{{pageModel.leagueAbbr}} {{pageModel.subtitle}} | Las Vegas Review-Journal
National Hockey League
Chicago 4, Ottawa 3
When: 7:30 PM ET, Thursday, October 4, 2018
Where: Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa, Ontario
Referees: Brian Pochmara, Garrett Rank
Linesmen: Shandor Alphonso, Derek Nansen
Attendance: 15858

Patrick Kane scored 38 seconds into overtime Thursday night as the Chicago Blackhawks came back to beat the host Ottawa Senators 4-3 in the season opener for both teams.

Alex DeBrincat and Jonathan Toews scored in the first period, and Brent Seabrook forced overtime with a third-period goal for the Blackhawks, whose mini-dynasty came to a crashing halt last season. Chicago went 33-39-10 and finished last in the Central Division in 2017-18 after making the playoffs the previous nine years and winning three Stanley Cups in that span.

Goalie Cam Ward, making his Blackhawks debut after spending his first 13 seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes, recorded 22 saves.

Zack Smith, Maxime Lajoie (in his NHL debut) and Colin White all scored during a hectic first period for the Senators. Ottawa finished with the second-fewest points in the NHL last season (67) and committed to a rebuild when it traded captain Erik Karlsson to the San Jose Sharks last month.

Goalie Craig Anderson made 39 saves for the Senators.

DeBrincat opened the scoring at 4:40, when he corralled a loose puck around center ice, evaded Thomas Chabot's attempt to poke the puck free and fired a shot under Anderson's left armpit.

Smith tied the score just 2:07 later when his shot from the blue line sailed past Ward, who was screened by the Senators' Mark Stone and the Blackhawks' Duncan Keith.

The Blackhawks went ahead 2-1 at 10:30 of the opening period. Toews caught up to teammate Erik Gustafsson's clearing pass in between center ice and the Senators' blue line and beat Anderson under his stick.

Lajoie scored his first NHL goal to pull the Senators even again a mere 96 seconds later. Matt Duchene threaded a pass under the stick of Seabrook to Lajoie, who went to one knee and beat Ward from point-blank range.

The Senators took the lead with 3:28 left in the first period when White, stationed to the left of Ward, took a pass from Lajoie and scored past the sprawling goaltender.

Following a scoreless second period, Seabrook tied the score with 7:42 left in regulation, when he took a pass from Kane and fired the puck beneath Anderson's legs.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Chicago   Ottawa
Patrick Kane 2 Points Maxime Lajoie 2
Patrick Kane 1 Goals Maxime Lajoie 1
Patrick Kane 1 Assists Maxime Lajoie 1
N/A Power Play Goals Colin White 1
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Cam Ward .880 Save Percentage Craig Anderson .907
Cam Ward 22 Saves Craig Anderson 39
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Chicago 43 4 0-3 2-3 6 36
Ottawa 25 3 1-3 3-3 6 40
Upcoming Games
  • Ottawa will play their next game on the road against Toronto. The Senators have a W/L % of .000 after a win and .000 after a loss.
  • Chicago will play their next game on the road against St. Louis. The Blackhawks have a W/L % of 1.000 after a win and .000 after a loss.