WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- Chicago Blackhawks goalie Scott Darling was superb, but Andrew Ladd was the real darling Friday.

Ladd stung his former teammates with a third-period goal as the Blackhawks posted a 4-0 victory over the Winnipeg Jets.

Darling stopped 28 shots for his first shutout of the season and the second of his career.

But there was little doubt it was Ladd's night to shine. The former Jets captain, who was dealt to the Blackhawks in late February, received a warm welcome when he first stepped onto the MTS Centre ice during the pregame skate, got a standing ovation during a short video tribute early in the first period and easily generated the loudest cheers from the crowd for any goal by an opposing player this season.

Ladd, took a pass from Chicago captain Jonathan Toews and slipped in his 20th goal of the season at 3:06 of the third period as the Blackhawks built a 3-0 lead.

"It was awesome," Ladd said, describing his return to the place he called home for the better part of five seasons. "I always appreciated the fans and the people of Winnipeg when I was here. I appreciated the ovations and can't say enough about the city."

The clubs met for the first time since a multi-player trade Feb. 25 sent Ladd back to Chicago, where he won a Stanley Cup in 2010. Winnipeg acquired forward Marko Dano, a first-round pick in this summer's NHL entry draft and a conditional pick in the 2018 draft for Ladd, an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

Ladd played 429 career games for the Atlanta/Winnipeg franchise, scoring 305 points (139 goals, 166 assists) since the 2010-11 campaign.

He admitted it was strange going to battle against so many familiar faces.

"It was different off the hop -- kind of a weird feeling looking across and seeing a lot of friends and being back in this rink on the other side," he said. "But as game went on, it got more into just playing hockey. It was a big two points and it's nice to get back into the win column."

The win snapped a four-game losing streak for the Blackhawks (42-24-6), who are third in the Central Division. The Jets (29-37-5) have dropped their last two games and remain tied for last in the Western Conference.

"That's all we all wanted was a win. It didn't matter how," Darling said. "That's what we came to do and that's what we really needed."

He said the shutout was result of a total team effort.

"It was a tight game there until the end of the second. (Jets goalie Ondrej) Pavelec made some big saves to keep them in it and the boys really shut it down in the third period. It was huge by them to help me out."

Ladd's tally was orchestrated by some good work down low by Toews and NHL points leader Patrick Kane, who snapped a scoreless tie with his 39th goal of the season late in the second period.

"Kaner's a magician with the puck and Johnny's so strong at both ends of the ice. I just read off them and get to the net and try to create some space," said Ladd, who continues to wear No. 16. Fittingly, he registered 16 minutes and 16 seconds of ice time.

Kane squeezed a backhand shot between Pavelec's left shoulder and the goal post at 16:56 of the middle frame. Only 26 seconds later, right winger Marian Hossa notched his 12th goal of the season, converting a pass from center Artem Anisimov.

Left winger Tomas Fleischmann padded the lead with his 13th goal of the season 1:45 after Ladd's score.

Kane added an assist on Ladd's goal and leads the league with 92 points. He said the Blackhawks' recent woes might be a blessing in disguise.

"You can look at maybe some positives from a negative situation," Kane said. "Looking at a four-game slide there, maybe it's better it happens now rather than later in the season and playoffs and then you're done. We can learn from this and you know, if we lose one or two down the road here we can look back on this situation as a team and as a group and realize how we got ourselves out of it.

"It's nice to get a win and try to build off that and put a little run together here."

Pavelec, who stopped 32 shots, including a highlight reel glove save off Winnipeg native Dale Weise in the opening period, said trying to claw back against the Blackhawks is a daunting task.

"Going into the third two goals down against the Stanley Cup champions, you know it's going to be hard to win the game. They've got experience, they play well in the third period and they didn't give us much in the third," he said.

NOTES: Chicago was without G Corey Crawford (upper body), and D Christian Ehrhoff and D Dennis Rasmussen were healthy scratches. Sidelined for the Jets were RW Anthony Peluso (upper body), C Bryan Little (lower body), LW Nikolaj Ehlers (upper body), RW Joel Armia (lower body) and RW JC Lipon (upper body). ... The Jets and Blackhawks meet once more this season on April 1 in Winnipeg. ... Winnipeg is the birthplace of three Blackhawks: C Jonathan Toews, RW Dale Weise and D Duncan Keith. ... Jets D Jacob Trouba, a first-round pick (ninth overall) in the 2012 NHL entry draft, played his 200th career game.