but ultimately came up short in a 5-4 shootout loss.

The Jets got the first power play of the night, but it was the Blackhawks who got on the scoreboard thanks to an adventurous Connor Hellebuyck. Moments after Winnipeg’s netminder came out between the dots and turned the puck over to Frank Nazar, he did the same thing with Nick Foligno, who settled down the puck and fired it into the vacant net.

Blackhawks fans got a good look into the future with a beautiful power-play goal less than three minutes later. Nazar and Sam Rinzel moved the puck around the zone and set up a one-timer for Connor Bedard, who set a new career-high with 62 points.

The Jets got on the board in the final seconds of a power play halfway through the middle frame. Nino Niederreiter ripped a shot from the slot through a screen to cut the lead in half. Less than five minutes later, Kyle Connor showed why he’s one of the best goal-scorers in the game by blistering a shot over Spencer Knight’s glove to tie the score.

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This season’s final period at the United Center was certainly exciting. Josh Morrisey broke the tie two minutes in with a shot through heavy traffic. To the Blackhawks’ credit, they didn’t fold like they had so many times this season. Ryan Donato surprised Hellebuyck with a slap shot from the left dasher that hit the post and went in. Three minutes later, Tyler Bertuzzi set up Nazar in the slot, where he blasted a one-timer into the back of the net to give the Blackhawks a 4-3 lead.

Unfortunately, the lead didn’t last long as Morrissey scored his second goal of the period by creeping below the left dot and shooting another shot through a screen. After a scoreless overtime, Bedard scored on his shootout attempt before Connor and Cole Perfetti won the game for the Jets. Winnipeg clinched the Central Division crown with the win tonight.

Two Stanley Cup Champions Say Goodbye

Pat Maroon played his first NHL game as a member of the Anaheim Ducks on Oct. 25, 2011, against the Blackhawks at the United Center. Tonight, he stepped onto the NHL ice for the final time in the same building where he made his debut.

“I played my first game here,” Maroon said with a big smile this morning. “And now it’s my last. I didn’t have that drawn on the board, but it’s a pretty cool moment for me. Having my first NHL game and my last at the United Center in front of really good, passionate fans. To be part of an Original 6 team and just the history around the Chicago Blackhawks. It’s going to be a special night.”

He finished his career with 848 games for the Ducks, Edmonton Oilers, New Jersey Devils, St. Louis Blues, Tampa Bay Lightning, Minnesota Wild, Boston Bruins, and Blackhawks. He scored 126 goals and 323 points while racking up 1,087 penalty minutes. Maroon played in 163 playoff games and won three straight Stanley Cups in 2019 with his hometown Blues, then back-to-back with the Lightning in 2020 and 2021.

“Every career comes to an end; it doesn’t last forever,” he said. “So, I let that soak in a little bit. I’m happy with where I’m at in my career. It’s been a pleasure. My teammates, coaching staffs, trainers, and family being part of the ride is a huge part of it.”

Maroon’s legacy will not be anything that shows up on a stat sheet. He will be remembered as the ultimate teammate on and off the ice. He will defend you on the ice and make you laugh and feel part of the team off it.

“He’s been awesome,” Bedard said. “He’s such an enjoyable person to be around. His experience in the league – he’s won three Cups and been in the playoffs almost every year. So he can teach us a lot. The laughs and the energy he brings to the room, he’s a guy everyone wants to be around.”

Maroon wasn’t the only three-time Stanley Cup champion to play his final NHL game tonight. During pregame warmup, veteran defenseman Alec Martinez told CHSN’s Darren Pang that he would retire after the season, and tonight was his last game.

Martinez capped off his career with 88 goals and 289 points in 861 regular-season games with the Los Angeles Kings, Vegas Golden Knights, and Blackhawks. He won two Stanley Cups with the Kings in 2012 and 2014 and a third with Vegas in 2023. A couple of injuries derailed his lone season in Chicago, but, like Maroon, his influence in the locker room was invaluable.

After the game, the Jets remained on the ice to shake hands with Maroon and Martinez. What a classy move!

Odds & Ends

• Nazar had one of his best games of the season, as he was a force all night long. His speed is a weapon, and you can see him learning to use it to his advantage. Speed isn’t just about racing up and down the ice; it’s about turning it on at the right moments to catch opponents off guard. He finished the night with a goal, an assist, five shots on goal on seven attempts, a giveaway, and he won nine of his 15 faceoffs. In his 11:21 of 5v5  ice time, he had a 61.1 Corsi for percentage (CF%), and the Blackhawks had a 7-2 advantage in scoring chances and 4-1 in high-danger scoring chances.
• Not only did Bedard set a new career high in points with his first-period goal, but he also set a new Blackhawks record later in the game. With his assist on Donato’s goal, he broke the tie with Eddie Olczyk for the most assists as a teenager in franchise history. The offensive game is there; he needs to round out the other aspects of his game, like being stronger on the puck and making better decisions.
• Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers left the game in the second period after colliding with linesman James Tobias. The hit was not violent by any means, but Ehlers could not put any weight on his right leg. Head coach Scott Arniel didn’t have a specific update after the game, only hinting that he reaggravated a recent foot injury that caused him to miss some time. This would be a massive loss for Winnipeg heading into the playoffs, as Ehlers has 24 goals and 63 points and is a key member of their elite power-play unit.