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2019 NHL Prospect tournament: Blackhawks fall 6-3 to Maple Leafs

Posted on by Brandon Cain

The Blackhawks allowed five goals in the final 40 minutes of a 6-3 loss to the Maple Leafs on Saturday in Traverse City, Michigan.

Free-agent invitee Sean Josling put the Blackhawks up 6:36 into the game before Justin Brazeau scored in the first and second periods to give the Maple Leafs the lead 2:32 into the  middle frame. Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, Colt Contrad, Filip Kral and Nicholas Robertson tallied scores the rest of the way for Toronto.

Tim Soderlund scored a power-play goal in the second for Chicago and Philipp Kurashev, who assisted on Josling’s tally, added on short-handed in the third. Both goals were scored on Zachary Bouthillier, who entered halfway through the game for Maksim Khukov.

Chicago defenseman Chad Krys had two assists and free-agent invitee Nick Kossoff made 19 saves in his first appearance.

Kurashev did everything but score the goal on the Blackhawks’ first tally as he weaved his way through the offensive zone before finding Josling who tapped it in at 6:36.

Brazeau put the Maple Leafs on the scoreboard at 11:48 when he went top shelf on Kossoff.

Robertson nearly made it 2-1 Toronto late in the first when he stole the puck from Adam Boqvist at the blue line then rushed down the ice on a breakaway, but Kossoff made the stop.

Brazeau tallied his second of the game when he split two Chicago defenders and went top shelf just 2:32 into the second.

Adam Boqvist, who was much more active offensively than in Friday’s game, had a great scoring chance on Chicago’s first power play, but his shot rang off the post.

Brandon Hagel also had a good wrister from the left faceoff circle that was snagged by Zhukov’s glove.

Egor Korshkov started the sequence for the Leafs to go up 3-1 when won a puck battle against Kirby Dach. Korshkov then slipped a no-look pass to Robertson, who found Der-Arguchintsev wide open in front for an easy goal to increase Toronto’s lead to 3-1 at 10:51. It was the third Toronto goal of the game Dach was on the ice for.

After Chicago killed off its third penalty of the game, Tim Soderlund pulled the Blackhawks within one goal at 18:53 of the second. Soderlund fired with a blast from the top of the right faceoff cicle while falling down with 12 seconds left on the power play.

Colt Conrad gave the Leafs a two-goal lead just 1:42 into the third. Chicago free-agent invitee Riley McKay collided with a Leafs player and Reese Johnson to cover Nathan Staios at the blue line, which left Conrad all alone in front for a goal.

The penalty box then started to become a revolving door with eight penalties called, including a double minor on Marc-Antoine Pepin (high sticking). The Blackhawks were unable to capitalize on Pepin’s double minor or his tripping penalty soon after.

Filip Kral added a power-play goal at 13:14 with a shot from the blue line then Kurashev answered with a short-handed tally just 10 seconds later after a great defensive play and feed from Dylan McLaughlin.

Robertson added one more for the Leafs at 18:17 when he knocked in a rebound.

Blackhawks prospect of the game

Kurashev: 1 short-handed goal, 1 assist

Howe Division standings

TOR — 4 points

DET — 3 points

CHI — 2 points

STL — 0 points

Up next

After an off day Sunday, the Blackhawks face off against the Blues at 4:30 p.m. Monday in their final game of round-robin play.

Talking Points