Preview/Game Thread: Blackhawks at Wild

  

Chicago Blackhawks (2-0-1) at Minnesota Wild (0-1-1)

7pm Central

Xcel Energy Center

TV/Radio: FSN, FS-WI, WGN/WGN

 

Goalies:

Chicago

Cam Ward (.843 save%, 4.63 GAA)

Minnesota

Devan Dubnyk (.963 save%, 1.45 GAA)

 

Team statistics:

Power play

Chicago (0.0%)

Minnesota (0.0%)

Penalty kill

Chicago (63.6%)

Minnesota (83.3%)

Shots for/against per game

Chicago (34.7, 29.7)

Minnesota (25.5, 41.0)

Shooting%

Chicago (14.4%)

Minnesota (3.9%)

Faceoff%

Chicago (47.0%)

Minnesota (52.7%)

Avg. height/weight:

Chicago:

6’1”, 196

Minnesota

6’1” 203

 

Lineups:

Chicago

Debrincat – Toews – Kahun

Saad – Schmaltz – Kane

Kunitz – Anisimov – Fortin

Hayden – Kruger – Kampf

Keith – Jokiharju

Gustafsson – Seabrook

Manning – Rutta

Minnesota:

Eriksson Ek – Staal – Zucker

Parise – Koivu – Granlund

Niederreiter – Greenway – Coyle

Foligno – Hendricks – Fehr

Suter – Dumba

Brodin – Spurgeon

Seeler – Pateryn

 

Analysis:

The Chicago Blackhawks look to stay undefeated on the road, meanwhile, the Minnesota Wild are winless through two games.

Defense and goaltending have been a struggle for the Blackhawks. Despite scoring fifteen goals, the team sits +1 in goal differential. Winning high scoring affairs every night is difficult to sustain.

Cam Ward starts his fourth consecutive game. Ward’s record should not overshadow the fact he has played poorly. A game without an easy goal and a consistent effort is needed.

The Wild have struggled to put the puck in the net. Goaltender Devan Dubnyk has kept them in both games with his stellar play.

This will be a good early season match-up between two Central Division rivals.

Comment below in our live game thread tonight!

And look for the internet’s most robust recap of the game later tonight or early tomorrow on the-rink.com. 

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