MW_JetsBeatChicago

WINNIPEG MB- Nikolaj Ehlers and Patrik Laine combined for five of the six Winnipeg's goals in as the Jets notched a 6-5 win over the Chicago Blackhawks.
Ehlers recorded his first hat trick since October 9, 2017 when he fired in three goals in Edmonton against the Oilers.

"You never know," said Ehlers when asked if he thought he was going to break out tonight.

POSTGAME | Nikolaj Ehlers

"You hope for it. You work for it. I feel like I've been playing some good hockey lately, it's gotten better and better. My defensive game was not good today but I work hard to continue growing as a player and today I got rewarded for it."
Laine became the fourth youngest player to reach 100 career NHL goals with his marker in the opening frame. The Finnish sniper accomplished the feat at 20 years & 224 days. Only Wayne Gretzky (20 years, 40 days), Jimmy Carson (20 years, 116 days) and Brian Bellows (20 years, 179 days) did it faster than Laine.
"I knew it was going to come eventually," said Laine.
"When you work hard you are going to get it at some point. It's good to get it out of the way and now I can chase 200 now but it was a good win."

POSTGAME | Patrik Laine

Laine closed out the month of November with 18 goals which was two off of former Jet Teemu Selanne's NHL record for goals in a calendar month set back in March of 1993.
"The run he's been on, 11 goals in a week obviously something I've never seen," said Blake Wheeler who ended the night with three assists.
"He's the type of guy you ask him why he hasn't scored in five games and something like that is around the corner. What a blessing he is to have, tie game, down a goal you are never out of it with a shot like that."
Laine opened the scoring 1:43 into the first period, Jacob Trouba's initial shot was kicked out by Corey Crawford but the rebound came right to Laine who swept in the rebound for the milestone marker.
It didn't take long for the Blackhawks to even the score, 1:20 later Marcus Kruger found a loose puck in front of Hellebuyck and shot high and through a screen to make it 1-1.
49 seconds after the Hawks tied it, a neutral zone turnover allowed Winnipeg to head back the other way on an odd man rush. Mark Scheifele went cross ice to Blake Wheeler and the Jets captain spotted Nikolaj Ehlers heading to the net and delivered a perfect pass that Ehlers tapped in.
Again Chicago tied the game with Dylan Kampf going in alone on Hellebuyck who made the initial stop with his right pad. No one picked up John Hayden who jammed in the loose puck to make it 2-2.
Cameron Schilling played in his first NHL game since March 11, 2015 when he was a member of the Washington Capitals. Schilling recorded his first NHL point with a secondary assist on Nikolaj Ehlers second of the night 1:01 into the second period.
Winnipeg took a two-goal lead for the first time on the night 47 seconds later Jacob Trouba scored his second of the season. Trouba jumped up into the play took a Scheifele pass and was stopped on his initial shot but with three Blackhawks standing around him, Trouba was able to score on the rebound.
Chicago made the Jets pay off as Jan Rutta intercepted a pass inside the Jets blueline and he blasted a shot that went off Hellebuyck's glove and in to make it 4-3.
The Jets had two third period leads disappear on them in the previous three games so it was a relief to restore their two-goal lead 1:18 into period three. With Duncan Keith in the penalty box for slashing, Laine picked Gustav Forsling's pocket and put a low shot past Crawford for his second of the night. The 20-year-old wingers 21 goals currently has him in the NHL lead by two over Buffalo's Jeff Skinner and Boston's David Pastrnak.
"I think Patty's got lots of room to be a great player," said Paul Maurice.
"But the shot doesn't have to get better right? I think he's going to get more shots, I think he's going to get different looks as he evolves as a player as his winger and centre do as well as the group does."

POSTGAME | Paul Maurice

Ehlers then completed the hat trick while on a breakaway going from his backhand to his forehand beating Crawford low stick side for what looked to be a comfortable three goal lead.
"Nik's a fine playmaker. He can clearly make plays but his game is at its best when he's a skater and a shooter first." said Maurice.
The Blackhawks made the Jets sweat a bit getting back to back goals from Dominik Kahun and Artem Anisimov to round out the scoring.
The Jets will now travel to New York on Friday for a three-game eastern road trip which starts Saturday in New Jersey against the Devils.
ICE CHIPS
Maurice confirmed that Dustin Byfuglien has a concussion and he has been placed on injured reserve. Byfuglien collided with Penguins defenceman Jamie Oleksiak on Tuesday and has not skated for the past two days.
Joe Morrow missed Thursdays game as well so that meant Sami Niku got into his first NHL game this season and the second of his career.