Emergency backup goalie plays for Blackhawks in win against Jets

CHICAGO -- Scott Foster made seven saves as the emergency backup goalie to help the Chicago Blackhawks defeat the Winnipeg Jets 6-2 at United Center on Thursday.
"The initial shock happened when I had to dress," said Foster, 36, an accountant who played four seasons at Western Michigan University from 2002-06. "And then I think you just kind of black out after that. ... From my perspective, this is a dream. This is something no one can ever take away from me. It's something I can go home and tell my kids and they can tell their friends and whatnot. Just a ton of fun and a lot of good memories."

\[WATCH: All Jets vs. Blackhawks highlights\]
Collin Delia, who started after Anton Forsberg was injured while warming up before the game, made 25 saves in his NHL debut before leaving with a 6-2 lead at 5:59 of the third period because of cramping.

"It had a little bit of everything," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "Opening day for baseball, but we had to go to the bullpen a couple times today. One of those interesting things you don't see very often. Both goalies played extremely well."
Tomas Jurco had two goals, and Patrick Kane, Brandon Saad, Erik Gustafsson and Alex DeBrincat scored for Chicago (32-36-9), which won for the second time in eight games and ended a four-game losing streak at home.
Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook played his 1,000th NHL game.

"[Patrick Sharp] was laughing about it, saying it just sums up my career in a nutshell," said Seabrook, who was honored in a pregame ceremony. "My night and Scottie comes in and steals the spotlight. It was great. It was pretty cool to see him go in there."
Bryan Little and Mark Scheifele scored, and Eric Comrie made 36 saves for the Jets, who lost for the first time in seven games.
"We just weren't prepared," Jets captain Blake Wheeler said. "Came in, had a pretty bad morning skate, looked at the lineup sheet, and just weren't prepared to play the game."
Winnipeg (48-19-10) is seven points behind the Nashville Predators for first place in the Central Division and eight points ahead of the Minnesota Wild for second.
Kane gave the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead at 3:44 of the first period when he scored on a breakaway.

Saad made it 2-0 at 17:17 when he scored with a backhand shot off a pass from Nick Schmaltz.
Jurco extended Chicago's lead to 3-0 at 4:26 of the second period with a no-look, backhand shot past Comrie. He made it 4-0 at 11:13 when he scored from below the right face-off circle off a cross-ice pass from Gustafsson.
Little scored at 14:24 to get the Jets to within 4-1, but Gustafsson made it 5-1 at 17:27 when he scored on a breakaway.
Scheifele made it 5-2 with 1:09 left in the second.
DeBrincat put the Blackhawks ahead 6-2 at 2:11 of the third period.

Goal of the game

DeBrincat's goal at 2:11 of the third period.

Save of the game

Delia stopping Kyle Connor at 8:22 of the first period.

Highlight of the game

Foster stopping Paul Stastny at 15:22 of the third period.

They said it

"We weren't very good tonight. We know we've been good. Nobody's getting on the plane in a good mood, but it won't be part of our prep for the next game." -- Jets coach Paul Maurice
"I'm an accountant by day. So a few hours ago I was sitting on my computer typing on a 10-key, and now I'm standing in front of you guys just finished 14 1/2 minutes of NHL hockey." -- Blackhawks emergency goalie Scott Foster

Need to know

Little scored his 200th NHL goal. ... Forward
Dylan Sikura
had two assists for the Blackhawks in his NHL debut. ... Chicago recalled goaltender
J-F Berube
from Rockford of the American Hockey League after the game. … Delia is expected to be available against the Colorado Avalanche on Friday, but Quenneville said Forsberg likely is done for the season because of a lower-body injury.

What's next

Jets: At the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; CBC, SN, NHL.TV)
Blackhawks: At the Colorado Avalanche on Friday (9 p.m. ET; ALT2, NBCSCH, NHL.TV)