RECAP: Blackhawks Take Must-Win Game 4 over Vegas, 3-1

The Blackhawks live to fight another day.

Needing a win in Game 4 to prolong the season, Chicago earned a 3-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights to force Game 5 on Tuesday night in Edmtonton.

CHI 3, VGK 1

GAME INFO

**GAMECENTER**: CHI vs. VGK - Game 4

RELATED LINKS

**GALLERY**: Blackhawks vs. Golden Knights - Game 4

PLAYER OF THE GAME: For the second straight game, Corey Crawford was a wall in net, stopping 48 of the 49 shots he faced.

STAT OF THE NIGHT: With an assist on Matthew Highmore's second-period goal, Duncan Keith took sole possession fo fifth all-time in playoff assists in Blackhawks history with his 68th helper. Only Stan Mikita (91), Denis Savard (84), Patrick Kane (81) and Jonathan Toews (74) have more.

UP NEXT: Chicago and Vegas will play Game 5 on Tuesday night with puck drop set for 9:30.

GAME RECAP

After withstanding a flurry of opening chances from Vegas, the Blackhawks opened the scoring for the first time in the series at the 4:08 mark off a strong forecheck from Olli Maatta. Off the offensive zone dump in, the defenseman won a foot race to the puck and slid a backhander into the slot for the trailing Drake Caggiula, who put a one-timer past Robin Lehner for a 1-0 lead.

Chicago scored from a forechecking play in the corner again later in the period, but this time on a solo effort from Matthew Highmore for his third goal of the playoffs. Possessing the puck below the goal line, the rookie threw a puck towards goal that caught Lehner in an awkward position, deflecting off the side of the netminder's mask and into the net for a 2-0 lead at 13:40 of the first.

Vegas answered back just 18 seconds later as Alec Martinez sent a D-to-D pass across the zone to his partner, Shea Theodore. Theodore put a one-timer on net that avoided a littany of sticks in front and beat Corey Crawford blocker side to cut the lead to 2-1 Chicago at 13:58 of the first.

The two teams played a scoreless 45 minutes before Alex DeBrincat netted the insurance empty-netter in the 3-1 victory. Crawford stopped all 29 shots he faced over the final two periods as Chicago held on for the Game 4 win.