The first of three meetings to close the regular season series between the Chicago Blackhawks and Carolina Hurricanes might serve as the final game where the Blackhawks were still alive in the Central Division playoff race. Chicago sits in sixth-place with 50 points and a maximum of 60 points possible to close the season, while the Nashville Predators sit in fourth-place with 58 points and a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight. Even if the Blackhawks win tonight, if the Predators get a win, regulation or overtime, it won’t matter: the Blackhawks playoff hopes will be officially over. The Blackhawks have a 2-2-1 record against the Hurricanes this season, being outscored 18-17 in the previous five meetings.
Broadcast Info
Puck Drop: 6:00 p.m. CT
TV: NBCSCH, BSSO
Radio: WGN 720 AM / TUDN 1200 AM
Expected Lineups
Blackhawks (22-23-6, 50 pts)
DeBrincat – Dach – Kane
Hinostroza – Kurashev – Hagel
Kubalík – Strome – Gaudette
Hardman – Kämpf – Suter
Keith – Kalynuk
Mitchell – Beaudin
Murphy – Zadorov
Subban
Delia
Hurricanes (34-10-7, 75 pts)
Svechnikov – Aho – Teravainen
Niederreiter – Trocheck – Necas
Fast – Staal – Foegele
McCormick – Shore – Geekie
Slavin – Hamilton
Skjei – Pesce
Hakanpaa – Bean
Nedeljkovic
Reimer
Injury Report
Blackhawks:
Calvin de Haan (Day-to-day – Hip)
Ryan Carpenter (Day-to-day – Concussion)
Brent Seabrook (LTIR – Retirement)
Zack Smith (LTIR – Back)
Andrew Shaw (LTIR – Retirement)
Alex Nylander (LTIR – Knee)
Jonathan Toews (LTIR – Illness)
Hurricanes:
Petr Mrazek (Day-to-day – Lower Body)
Cedric Paquette (Day-to-day – Undisclosed)
Jake Gardiner (Day-to-day – Back)
Jordan Martinook (Day-to-day – Lower Body)
Brock McGinn (Day-to-day – Upper Body)
What To Watch For
• The Hurricanes are riding a 10-game point streak (7-0-3), which is the longest active in the NHL and the third-longest in the league this season. They have earned at least a point in the standings in 14 of their last 15 games (10-1-4).
• Alex DeBrincat has a point in five of his last six games against the Hurricanes with three goals and four assists over those six games. DeBrincat extFebruary 2nd, he is tied for second in the NHL with 23 goals, only trailing Austin Matthews.
• Since March 25th, the Blackhawks rank sixth in the NHL on the penalty-kill with an 87.8% kill-rate. Over that same stretch of time, the Blackhawks rank fourth in the league with just 41 times shorthanded and taking 44 penalties. Chicago leads the league with a plus-20 penalty differential since March 25th.
Get Caught Up …
Subban starts tonight for the Blackhawks, Delia backing up.
Suter in for Connolly. Beaudin in for Stillman.
The lineup rotation continues.
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) May 3, 2021
Colliton on the Hurricanes: "Certainly we'd rather be in their position than our position."
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) May 3, 2021
For Ian Mitchell, coming from a college sked to a compressed NHL sked, the rookie wall was more mental than physical.
"Every day — all right, another game, another game, another game. I didn't feel my body was wearing down but the grind of the season definitely takes its toll."
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) May 3, 2021
Rod Brind'Amour on potential injured players drawing back in tonight: "We're looking for Jesper Fast to get in, but I don't know if he will."
Alex Nedeljkovic gets the start in net.
— Michael Smith (@MSmithCanes) May 3, 2021