Confident Blackhawks look to add to Golden Knights' misery

Chicago Blackhawks (16-18-7, 39 pts) vs Vegas Golden Knights (17-11-11, 45 pts)
6 pm CT – United Center
TV: CHSN (Ball/Pang)
Radio: WGN 720 AM (Wiedeman/Konroyd)

The Chicago Blackhawks are back home after beating the Washington Capitals 3-2 in a shootout last night. They could have easily folded after the Capitals drew even midway through the third period, but they stuck with it and pulled out two points. They are 3-1-1 since the holiday break and have figured out how to play without their top two stars.

“There is a real care in this room,” captain Nick Foligno said last night. “I don’t know how many teams can handle losing some of their best players, especially up the middle.  It throws your team off balance for a little bit. I think we’ve started to balance ourselves again, realize how we need to play, and get to that identity. Our identity has been pretty good for the last little bit; it’s just now we’re getting rewarded for it. These are hard-fought wins. Guys are finding ways to make plays at the right moments. It’s making for a lot of fun.”

The Blackhawks are catching another team at the right time. The Vegas Golden Knights have lost four games in a row and seven of their last eight. They have surrendered second place in the Pacific Division to the Edmonton Oilers. Let’s face it, they have benefitted from the loser point as 11 of their 45 points have come from losing in overtime or a shootout. Their goaltending has not been great lately, as they’ve allowed at least four goals in six of their last seven games.

Another Back-to-Back

Playing games on consecutive nights is nothing new for NHL teams. With a condensed schedule due to the Olympic break, teams will be playing more back-to-back sets this season. Tonight’s game concludes the Blackhawks’ fifth back-to-back of the season, and they have not performed well in them. Last night’s win improved their record to 2-3-0 in the first half. They are 0-4-0 in the second game of back-to-backs this season, and have been outscored 27-7. It’s been ugly, to say the least.

It’s Turbo Time

Teuvo Teravainen was put on a line with Oliver Moore and Nick Lardis to provide veteran leadership, play good defense, and help facilitate the puck to his young linemates. The move has also sparked his goal-scoring, as he has scored in each of the three games since the line was formed. Granted, two of his three goals have come on the power play, but he’s been far more aggressive with the puck over the last three outings.

Teravainen only has four shots on goal in the last three games, but three of them have gone in. He is currently enjoying a career-high 18.8 shooting percentage, with nine goals on 48 shots. He has scored in four straight games once in his career, back in 2018 with the Carolina Hurricanes.

One for the Birthday Boy?

Today is Colton Dach’s 23rd birthday, so let’s see if that gives him a little extra jump in his step tonight. He hasn’t scored a goal since Nov. 30 against the Anaheim Ducks, and has just one assist in the last 16 games.

Those numbers don’t really matter in the big picture. Dach isn’t here to be a dominant goal scorer. His role is to be a big and physical force on the fourth line, and he’s been good at that job for much of the season. However, it would be fun to see him find the score sheet on his birthday. His line with Foligno and Landon Slaggert spends a lot of time in the defensive zone by design, so getting those offensive chances might be difficult.

Season Series

12/2 @ VGK, L 3-4 (SO)
1/4 vs VGK
3/14 @ VGK

Blackhawks Team Leaders

G-Connor Bedard/Tyler Bertuzzi (19)
A-Bedard (25)
P-Bedard (44)
PPG-Tyler Bertuzzi (8)
GWG-Bedard (3)
SOG-Bedard (103)
PIM-Colton Dach (45)

Golden Knights Team Leaders

G-Pavel Dorofeyev (16)
A-Mitch Marner (31)
P-Jack Eichel (41)
PPG-Dorofeyev (10)
GWG-Eichel (3)
SOG-Eichel (120)
PIM-Jeremy Lauzon (37)

Blackhawks Team Stats

GF/G-2.76 (25th)
GA/G-3.15 (18th)
PP%-21.6 (11th)
PK%-83.7 (3rd)
SOG/G-25.2 (30th)
SA/G-30.0 (28th)
FO%-46.4 (31st)
PIM/G-10:29 (29th)

Golden Knights Team Stats

GF/G-3.10 (15th)
GA/G-3.03 (14th)
PP%-24.6 (7th)
PK%-81.1 (14th)
SOG/G-29.3 (8th)
SA/G-27.8 (13th)
FO%-51.9 (9th)
PIM/G-7:18 (3rd)

Blackhawks Probable Lines

Forwards
Tyler Bertuzzi-Ryan Greene-Andre Burakovsky
Teuvo Teravainen-Oliver Moore-Nick Lardis
Ryan Donato-Jason Dickinson-Ilya Mikheyev
Colton Dach-Nick Foligno-Landon Slaggert

Defensemen
Alex Vlasic-Louis Crevier
Wyatt Kaiser-Artyom Levshunov
Matt Grzelcyk-Connor Murphy

Scratched
D-Ethan Del Mastro, F-Sam Lafferty, F-Dominic Toninato

Injured

F-Connor Bedard (upper body), F-Frank Nazar (upper body),

Golden Knights Probable Lines

Forwards
Ivan Barbashev-Jack Eichel-Braeden Bowman
Brett Howden-Mitch Marner-Mark Stone
Reilly Smith-Tomas Hertl-Pavel Dorofeyev
Brandon Saad-Colton Sissons-Kegan Kolesar

Defensemen
Noah Hanifin-Zach Whitecloud
Jeremy Lauzon-Kaedan Korczak
Jaycob Megna-Ben Hutton

Scratched
F-Cole Reinhardt, F-Alexander Holtz

Injured
F-Jakub Demek (undisclosed), G-Adin Hill (lower body), F-William Karlsson (lower body), D-Brayden McNabb (upper body), D-Alex Pietrangelo (hip), D-Shea Theodore (upper body)

Goaltending Matchup

Arvid Soderblom (4-7-1. 4.02 GAA, .873 SV%, 0 SO) vs Carter Hart (4-3-3, 3.28 GAA, .876 SV%, 0 SO)