CHICAGO — When your goaltender stops 50 of 52 shots in 101 minutes of play, there’s only one thing to say: “Oh Darling.”
Chicago goalie Scott Darling played like an All-Star, while defenseman Brent Seabrook’s goal exactly one minute into a third overtime led the Chicago Blackhawks to a 3-2 victory over the Nashville Predators in a four-plus hour game on Tuesday at the United Center.
Darling previously played at the University of Maine.
The Blackhawks now lead the Predators 3-1 in the best-of-seven first round Western Conference playoff series.
Even though he played a heck of a game himself, stopping 44 of 47 shots, Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne couldn’t stop Seabrook’s tally.
Center Antoine Vermette and left winger Brandon Saad scored in regulation for the Blackhawks while center Colin Wilson and left winger James Neal scored for the Predators.
Both teams had chances to win in the second overtime, but neither was able to capitalize.
Chicago had two power-play opportunities that went for naught, while Nashville failed to connect when it had a man-advantage, as well.
The Predators outshot the Blackhawks 7-6 in the second overtime.
Both teams appeared to ratchet up the defensive aggressiveness in the first overtime period.
It got to the point where the game resembled a basketball game of sorts: go down to one end of the ice, take a shot, miss, then go back down the other way and miss there, too.
Nashville outshot Chicago 13-10 in the scoreless first extra period, with both goalies still looking strong.
After failing to score even one third-period goal in the first three games of the series, Chicago finally snapped that jinx at 11:03 of the third period.
Saad scored his second goal of the playoffs, with assists by Marian Hossa and Duncan Keith, to tie the game at 2.
Both teams tried mightily to keep the game from going into overtime, but were unable to top the other, sending the contest into an extra period.
Nashville finished the first three periods with 32 shots on goal, while Chicago had 30.
With Chicago left winger Bryan Bickell in the penalty box for hooking, Wilson took advantage of the extra man, scoring his team-leading fourth goal of the playoffs on a slap shot past Darling at 11:38 of the first period.
The United Center grew uncharacteristically quiet for the next minute or so, then erupted when Vermette, playing in just his second game of the series, tied the game at 1 when he tipped defenseman Michal Rozsival’s shot past Rinne at 13:05.
After both teams played evenly matched hockey for the next 25 minutes, Nashville went ahead 2-1 on Neal’s first goal of the playoffs.
Flames 3, Canucks 1
CALGARY, Alberta — Rookie left winger Johnny Gaudreau scored his first Stanley Cup playoff goal as Calgary beat Vancouver Canucks in Game 4 of their Western Conference playoff series.
Right winger Jiri Hudler and center Sam Bennett had the other goals for the Flames, who lead the series 3-1 and can clinch their first playoff series since 2004 Thursday night in Game 5 at Vancouver.
Center Henrik Sedin replied for the Canucks, his first goal of the series, while goalie Ryan Miller made his playoff debut for Vancouver, replacing Eddie Lack after a shaky first period when he allowed three goals on seven shots.
Predators recall 9 from AHL
The Nashville Predators recalled nine players from the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League on Wednesday.
Goaltenders Marek Mazanec and Magnus Hellberg; defensemen Joe Piskula, Anthony Bitetto and Johan Alm; and forwards Rich Clune, Colton Sissons, Viktor Arvidsson and Austin Watson were called up.
The players will be joined in Nashville by Milwaukee head coach Dean Evason and assistant coach Stan Drulia.
After playing Games 3 and 4 on the road in Chicago, the Nashville Predators return home to Bridgestone Arena for Game 5 Thursday night — down 3-1 in the best-of-seven playoff series to the Blackhawks.
On Tuesday night, defenseman Brent Seabrook scored the winning goal one minute into the third overtime as the Blackhawks beat the Predators 3-2.
Jets recall Ehlers
The Winnipeg Jets recalled forward Nik Ehlers on Wednesday following the conclusion of his Quebec Major Junior Hockey League season with the Halifax Mooseheads.
Ehlers, 19, completed his second season with the Mooseheads, posting 101 points (37 goals, 64 assists) in 51 games. It was the second consecutive season Ehlers posted over 100 points for Halifax.
Ehlers, who was selected by Winnipeg with the ninth overall pick at the 2014 NHL Draft, joins the Jets after the Mooseheads were eliminated by the Moncton Wildcats in Game 7 in the second round of the QMJHL playoffs. Ehlers finished third during the regular-season scoring and is currently leading the QMJHL playoff scoring race with 31 points.