Blackhawks overcome special teams woes to complete comeback in Game 3 vs. Oilers

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The Blackhawks won 4-3 in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Qualifiers against the Edmonton Oilers in the best-of-five series late Thursday night.

Here are four takeaways:

Late come-from-behind W

Trailing 2-3 in the third period, the Blackhawks scored two goals in 4:31 to complete the comeback.

Matthew Highmore got his first career postseason goal when he deflected a Slater Koekkoek one-timer past Oilers goalie Mikko Koskinen at 14:13.

With just 1:16 remaining in regulation, defenseman Connor Murphy fired a wrister toward the net that Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews deflected in. On the goal, Toews tied Stan Mikita, Bobby Hull and Patrick Kane for most game-winning playoff goals in Blackhawks history (11). 

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UNspecial teams

There were A LOT of penalties in Wednesday's game, nine to be exact, with five in the first period alone. The Oilers had six infractions and the Hawks three.

Chicago went just 1-for-6 on the man advantage.

The Hawks had a 5-on-3 power play late in the first period and Toews scored with 4.2 seconds remaining in the opening frame to give Chicago a 2-1 lead.

Outside of Toews' first goal of the game, the power play was a bit of a disaster. After converting on three of six power plays in Game 1, the Hawks went 0-for-4 in Game 2. With some elite scorers on the Oilers looking to avoid elimination on home ice in Game 4, it's an area the Blackhawks need to improve in quickly. It'll also be needed down the road if they advance.

The Blackhawks went 1-for-3 on the penalty kill, but allowed an Oilers' power-play goal that was costly at the time.

The Hawks failed to kill an Alex DeBrincat penalty late in the second period when Connor McDavid scored with 7.8 seconds remaining in the frame to put Edmonton up 3-2. It was McDavid's fifth goal of the series. He's scored a power-play goal in each qualifying-round game.

What's a Maatta you?

Blackhawks defenseman Olli Maatta scored at 9:14 of the first period to give the Hawks a 1-0 lead. The play has Maatta riding a two-game goal streak and it was the first time in the series the Blackhawks scored the first goal of the game.

Maatta got beat, committing to cover Leon Draisaitl for the Oilers' late second-period power-play goal, allowing McDavid to convert. Maatta closed the game with one goal, one assist and a +/- rating of 0.

Leon, the Professional

Draisaitl haunted the Hawks prior to their comeback with two goals and assist in Game 3 after he was held shotless in Game 2.

The NHL's leader in points (110) during the regular season tied the game 1-1 28 seconds after Maatta scored in the first period and made it 2-2 at 4:07 of the second period. 

Draisaitl had a power-play goal and two assists in Game 1.

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