2019 NHL Prospect tournament: Adam Boqvist lifts Blackhawks to 5-4 overtime win over Red Wings

Adam Boqvist scored just 43 seconds into overtime to lift the Blackhawks past the Red Wings 5-4 in the NHL Prospect tournament Friday in Traverse City, Michigan.

Boqvist took a pass from Kirby Dach at the right faceoff circle then skated to the goal line and fired a shot into the net to salvage a win after the team blew a 4-1 lead.

Dach, MacKenzie Entwistle and Brandon Hagel each tallied a goal and an assist. Mikael Hakkarainen also scored a goal.

Ryan Kuffner opened the scoring when he fired a shot from the left faceoff circle over Alexis Gravel’s right shoulder at 3:10.

But it was all Blackhawks after that with four unanswered goals under nine minutes to take a 4-1 lead after the opening frame.

Hakkarinen found some space in front for a nice goal to tie it at 6:09 then free-agent invitee Riley McKay send a long pass to Dach for a breakaway tally to give Chicago the lead.

Nicolas Beaudin maneuvered around two defenders into the offensive zone then hit Entwistle in the slot at 12:33. Hagel made it a three-goal game at 14:52 when he tipped in Jack Ramsey’s shot from the top of the left faceoff circle.

With less than 10 seconds remaining on a Boqvist penalty, Jarid Lukosevicius trimmed Chicago’s lead to 4-2 at 10:04. It was the Veleno show from there as he stole the puck from Hagel right in front of the net and deked Gravel for a goal. Zadina faked a shot, which Dennis Gilbert dropped down on, then wrapped around the net with ease and sent a feed to Veleno, who buried it.

The third period saw early scoring chances by Dach and Nicolas Beaudin, but both of them were unable to corral the puck to fire a clean shot. The biggest Blackhawks highlight of the third period was Gravel’s play, including big stops on Chase Pearson during a breakaway and one on Zadina in the final minute of regulation.

Up next

The Blackhawks face the Maple Leafs at 2 p.m. Saturday at Davids Rink.

BC note: Shout out to Blackhawks Digital Content Manager Carter Baum for being the real MVP.