Chicago Blackhawks (30-34-9) vs Colorado Avalanche (39-25-8)
7:30 PM Central / 8:30 PM Eastern
RADIO: WGN 720
TV: NBCSCH, ALT
PROJECTED GOALIES:
Chicago:
Anton Forsberg (9-15-3 W-L | 3.04 GAA | 0.905 SV% | 0 SO)
Colorado:
Semyon Varlamov (21-14-6 W-L | 2.73 GAA | 0.918 SV% | 2 SO)
PROJECTED LINES/PAIRINGS:
Chicago:
Brandon Saad – Jonathan Toews – Patrick Kane
Vinnie Hinostroza – Nick Schmaltz – Andreas Martinsen
Tomas Jurco – Artem Anisimov – Alex DeBrincat
Patrick Sharp – David Kampf – John Hayden
Duncan Keith – Jan Rutta
Erik Gustafsson – Brent Seabrook
Jordan Oesterle – Connor Murphy
Colorado:
Gabriel Landeskog – Nathan MacKinnon – Mikko Rantanen
Tyson Jost – J.T. Compher – Sven Andrighetto
Matthew Nieto – Carl Soderberg – Blake Comeau
Alexander Kerfoot – Vladislav Kamenev – Gabriel Bourque
Nikita Zadorov – Tyson Barrie
Patrik Nemeth – Erik Johnson
Duncan Siemens – Samuel Girard
STATISTICAL COMPARISONS:
Power Play:
Chicago 15.9% (28th)
Colorado 20.7% (13th)
Penalty Kill:
Chicago 80.0% (18th)
Colorado 84.3% (1st)
Corsi FOR % (5-on-5):
Chicago 52.75% (4th)
Colorado 47.40% (27th)
Faceoffs:
Chicago 49.7% (18th)
Colorado 43.8% (31st)
SUMMARY:
As the final weeks of this insufferable season trudge on, the Blackhawks face the Colorado Avalanche tonight at the United Center. The only Hawks players coming into this contest hot, is Alex Debrincat. He is coming off his third hat trick of the year (a Blackhawks record). Most of the rest of this team is a mess. The defense has been porous and the goalies have followed suit. They could play spoilers but, if the Blackhawks have shown us anything, they have proven that they only thing we can truly expect is that they will physically show up. Everything else is out the window.
Norwegian forward Andreas Martinsen will make his Blackhawks debut after being recalled this morning on an Emergency (injury) basis replacing Matthew Highmore, who was injured against the Blues. Martinsen will be the first Norwegian player to ever suit up for the Blackhawks. History, folks!
The Avs hold a slim lead on one of playoff wild card spots but Dallas and St. Louis are hot on their tail, just two and three points behind, respectively. With ten games remaining, the playoff race in Denver could come down to the game vs the Blackhawks in a couple of weeks.
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