NEWSLETTER
Ok, take two. The Blackhawks will look to shake off the rust from Wednesday night’s season-opening bummer against these same Tampa Bay Lightning. Here’s hoping we can go into the weekend with even just a slight amount of optimism for the season ahead.
Broadcast Info
Puck drop: 6 p.m. CT
TV: NBCSCH, SUN, ESPN+
Radio: WGN 720 AM
Expected Lineups
Blackhawks (0-1-0, 0 pts)
DeBrincat-Strome-Kane
Janmark-Wallmark-Shaw
Kubalik-Suter-Pirri
Highmore-Kampf-Carpenter
Keith-Murphy
Zadorov-Boqvist
de Haan-Mitchell
Delia
Blackhawks coach Jeremy Colliton says any lineup changes will be revealed tonight.
— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) January 15, 2021
Lightning (1-0-0, 2 pts)
Palat-Point-Stamkos
Killorn-Cirelli-Johnson
Coleman-Gourde-Goodrow
Maroon-Stephens-Joseph
Hedman-Rutta
McDonagh-Cernak
Sergachev-Schenn
Vasilevskiy
Tyler Johnson back in the lineup, as is Luke Schenn. Hedman and Maroon didn’t skate today, but Cooper said everything is fine. Said if effort in camp is any indication, Johnson is going to do some great things this year. #tblightning
— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithTB) January 15, 2021
Injury Report
Blackhawks:
Brent Seabrook (IR – Lower Back)
Zack Smith (IR – Back)
Kirby Dach (LTIR – Out 4-5 months – Wrist)
Alex Nylander (LTIR – Out 4-6 months – Knee)
Jonathan Toews (LTIR – Illness)
Lightning:
Nikita Kucherov (Out for season – Hip)
Anders Nilsson (IR – Concussion)
Marián Gáborík (IR – Back)
What To Watch For
• Ice time distribution was a storyline from Wednesday night’s contest. Dominik Kubalík had the second-fewest minutes, while all six defensemen were separated by just under four minutes of time difference. Look for Kubalík to get more time tonight (if his play warrants it), and look for the defensemen to continue to cycle more evenly throughout this season.
• Not panic, but more urgency from the Blackhawks. The start to Wednesday night’s game was what you wanted to see from Chicago, but once the tide started turning in the Lightning’s favor, the urgency to swing it back wasn’t there. The Blackhawks are not talented enough to play catch up against most teams in the league, and especially against Tampa. If (or when) Chicago sees their first deficit tonight, expect the response to be better.
• Adam Boqvist and Ian Mitchell were just OK, collectively, in their first action this season. The hope is that these two will take major steps forward this season in their development towards being two potential top-pairing defenders for Chicago. Baby steps first, but a noticeable improvement in positioning and puck movement from the young defensemen would be welcomed tonight.
• While Jeremy Colliton is playing it close to the vest with any lineup changes tonight (likely will be the case for all road games this season), it would not surprise me to see Collin Delia get the start tonight in game two against the Lightning. Malcolm Subban showed flashes of brilliance in game one, but also had a few goals that he would like to have back. It wasn’t the most confidence-building start for Subban. It’s likely Subban, Delia, and maybe Kevin Lankinen will get a healthy split of starts through the first 10-15 games of the season before a true “starter” is named.
Get Caught Up …
Dominik Kubalik reflects on last night's game, the chemistry with his linemates and getting another go at the Lightning tomorrow night.#Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/rW0xFzgeQB
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) January 14, 2021
"I know what I can do out there and I just gotta translate it to the game."
Adam Boqvist talks about playing with Zadorov and his comfortability in the NHL from last year to now. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/DsOuPEaEEM
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) January 14, 2021
Pius Suter: "I feel much more comfortable now for tonight's game than I did two days ago."
Adjustment to his first game on the smaller rink was tough, he said.
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) January 15, 2021
Blackhawks coach Jeremy Colliton on his team's inconsistency being relentless and "hunting the puck": "I’m not satisfied with the push we had as the game went on. We sent that message to the team and to individuals and I expect a response."
— Phillip Thompson (@_phil_thompson) January 15, 2021
Zadorov said the Blackhawks held a video meeting today and laid out a plan to be more aggressive and tight on the Lightning's forwards in the D-zone.
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) January 15, 2021
Zadorov's bluntness is hilarious. This was how he led off that answer:
"You guys do stats. I don't do stats, I don't look at the stats. I'm going and playing my hockey." https://t.co/axysdJ9OSf
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) January 15, 2021
