The Schedule Gods have given the Blackhawks a rough ride—returning home tonight to host the LA Kings after playing (and losing in OT) last night in Dallas.
Los Angeles Kings (16-8-3) at Chicago Blackhawks (12-9-5)
6:00 PM Central
RADIO: WGN 720
TV: NBC Sports Chicago/Fox Sports West
PROJECTED GOALIES:
Los Angeles:
Jonathan Quick (12-8-1, 2.27, .929)
Chicago:
Anton Forsberg (1-2-3, 3.34 GAA, .910 save%)
PROJECTED LINES/PAIRINGS:
LOS ANGELES
Iafallo-Kopitar-Brown
Pearson-Shore-Toffoli
Gaborik-Kempe-Lewis
Jokinen-Dowd-Brodzinski
Muzzin-Doughty
MacDermid-Martinez
Forbort-Folin
CHICAGO
Saad-Toews-Panik
Schmaltz-Anisimov-Kane
Sharp-Hartman-DeBrincat
Bouma-Wingels-Hayden
Keith-Franson
Murphy-Seabrook
Forsling-Rutta
STATISTICAL COMPARISONS:
Power play:
Los Angeles 16.7% (25th)
Chicago 16.7% (25th)
Penalty kill:
Los Angeles 89.0% (1st)
Chicago 84.2% (4th)
Corsi For % (5-on-5)
Los Angeles 50.0% (15th)
Chicago 51.6% (9th)
Faceoffs:
Los Angeles 50.3% (15th)
Chicago 48.4% (25th)
SUMMARY:
It doesn’t get any easier for the Hawks, jetting home from Dallas after a late shootout loss last night, to face the resurgent LA Kings.
As fate would have it, the Kings are somewhat rested, last playing in a 4-1 road win at St. Louis.
The Hawks’ attack mustered 5 goals in the last two games, and one would wonder if Joel Quenneville will shake things up tonight—so the projected lines, pairings and even goaltender are all just that—best guesses.
We’ll recap in the AM.
Follow: @jaeckel