By Canadian Press

Canucks blow three-goal lead, Hossa scores winner in OT for Blackhawks

Nov 19, 2016 | 9:00 PM

VANCOUVER — The Chicago Blackhawks got to celebrate twice Saturday.

Marian Hossa scored at 4:04 of overtime after Jonathan Toews’ goal 31 seconds into the extra period was ruled offside following video review as Chicago came from 3-0 down after 40 minutes to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 4-3.

The Blackhawks poured over the boards to congratulate Toews for beating Vancouver goalie Jacob Markstrom five-hole, but had to quickly refocus when the NHL command centre in Toronto challenged the play.

“It’s tough,” said Chicago goalie Scott Darling, who made a couple of great saves in a wild OT to finish with 24 stops. “You get that sigh of relief and all of a sudden it’s taken back from you.

“That can be a huge momentum swing, but we did a good job staying the course.”

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Both teams had golden opportunities to win the game in overtime, but Hossa ended it by using Canucks defenceman Alexander Edler as a screen and beating Markstrom low blocker for his 11th goal of the season, and 10th in the last 12 games.

“We didn’t panic,” Hossa said of his team being down by three after two periods. “We knew there was still 20 minutes left and this team is able to score three goals in a period.”

Vinnie Hinostroza, with his first NHL goal to go along with two assists, Artemi Panarin and Ryan Hartman scored in regulation for Chicago (13-4-2), which has earned points in 13 of its last 14 games (11-1-2).

“It’s a tremendous comeback,” said Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville. “We didn’t have anything going for two periods, we didn’t generate much, didn’t have any traffic.

“We got one and got a little excited.”

Loui Eriksson, Bo Horvat and Brandon Sutter replied for Vancouver (7-10-2), which got 28 stops from Markstrom.

“Tough one,” said Canucks captain Henrik Sedin. “Getting a point against the Blackhawks should be a good thing for us, but tonight we should have had two.”

After the goal from Toews was ruled offside, an end-to-end extra period continued with Vancouver’s Markus Granlund getting stoned by Darling, Henrik Sedin seeing his shot go off the post, and Chicago’s Patrick Kane getting denied on a breakaway by Markstrom.

Darling also stopped Eriksson and Sutter, while Horvat ripped another effort wide before Hossa won it.

“That’s probably the most exciting overtime I’ve been a part of,” said Horvat.

The Canucks held a 3-0 lead through 40 minutes thanks to strong defensive play and timely scoring, but the Blackhawks got on the board 2:53 into the third when Panarin one-timed a brilliant cross-ice pass from Kane for his seventh a few seconds after a Vancouver penalty expired. Hossa also came close to scoring on the power play on a shot that hit the post.

“We talked about how they were going to come out hard and how we had to weather the storm the first five minutes of the third,” said Horvat. “The first five minutes was going to be ours, and we didn’t do that. It cost us.”

Chicago then cut the deficit to one 1:13 later when Hinostroza stepped around Edler before potting his own rebound.

“It takes a bit to get confident as a younger guy,” said Hinostroza, who was playing his 17th game of his NHL career. “There are so many great players in here that you don’t know when you should chip in or what you should say in the locker-room.”

Markstrom, who allowed all seven goals in Tuesday’s 7-2 loss to the Rangers before beating Arizona 3-2 in overtime Thursday, saw Bryan Campbell hit the post — the third time the Blackhawks found iron — midway through the period with Vancouver teetering on its heels.

Chicago, which outshot the Canucks 17-3 in the final period, continued to come in waves and got the equalizer at 15:46 when Hinostroza found Hartman for his third.

“This group will find a way to win a losing game,” said Hossa. “There is so much leadership.”

Vancouver led 1-0 after the opening period for the first time this season on Eriksson’s third goal of the campaign on the power play, and doubled its advantage with 2:57 left in the second while killing a penalty. Alexandre Burrows stripped Toews at the Canucks’ blue line before chipping the puck ahead to Horvat, who beat Darling upstairs on a breakaway for his sixth.

Sutter made it 3-0 on another shot over the blocker — his fifth goal, and fourth in as many games — 1:24 later off a feed from Henrik Sedin after a dump in eluded Chicago defenceman Michal Kempny.

“I thought we played a really hard game tonight,” said Sutter. “The third wasn’t our best, but you’re still in the fight. We knew coming in it would be a tough game. They had a good push in the third. Unfortunately we just couldn’t find a way to close it.

“We had those chances in overtime — just couldn’t find a way.”

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Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press