The Blackhawks take a two-game win streak into Tampa tonight—facing arguably the NHL’s best team this season, the Lightning. Is Chicago up to the challenge?
Chicago Blackhawks (10-8-2) at Tampa Bay Lightning (15-3-2)
7:30 PM Eastern/6:30 PM Central
RADIO: WGN 720
TV: NBC Sports
PROJECTED GOALIES:
Chicago:
Corey Crawford (9-7-0, 2.19 GAA, .933 save%)
Tampa Bay:
Andrei Vasilevskiy (14-2-1, 2.34 GAA, .928 save%)
PROJECTED LINES/PAIRINGS:
Chicago
Saad-Toews-Panik
Schmaltz-Anisimov-Kane
Sharp-Hartman-DeBrincat
Bouma-Wingels-Hayden
Keith-Franson
Murphy-Seabrook
Forsling-Rutta
Tampa Bay
Namestnikov-Stamkos-Kucherov
Palat-Pointe-Gourde
Killorn-Johnson-Sustr
Kunitz-Brown-Callahan
Hedman-Dotchin
Sergachev-Stralman
Coburn-Girardi
STATISTICAL COMPARISONS:
(through Tuesday)
Power play:
Chicago 16.1% (28th)
Tampa Bay 28% (1st)
Penalty kill:
Chicago 84.9% (4th)
Tampa Bay 83.8% (9th)
Corsi For % (5-on-5)
Chicago 51.2% (10th)
Tampa Bay 50.2% (15th)
Faceoffs:
Chicago 48% (25th)
Tampa Bay 47.7% (26th)
MATCHUP SUMMARY:
It’s one thing to beat the New York Ranger 6-3 on home ice. It’s another to beat the defending Stanley Cup Champion Penguins in their building, 2-1. But the Blackhawks face arguably their toughest test, and perhaps best measuring stick. tonight in Amalie, Florida, versus a deep and rolling Tampa Bay Lightning club.
Some things have been going right for the Hawks of late—they are outshooting opponents (finally), and getting consistent production up and down the lineup. Still, trouble spots remain defensively.
This is the kind of game, in recent seasons, where the Hawks, no matter how poorly they may have been playing of late, tend to rise up and play well.
For a team with a psyche as fragile as this year’s model seems to possess at present, it is very important to play well, almost regardless of the final score.
Look for a recap here later tonight or tomorrow, as well as analysis.
Follow: @jaeckel