Chicago Blackhawks (24-23-8 56 pts) at Arizona Coyotes (13-32-10 36 pts)
9:00PM Eastern/8:00 Central
RADIO: WGN 720
TV: NBCSCH
PROJECTED GOALIES:
Arizona:
Antti Raanta (9-14-6 | 2.64 GAA | 0.916 SV% | 0 SO)
Chicago:
Anton Forsberg (5-9-3 | 2.95 GAA | 0.91 SV% | 0 SO)
PROJECTED LINES/PAIRINGS:
Arizona
Perlini – Stepan – Keller
Rinaldo – Domi – Rieder
Panik – Dvorak – Fischer
Martinook – Richardson – Cousins
Ekman-Larsson – Demers
Chychrun – Hjalmarsson
Connauton – Goligoski
Chicago
Saad – Toews – Duclair
Schmaltz – Anisimov – Kane
Bouma – Wingels – Debrincat
Hinostroza – Kampf – Jurco
Keith – Oesterle
Gustafsson – Seabrook
Dahlstrom – Murphy
STATISTICAL COMPARISONS:
Power play:
Arizona 16.6% (26th)
Chicago 15.4% (29th)
Penalty kill:
Arizona 78.7% (21st)
Chicago 82.6% (9th)
Corsi For % (5-on-5):
Arizona 48% (23rd)
Chicago 53.3% (3rd)
Faceoffs:
Arizona 47.9% (26th)
Chicago 49.3% (18th)
SUMMARY:
The Blackhawks try to stop their 5 game losing streak against a team that used to be a “gimme” win. Times have changed, and the Blackhawks have no “gimme” wins. They are sinking quickly, and seem to have no direction. As it stands today, the Blackhawks have a better chance of winning the NHL Draft Lottery (5.4% according to Tankathon) than they do of making the playoffs (2.5% according to Sports Club Stats)
The Coyotes boast some high end young talent, but have not been able to turn that raw talent into success on the ice. They head into this game with a paltry 1-3-1 record in the month of February, which includes a 4-3 OT win over the same Minnesota Wild that the Blackhawks were shutout by Saturday night.
The Blackhawks go back to Anton Forsberg in net, after the “Jeff Glass Experience” once again failed to yield success.
Expect a recap early in the AM
Join the game thread below for real-time conversation on the action with JJ, Gatekeeper and the rest of the RinkRats.