NEWSLETTER
Now that the dust has settled from the NHL Trade Deadline, the Chicago Blackhawks must turn their attention to the Central Division playoff race and the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight. The Blackhawks close out their season slate with the Blue Jackets tonight, the first team they’ll reach eight games played against in the Division, holding a 5-2-0 record over Columbus. Chicago enters the game four points behind the Nashville Predators in the Division after Nashville took a shootout win over the Dallas Stars on Sunday.
Broadcast Info
Puck Drop: 6:00 p.m. CT
TV: NBCSCH, BSOH
Radio: WGN 720 AM / TUDN 1200 AM
Expected Lineups
Blackhawks (19-18-5, 43 pts)
DeBrincat – Dach – Kane
Kubalík – Kurashev – Hinostroza
Hagel – Suter – Strome
Connolly – Kämpf – Carpenter
Keith – Boqvist
de Haan – Kalynuk
Stillman – Murphy
Lankinen
Subban
Blue Jackets (15-20-8, 38 pts)
Laine – Texier – Bjorkstrand
Robinson – Domi – Stenlund
Grigorenko – Roslovic – Atkinson
Matteau – Dalpe – Shorewood
Gavrikov – Jones
Lehtonen – Del Zotto
Carlsson – Harrington
Korpisalo
Merzlikins
Injury Report
Blackhawks:
Brent Seabrook (LTIR – Retirement)
Zack Smith (LTIR – Back)
Andrew Shaw (LTIR – Concussion)
Alex Nylander (LTIR – Knee)
Jonathan Toews (LTIR – Illness)
Blue Jackets:
Gustav Nyquist (Out Indefinitely – Shoulder)
Brandon Dubinsky (LTIR – Wrist)
Zach Werenski (Out For Season – Hernia)
Emil Bemstrom (Indefinite – Lower Body)
Boone Jenner (Out Six Weeks – Broken Finger)
What To Watch For
• Kevin Lankinen will be making his seventh-straight start for the Blackhawks tonight, having gone 3-3-0 in his previous six starts. Lankinen has started 16 of the last 19 games for the Blackhawks and is 15-11-4 overall this season with a .915 save percentage and a 2.78 GAA. His 15 wins this season rank second amongst rookie goaltenders.
• Patrick Kane tallied an assist in Saturday night’s 4-3 win over the Blue Jackets for his 14th point against Columbus this season, the most against any Central Division opponent this year, by a wide margin. Kane’s 52 points still rank him third in the NHL, but he has been caught by Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews.
• Saturday’s game saw the Blackhawks earn five powerplay opportunities and convert on one of them. It snapped a four-game goalless streak on the powerplay for Chicago and was the fifth time this season that they had earned five power plays in a game. They have scored at least one powerplay goal in each game they have earned five powerplay opportunities.
Get Caught Up …
Looks like Kevin Lankinen will make his seventh straight start tonight vs. #CBJ. He’s in the starter’s crease at the #Blackhawks morning skate.
— Mark Scheig (@markscheig) April 12, 2021
Colliton said the Hawks think De Haan, who was reportedly at morning skate, "will be okay" but will wait until tonight to determine if he'll play tonight.
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) April 12, 2021
