Blackhawks rally for OT win against Maple Leafs; Nylander point streak ends at 17

William Nylander’s season-opening point streak ended at 17 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who lost 4-3 in overtime to the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center on Friday.

Nylander had 27 points (12 goals, 15 assists) during the franchise-record streak to begin a season and was seeking to become the sixth player in NHL history with a season-opening point streak of at least 18 games. He hit the crossbar and the post on a breakaway with 2:11 left in overtime.

“It just looked like it wasn’t our night,” Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said. “Didn’t score enough early on our chances. I thought we could have had two or three in the first few minutes of the game and didn’t capitalize there. We didn’t give up a lot here today. It’s among the least scoring chances we’ve given up this season. They score three goals, basically, where we have the puck on our sticks in our end and then it’s in our net. That just made it easier for them.”

Kevin Korchinski scored the game-winner with 30 seconds left, poking in a rebound at the side of the net. Connor Bedard assisted on the goal.

“Yeah, the puck was bouncing and it was just scrambly,” Korchinski said. “Just went to the net and got a good bounce. It’s really fortunate.”

Jason Dickinson scored his first NHL hat trick for the Blackhawks (6-12-0), who had lost five straight. Arvid Soderblom made 34 saves.

“That was a blast,” Dickinson said of his 379th NHL game. “I felt like the energy was there, the emotions were in it. Everybody was having fun out there. I think it comes down to getting physical and getting engaged and being invested emotionally. Obviously that was what the result was, but to get the emotion you have to turn it on inside first and then it translates to the ice.”

Max Domi had two assists, and Ilya Samsonov made 30 saves for the Maple Leafs (10-5-3), whose four-game winning streak ended. It was the first game for Toronto since a 4-3 overtime win against the Minnesota Wild on Sunday in the 2023 NHL Global Series Sweden presented by Fastenal.

“I think they were pretty opportunistic,” Domi said. “They capitalized when they had to. There were some good things we did, for sure. But there’s some stuff we’ve got to clean up. We’re aware of that. That’s the thing about this game — you have to go right back it [Saturday] despite that one and get ready for a big test in Pittsburgh.”

Nicholas Robertson gave the Maple Leafs a 1-0 lead at 7:14 of the first period after taking pass from Domi to the right of the net.

“I think I’ve got chemistry with my linemates,” Robertson said. “We’re just being smart out there. Obviously I’m not perfect. I’ve got things to work on. But I just think working with my line and being consistent with that line helps a lot.”

The Blackhawks tied it 1-1 at 8:03 when Dickinson took a pass along the left-wing boards from Joey Anderson, skated into the face-off circle and scored on a wrist shot to the short side. The assist was Anderson’s first point of the season following his recall from Rockford of the American Hockey League on Thursday.

With the teams playing 4-on-4, Calle Jarnkrok put Toronto ahead 2-1 at 1:17 of the second period. TJ Brodie moved in from the left point and passed across to Jarnkrok, who had a tap-in from the right side of the crease.

Ryan Reaves’ first goal with the Maple Leafs gave them a 3-1 lead at 3:31. He scored on a backhand tip-in of Jake McCabe’s feed from the right circle. Reaves, who had been a healthy scratch the previous three games, played his 15th game with Toronto since signing a three-year, $4.05 million contract ($1.35 million average annual value) on July 1.

Dickinson cut it to 3-2 at 12:27. Anderson picked up the puck behind the net, and it went off the stick of Toronto defenseman William Lagesson and slid out in front, where Dickinson put it in.

Dickinson completed the hat trick when he tied it 3-3 at 15 seconds of the third period. He picked up a loose puck at the top of the slot and put a wrist shot past Samsonov.

“It felt pretty amazing,” Dickinson said. “The puck laid up nicely in the slot to finish it off and luckily it went in.”

Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson said he was happiest for Soderblom, who made six saves on eight shots in relief of Petr Mrazek in Chicago’s previous game, a 7-3 loss at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday.

“I’m smiling,” Richardson said. “Yeah, and I think especially for Arvid. He’s played well for us, I’ve mentioned a few times. Just not enough goal support for his play this year at the right times, and tonight we got it for him, which is great. I’m sure it’ll be good for his confidence. Even our whole team, we needed this tonight and I think we really dug down and got it.”