Tampa Bay Lightning (4-1-1) at Chicago Blackhawks (4-1-2)
6:00pm Central/7:00pm Eastern
United Center
TV/Radio: NHLN-US,NBCSCH,SUN/WGN
PROJECTED GOALIES:Chicago:
Cam Ward (.879 SV%, 4.07 GAA)
Tampa Bay:
Louis Domingue (.950 SV%, 2.00 GAA)
Team statistics:
Power Play
Chicago (8.7%, 29)
Tampa Bay (24.0%, 13)
Penalty Kill
Chicago (71.4%, 26)
Tampa Bay (100%, 1)
Shots for/against per game
Chicago (34.9, 4 – 34.6, 26)
Tampa Bay (30.5, 21 – 34.5, 25)
Shooting%
Chicago (11.1%, 13)
Tampa Bay (11.5%, 8)
Faceoff%
Chicago (49.2%, 21)
Tampa Bay (48.3%, 24)
Avg. height/weight
Chicago
6’1” 195lbs
Tampa Bay
6’1” 195lbs
PROJECTED LINES/PAIRINGS:
Chicago
DeBrincat-Toews-Kahun
Schmaltz-Anisimov-Kane
Kunitz-Kampf-Saad
Fortin-Kruger-Martinson
Keith-Jokiharju
Gustafsson-Seabrook
Davidson-Rutta
Tampa Bay
Gourde-Point-Stamkos
Palat-Johnson-Kucherov
Killorn-Cirelli-Joseph
Miller-Paquette-Callahan
Hedman-Girardi
McDonagh-Stralman
Coburn-Sergachev
Analysis:
Both teams enter tonight’s matchup on the second game of a back-to-back. Chicago beat Columbus on the road 4-1, while Tampa Bay lost 5-4 in overtime at Minnesota.
Patrick Kane, coming off a three-point game last night, continues to lead all Blackhawks’ forwards in ice time. Joel Quenneville, known to double shift his talented winger, has entrusted Kane with 22:03 of ice time per game. Next closest forward on the team is Jonathan Toews at 19:42 a night.
As Quenneville looks for scoring balance, Alexandre Fortin played himself a solid game last night. Fortin, who was expected to be a healthy scratch during morning skate, assisted on Marcus Kruger’s game winning goal last night. The 21-year old looks to have the speed and hockey sense to find himself scoring chances.
Expect Cam Ward in net tonight for Chicago. Ward has found success in the win column but has struggled with an .879 save percentage. The veteran finds himself following up a “goalie win,” quoted by Kane is his postgame interview last night, by Corey Crawford
Tampa Bay looks to their backup goaltender, Louis Domingue, to man the net. Domingue will see his second game action of the regular season. The 26-year old stopped 38 of 40 shots he faced against Carolina over two weeks ago.
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