Chicago Blackhawks face tough challenge against Colorado Avalanche

The Chicago Blackhawks look to rebound from Sunday's 6-2 loss to the New York Rangers as they face the Colorado Avalanche in a Central Division showdown tonight.

Chicago's Tyler Bertuzzi and Wyatt Kaiser scored in the loss, with Kaiser notching his first NHL goal in his 71st career game. Connor Bedard extended his point streak to seven games, assisting on Bertuzzi's powerplay goal, while goaltender Arvid Soderblom made 28 saves on 34 shots.

The Blackhawks currently sit at the bottom of the league but Bedard and Bertuzzi have emerged as key leaders of the team this season.

Bertuzzi leads the team in goals with 14, including four in his last five games. Bedard, on the other hand, is first in assists (25) and points (35).

This will be the second of four meetings between these teams this season. Chicago took the first matchup on Oct. 28, winning 5-2 at Ball Arena with Ryan Donato notching a three-point night. They'll meet again on March 10 in Denver and April 2 in Chicago.

The Avalanche are coming off a 3-1 win over the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. Devon Toews had a big night, scoring two goals and notching one assist, while Mikko Rantanen sealed the win with an empty-netter. Colorado has won eight of its last 10 games, sitting third in the Central Division, and is among the NHL's top 10 teams.

Rantanen leads the Avalanche with 24 goals, while Nathan MacKinnon is first in assists (52) and points (66).

The Blackhawks will need a strong defensive effort to contain Colorado's high-powered attack.

The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. EST on TNT and HBO Max.