Blackhawks defeat Oilers in Game 3 of Cup Qualifiers, take series lead

Jonathan Toews scored the go-ahead goal with 1:16 remaining, and the Chicago Blackhawks defeated the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 in Game 3 to take the lead in the best-of-5 Stanley Cup Qualifiers series at Rogers Place in Edmonton on Wednesday.

"We stuck with it. I think it was a great team effort," said Toews, who tipped Connor Murphy's shot after winning a face-off. "Some great contributions from all over our lineup and in the third for that offense."

It was Toews' second goal of the game and fourth in the series.

"Just a lucky bounce, I didn't throw a very hard one at the net, I saw [Toews] had good position," Murphy said. "He was all alone in front to be able to get a tip on it, so it ended up. I thought for sure he got it. Those last minutes in games, every face-off is so huge, and obviously that one being a big one for us being able to get a shot off."

WATCH: [All Oilers vs. Blackhawks Game 3 highlights]

Olli Maatta and Matthew Highmore scored, and Corey Crawford made 25 saves for the Blackhawks, the No. 12 seed in the Western Conference.

Teams that win Game 3 after a series is tied 1-1 are 21-7 (75 percent) winning a best-of-5 NHL series (14-2 when last used from 1980-86).

Game 4 is in Edmonton, the Western Conference hub city, on Friday (6:45 p.m. ET; NBCSN, NHL.TV, SN, NBCSCH). The series winner advances to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Leon Draisaitl had two goals and an assist, Connor McDavid scored, and Mikko Koskinen made 21 saves for the Oilers, the No. 5 seed in the West.

"It's a long series," Edmonton defenseman Darnell Nurse said. "There are still two games to be played. We battled and put ourselves in position at the end of the game that we could've won. But sometimes the bounces go the other way. We have to respond, come here Friday and play our best game."

Highmore, who was on the ice for each Draisaitl goal, deflected a shot by Slater Koekkoek to tie the game 3-3 with 5:47 remaining in the third.

"A couple tough bounces for our line," Highmore said. "We wanted to get that back and help the team. It was certainly on our mind. We wanted to create energy, and I think we did that. As a group, our whole team got us a big win."

McDavid scored a power-play goal with eight seconds remaining in the second period to give the Oilers a 3-2 lead. It was his fifth goal in the series.

Draisaitl tied the game 2-2 with his second of the night 4:07 into the second off a rebound from in close.

"It's obviously disappointing, no question," Draisaitl said. "… Got to make sure we win the next two. I mean, I think we all know the situation we're in right now. We have to prepare for a back-to-back. Whatever it takes to win two games in a row."

Toews gave the Blackhawks a 2-1 lead on a 5-on-3 power play with five seconds remaining in the first period when the puck hit his skate and trickled across the goal line.

Chicago was 1-for-6 on the power play with each opportunity coming in the first and second periods.

"I mean, we didn't get off to the start we wanted," McDavid said. "We took over the first period after they got one. And then just far too any penalties. Refs are calling lots of stuff, we know that. We have to be more disciplined."

Maatta scored with a slap shot from the left point through traffic to give the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead at 9:14.

Draisaitl tied it 1-1 at 9:42 on a cross-crease from Tyler Ennis.

"A five-game series is definitely different," Toews said. "But you always know even in a seven-game series, Games 3-4 are always the toughest ones to close it out. We had some experience in the past knowing how to play and how to prepare for those big games. … Knowing that every game in the series has gotten tougher, that's going to be the toughest game coming up."

Ennis left the game after being checked into the boards by Kirby Dach with 3:15 remaining in the second. Oilers coach Dave Tippett said he expected to have an update on his status Thursday.

As part of the NHL Return to Play Plan, a team is not permitted to disclose player injury or illness information.

Edmonton defenseman Adam Larsson was unfit to play. Caleb Jones replaced him in the lineup.

"Larsson, he's a huge part of our group," Nurse said. "He plays heavy every night, puts his heart on the line. You miss him, but Jonesy stepped in, played solid there. As a D corps, we tried to make up for some of the things we didn't have with Lars."

The Blackhawks are one win from advancing to the playoffs for the first time since 2017.

"We'll enjoy it for tonight and on to the next one," coach Jeremy Colliton said. "… We've got to expect a desperate team in Game 4, and we have to respond ourselves."

NHL.com staff writer Tracey Myers contributed to this report