NEWSLETTER
The could quite literally be the Chicago Blackhawks’ last stand this season. With 10 games remaining this season, all of which are against teams ahead of them in the Central Division, they cannot afford to lose any more points in the standings. Especially against the Nashville Predators. Chicago is coming off a 5-2 loss to the Predators in which they allowed four goals in a combined one minute and nine seconds. Kevin Lankinen was pulled for the first time this season, and the Predators put their clamps on the Blackhawks offensively. It’s been the same script pretty much all season between Chicago and Nashville and if we get an encore tonight, it’s over.
The Blackhawks are 0-4-2 in six meetings against the Predators this season, the only team in the division that they have not beaten in 2021. Nashville is out-scoring the Blackhawks 19-8 in the six meetings this season and will likely have to finally break the three-goal mark against the Predators this season if they are going to get their first win over them this season. Meanwhile, the Dallas Stars have pulled there points ahead of the Blackhawks in the Central Division, so a win tonight would close that gap as well as get Chicago back to within two points of Nashville.
Broadcast Info
Puck Drop: 6:00 p.m. CT
TV: NBCSCH, BSSO
Radio: WGN 720 AM / TUDN 1200 AM
Expected Lineups
Blackhawks (21-20-5, 47 pts)
DeBrincat – Dach – Gaudette
Hinostroza – Suter – Kane
Kubalík – Kurashev – Strome
Connolly – Kämpf – Carpenter
Hagel*
Keith – Kalynuk*
de Haan – Murphy
Stillman – Zadorov
Boqvist*
Subban
Lankinen
(* game-time decision)
Predators (25-21-1, 51 pts)
Grimaldi – Johansen – Arvidsson
Järnkrok – Granlund – Kunin
Cousins – Haula – Duchene
Trenin – Sissons – Jeannot
Josi – Benning
Ekholm – Ellis
Harpur – Gudbranson
Saros
Rinne
Injury Report
Blackhawks:
Adam Boqvist (Day-to-day – Concussion)
Brent Seabrook (LTIR – Retirement)
Zack Smith (LTIR – Back)
Andrew Shaw (LTIR – Concussion)
Alex Nylander (LTIR – Knee)
Jonathan Toews (LTIR – Illness)
Predators:
Filip Forsberg (Week-to-week – Upper Body)
Brad Richardson (Day-to-day – Lower Body)
Mark Borowiecki (Week-to-week – Upper Body)
Luca Sbisa (Day-to-day – Upper Body)
Matt Benning (Day-to-day – Upper Body)
Alexandre Carrier (Week-to-week – Lower Body)
Mathieu Olivier (Week-to-week – Lower Body)
Eeli Tolvanen (Week-to-week – Lower Body)
Dante Fabbro (Week-to-week – Upper Body)
What To Watch For
• Malcolm Subban gets the start tonight for the Blackhawks after making a relief appearance for Kevin Lankinen on Monday night. He made all eight saves on Monday and is coming off his second shutout performance of the season after a 29-save performance against the Red Wings last weekend. Subban rides a shutout streak of 85:52 minutes in his last three appearances dating back to March 28th.
• The Blackhawks held the Predators off the scoreboard on the powerplay on Monday night, killing-off all five opportunities for Nashville. Chicago has killed 14 of Nashville’s 15 powerplay opportunities against them this season, while the Predators have killed 18 of the Blackhawks’ 20 powerplay chances. Since March 25th, the Blackhawks rank 28th in the NHL in times short-handed (28) and fourth in the league on the penalty-kill (89.3%).
• The Predators have won 14 of their last 19 games, a stretch that started with a 4-1 victory at Tampa Bay on March 15th. In that span, Nashville’s 14 wins are tied for the most in the NHL with Colorado and Vegas. Since March 15th, Nashville leads the NHL in goals against per game (1.89) and team save-percentage (.942), while they are second in penalty-kill percentage (88.9%).
Get Caught Up …
Dach was asked if the Predators' domination of the Hawks has become personal:
"Every game’s personal. We don’t want to lose any hockey games. We’ve got to find a way to get a win against this team… They’ve done a good job shutting us down."
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) April 21, 2021
Jeremy Colliton on why Malcolm Subban will start for #Blackhawks vs. #Preds tonight: "I think he was really good in the last game [Monday at Nashville]. I think he deserves a chance to go in."
Subban made eight saves in relief during the final 19:19 of the third period.
— Brandon Cain (@brandonmcain) April 21, 2021
Kalynuk (left hip injury mid-game Monday) and Hagel (out Monday pending COVID results) are also on the ice.
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) April 21, 2021
