NEWSLETTER
It has been a long time since the Chicago Blackhawks and Nashville Predators have locked horns.
Nearly two full months of the season have passed since the teams played their first mini-series back on January 26-27. Both of those games went to the Predators in extra time. Since then, Chicago has been able to climb their way in a playoff spot with 37 points and a .544 points percentage, good for fourth-place in the Central Division. The Predators are not far behind with 33 points and a .485 points percentage, sitting sixth and seventh in the Division. Nashville is not to be taken lightly by Chicago, having won five of their last six games, including three in-a-row.
One-Timers
•  This weekend marks the fourth true back-to-back of the season for the Blackhawks. In the opening game, Chicago has posted a 0-2-1 record while going undefeated in the second meeting at 2-0-1. Chicago is 11-3-2 this season in the second game of two-game sets against the same opponent.
•  The Nashville Predators are riding a three-game winning streak for the first time this season. The Blackhawks are coming off of their first wins and subsequent series-sweep of the Florida Panthers. Something’s gotta give!
•  This weekend’s two-game set begins a stretch for Chicago where 12 of the next 14 games are against teams that are below them in the Central Division standings. The Predators and Blackhawks will face each other six times over the next 14 games.
Puck Drops and Broadcast Info
•  Saturday, March 27th at 7:00 p.m. CT
TV: NBCSCH, FS-Tennessee
Radio: WGN 720 AM / TUDN 1200 AM
•  Sunday, March 28th at 7:00 p.m. CT
TV: NBCSCH, NBCSN
Radio: WGN 720 AM / TUDN 1200 AM
Expected Lineups
Blackhawks (16-13-5, 37 pts)
DeBrincat – Suter – Kane
KubalÃk – Kämpf – Hagel
Janmark – Carpenter – Strome
Highmore – Söderberg – Kurashev
de Haan – Boqvist
Keith – Murphy
Mitchell – Zadorov
Lankinen
Subban
Predators (16-17-1, 33 pts)
Forsberg – Johansen – Tolvanen
Järnkrok – Granlund – Arvidsson
Cousins – Haula – Grimaldi
Trenin – Sissons – Olivier
Josi – Fabbro
Ekholm – Carrier
Harpur – Benning
Saros
Rinne
Tale of the Tape
Powerplay
Blackhawks: 28.3% (3rd)
Predators: 20.4% (16th)
Penalty-Kill
Blackhawks: 73.6% (27th)
Predators: 71.9% (30th)
Faceoffs
Blackhawks: 46.3% (27th)
Predators: 51.0% (13th)
Goals Per Game
Blackhawks: 2.91 (16th)
Predators: 2.44 (27th)
Goals Against Per Game
Blackhawks: 3.12 (22nd)
Predators: 3.06 (20th)
Top Scorer
Blackhawks: Patrick Kane – 13 goals, 33 assists, 46 points
Predators: Filip Forsberg – 11 goals, 18 assists, 29 points
Injury Report
Blackhawks:
Brent Seabrook (LTIR – Retirement)
Zack Smith (LTIR – Back)
Andrew Shaw (LTIR – Concussion)
Kirby Dach (LTIR – Wrist)
Alex Nylander (LTIR – Knee)
Jonathan Toews (LTIR – Illness)
Predators:Â
Brad Richardson (Day-to-day – Lower Body)
Mark Borowiecki (Week-to-week – Upper Body)
Matt Duchene (Day-to-day – Lower Body)
Luke Kunin (Day-to-day – Lower Body)
Ryan Ellis (Week-to-week – Upper Body)
Luca Sbisa (Day-to-day – Upper Body)
Keep An Eye Out For
Nashville On The Prowl. Just like that, the Predators, all but dead two weeks ago, have climbed back into playoff contention. Five wins in their last six games have put them four points behind the Blackhawks for fourth-place in the Central Division. Nashville is coming off of a 7-1 beatdown of the Detroit Red Wings in their last outing, which featured a four-goal effort from unlikely hero Rocco Grimaldi. The Predators franchise focus is still on selling at the trade deadline, but Chicago cannot take this Nashville team lightly.
Kane Due At Home vs Nashville. Patrick Kane has 61 career points in 67 games against the Nashville Predators, the fourth-most points against one team in his career. While he leads the Blackhawks in scoring this season, he has not registered a point in two games against Nashville yet this season. The Predators held him to just two shots on goal in the first two meetings back on January 26-27, while he averaged 24:08 minutes in each game. At the United Center this season, Kane has 28 points in 15 games.
