The Blackhawks traveled south within the province of Alberta yesterday, where tonight they face the Calgary Flames. Can they get another winning streak going?
Chicago Blackhawks (18-14-5) at Calgary Flames (18-16-4)
8PM Central/7 Mountain
RADIO: WGN 720
TV: WGN
PROJECTED GOALIES:
Chicago:
Jeff Glass (1-0-0, 2.95 GAA, .933 SV%)
Calgary:
Mike Smith (14-13-3, 2.56 GAA, .920 SV%)
PROJECTED LINES/PAIRINGS:
Chicago
Saad-Toews-Panik
Hartman-Schmaltz-Kane
DeBrincat-Kampf-Hinostroza
Bouma-Wingels-Hayden
Keith-Oesterle
Murphy-Seabrook
Kempny-Franson
Calgary
Gaudreau-Monahan-Ferland
Tkachuk-Backlund-Lazar
Bennett-Jankowski-Hathaway
Jagr-Stajan-Brouwer
Giordano-Hamilton
Brody-Hamonic
Kulak-Stone
STATISTICAL COMPARISONS:
Power play:
Chicago 15.2% (29th)
Calgary 17.4% (20th)
Penalty kill:
Chicago 82.2% (12th)
Calgary 77.6% (26th)
Corsi For % (5-on-5):
Chicago 52.9% (5th)
Calgary 52.5% (6th)
Faceoffs:
Chicago 48.5% (24th)
Calgary 49.6% (20th)
SUMMARY:
It’s fair to say the Blackhawks are not just a team in search of a second straight win, but also a team in search of an identity.
Are they the team that ticked off five straight wins just a couple of weeks ago, or the one that lost three of the next four? These switchbacks have been the key hallmark of this season—suggesting a collective psyche that seems to alternate between express train and doormat.
The truth is, the Blackhawks are a team in transition. Where they’ve been is not debatable. Where they’re headed is very much in question. Some assume all the new faces, rookies and reclamation projects will work out by playoff time and the Hawks will make a nice, deep run in April, May and perhaps beyond. Others (reasonably) ask, “playoffs?”
It’s hard to say with this team. Tonight’s game is in some ways a good measuring stick—even if they enter action tonight with a career minor league netminder, Jeff Glass, in his second NHL game.
Calgary is a club that a legitimate playoff team should be able to beat. And for Chicago, the added motivation should be that, by virtue of their record, they are not a legitimate playoff team this morning. In fact, they sit two points out of the last wild card spot.
We’ll recap in the AM.
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