For the first time in 19 months, a Chicago Blackhawks defenseman has scored a power-play goal.
Seth Jones ended the streak during the first period of Tuesday’s home game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, tapping home this nifty pass from Taylor Raddysh that set Jones up with an easy tap-in:
Seth Jones scores, and it’s Chicago’s first power-play goal from a defenseman in 124 games. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/4Y7EPTQErr
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) January 4, 2023
As Roumeliotis’ tweet mentioned, the goal from Jones snapped a lengthy drought for Blackhawks defenseman, which included the entire 2021-22 NHL season — an accomplishment (or lack thereof?) which was explored in lengthy detail here in the last offseason.
The last power-play goal scored by a Blackhawks defenseman came on May 1, 2021, when Connor Murphy scored against the Florida Panthers near the end of that COVID-shortened season. And that goal was a bit of a fluky one, coming just as the power play was about to end and Murphy on the ice in preparation for the return to 5-on-5 play:
Jones’ goal gave the Blackhawks an early 1-0 lead over the three-time Stanley Cup finalists. Although, in true 2022-23 Blackhawks fashion, that one-goal lead didn’t make it to the first intermission as Pat Maroon scored about six minutes later to tie the game at one.