Patrick Kane scored 50 seconds into overtime to give 32-year-old goaltender Jeff Glass a win in his NHL debut and lift the Chicago Blackhawks over the Edmonton Oilers 4-3.
Jeff Glass worked a long time for his NHL debut, playing 575 games for 11 teams ranging from the Western Hockey League to a stint in Russia.
« It’s something I’ve always dreamed of, » the 32-year-old said, « but never thought it would actually come true. »
Now, he’s an NHL winner.
Patrick Kane scored 50 seconds into overtime to give Glass a victory in his first game and lift the Chicago Blackhawks over the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 on Friday night.
Kane deked around a defender then shoved in the rebound of his own shot past Cam Talbot. After scoring, he pointed toward the other end of the ice at Glass, and teammates quickly enveloped the journeyman goalie. The Calgary native made 42 saves.
Glass is getting his shot after No. 1 goalie Corey Crawford went on injured reserve Wednesday with an upper body injury. Glass was recalled from the American Hockey League.
« Our star goalie is out, so my job is kind of to try to fill the gap right now, » Glass said. « Tonight was just a step in the right direction. »
Chicago assistant captain Brent Seabrook was Glass’s roommate playing for Canada at the 2005 world junior championship, where the duo won gold.
« I didn’t really realize it was his first game. He’s 32, » Seabrook said with a laugh. « I thought he would have played a couple. It was impressive to see. »
Ryan Hartman, Alex DeBrincat and Jordan Oesterle also scored for the Blackhawks, who snapped a three-game losing skid.
Jesse Puljujarvi, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Leon Draisaitl scored for Edmonton, and Talbot stopped 32 shots.
« I thought we stuck with it, » Oilers forward Patrick Maroon said. « We battled back and that’s a point we need. That is a team we are trying to catch in the standings. I wish we would have got the two points, though. »
Puljujarvi’s power-play goal with 5:34 remaining in the first opened the scoring on Edmonton’s 17th shot on goal. The Blackhawks tied it with 55 seconds left in the first when Hartman swatted in a rebound.
Chicago took a 2-1 lead on the power play with six minutes left in the second as an Oilers miscue ended with DeBrincat putting a shot through Talbot’s legs for his 13th.
The Blackhawks took a two-goal lead with another power-play goal at 8:28 of the third when Oesterle’s point shot hit the crossbar and caromed off Talbot’s back.
Nugent-Hopkins scored with a shot off a defender with 2:19 left, and then Draisaitl got his 10th to tie it with 55 seconds left and Talbot pulled for an extra attacker.
NOTES: It was the second of three meetings between the teams this season. Edmonton beat Chicago 2-1 in overtime on Oct. 19…. It was the first time this season the Oilers have had their projected six starting defenseman in the lineup at the same time.
UP NEXT
Blackhawks: Play at Calgary on Sunday night.
Oilers: Host Winnipeg on Sunday night.
