Winnipeg Jets (3–2–0) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (0–2–0)
6 p.m. CDT
United Center
TV/Radio: NBCSN/WGN
Projected starters
Chicago — Robin Lehner (2018–19 statistics — 23–13–5, .930 save percentage, 2.13 goals against average)
Winnipeg — Connor Hellebuyck (2–1–0, .927 save percentage, 2.68 goals against average)
Team statistics
Power play
Chicago (25%, 12th)
Winnipeg (9.1%, 25th)
Penalty kill
Chicago (50.0%, 30th)
Winnipeg (77.8%, 17th)
Shorts for/against
Chicago (30.5, 21st; 36.0, fifth)
Winnipeg (33.4, 10th; 36.4 third)
Shooting percentage
Chicago (11.5%)
San Jose (10.8%)
Face off percentage
Chicago (46.9%, 31st)
Winnipeg (50.0%, 14th)
Average height and weight
Chicago — 6-foot-1, 198 pounds
Winnipeg — 6-foot-2, 203 pounds
Projected lines and pairings
Chicago Blackhawks
Alex DeBrincat — Jonathan Toews — Drake Caggiula
Andrew Shaw — Dylan Strome — Patrick Kane
Brandon Saad — David Kampf — Dominik Kubalik
Alexander Nylander — Zack Smith — Ryan Carpenter
Duncan Keith — Connor Murphy
Olli Maatta — Brent Seabrook
Slater Koekkoek — Erik Gustafsson
Winnipeg Jets
Patrik Laine — Mark Scheifele — Blake Wheeler
Kyle Connor— Andrew Copp — Nikolaj Ehlers
Mathieu Perreault — Jack Roslovic — Mason Appleton
Gabriel Bourque — Adam Lowry — Mark Letestu
Josh Morrissey — Neal Pionk
Ville Heinola — Tucker Poolman
Anthony Bitetto — Dmitry Kulikov
Analysis
The Blackhawks fell to 0–2 on the season with a heartbreaking loss to the San Jose Sharks on Thursday. For the second consecutive game, the Blackhawks have been let down by a poor defense and a 30th-ranked penalty kill.
Following the two losses, head coach Jeremy Colliton is shaking up his lines. After going to the Yahtzee shaker, Colliton has broken up lines one, three and four in search of consistent play. He only left the third line intact from Thursday’s season opener. The third line of Saad, Kampf and Kubalik showed that they can dominate shifts and generate high danger scoring chances. Kubalik had a very impressive game and was noticeable on the ice. In addition to changing the lines, Colliton is also making a change in net, as Robin Lehner will get his first start in net. The Vezina Trophy finalist was brought in on a one-year contract to split time with Crawford this season.
Lehner’s debut comes tonight against the Winnipeg Jets. Lehner is likely to face a lot of pucks in this game because the Blackhawks yield a high number of shots and Jets produce a high number of shots. Their top line of Laine, Scheifele and Wheeler have generated 23 of the Jets’ 45 points this season. While the Jets are riding high on a three-game winning streak, they do have their own set of problems. Winnipeg has suffered significant losses on their blue line from last season via free agency, trades and former Blackhawk Dustin Byfuglien’s absence from the lineup. This has led to their young and inexperienced blue line to surrender a significant number of shots.
This game figures to have more shots than the song “Shots” by LMFAO featuring Lil Jon. Will the Blackhawks get their first win?