NEWSLETTER
There’s not much time for the Chicago Blackhawks to dwell on the past as they take on the Nashville Predators in the second game of a back-to-back set tonight in Nashville. The first of seven back-to-back sets of games for Chicago got off to a sluggish start with last night’s 3-2 overtime loss. Last season, the Blackhawks posted a 9-4-1 record in the back half of two-game sets.
Broadcast Info
Puck Drop: 6:30 p.m. CT
TV: NBCSN
Radio: WGN 720 AM
Expected Lineups
Blackhawks (2-3-2, 6 pts)
Janmark – Suter – Kane
Kubalík – Strome – Kurashev
Highmore – Söderberg– Shaw
Hagel – Kämpf – Carpenter
Keith – Beaudin
De Haan – Mitchell
Zadorov – Murphy
Lankinen
Predators (3-3-0, 6 pts)
Forsberg – Johansen – Arvidsson
Granlund – Duchene – Kunin
Cousins – Haula – Sissons
Trenin – Richardson – Olivier
Josi – Ellis
Ekholm – Fabbro
Borowiecki – Benning
Saros
Rinne
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)
Alex DeBrincat (Day-to-day – COVID Protocol)
Adam Boqvist (Day-to-day – COVID Protocol)
Lucas Wallmark (Day-to-day – COVID Protocol)
Predators:
Calle Järnkrok (IR – Undisclosed – Day-to-day)
Luca Sbisa (IR – Upper Body)
What To Watch For
• The Blackhawks continue to be hot on the powerplay. They have scored at least one powerplay goal in seven-straight games to start this season. That’s their best start to a season, in this respect, since the beginning of the 1990-91 season, when they scored in 11-straight games to start the year.
• It’s a theme this season so far, but the starter in net on a night-to-night basis for the Blackhawks seems to always be on the audition stage. The first round of auditions went favorably for Kevin Lankinen, and the second round has started off well for Malcolm Subban. How long will that continue? The season is already 12.5% over with at the conclusion of tonight’s game. Lankinen gets another start tonight.
• Patrick Kane finished last night’s game without a shot on goal. It was only the seventh time in his career that it happened. Expect a larger contribution from Kane tonight, which probably won’t be fun for Nashville.
Get Caught Up …
Kevin Lankinen will start in net for the #Blackhawks vs. #Preds.
Nicolas Beaudin will make his season debut as he slots in for Lucas Carlsson.
— Brandon Cain (@brandonmcain) January 27, 2021
Colliton's expectations for Beaudin: "[He] moves the puck well. That’s probably his biggest asset: his ability to make plays. This camp…he took a strong step as far as his defensive play & his strength on the puck & in the defensive zone. I’m excited for him to get a chance."
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) January 27, 2021
Lucas Wallmark has been added to the NHL's COVID-19 Protocol list, joining DeBrincat and Boqvist.
Wallmark had been a healthy scratch the last two games.
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) January 27, 2021
