Chicago Blackhawks (29-31-8) at Boston Bruins (42-15-8)
Noon Central
RADIO: WGN 720
NBC Sports Chicago, NESN
PROJECTED GOALIES:
Chicago:
JF Berube (2-2-0, 3.11 GAA, .911 SV%)
Boston:
Tuukka Rask (27-11-4, 2.27 GAA, .920 save%)
PROJECTED LINES/PAIRINGS:
Chicago
Saad-Toews-Kane
DeBrincat-Schmaltz-Hinostroza
Jurco-Anisimov-Highmore
Sharp-Kampf-Duclair
Keith-Murphy
Gustafsson-Seabrook
Oesterle-Rutta
Boston
Marchand-Riley Nash-Pastrnak
Debrusk-Krejci-Rick Nash
Heinen-Wingels-Gionta
Schaller-Kuraly-Acciari
Chara-Carlo
Krug-McQuaid
Grzelcyk-Miller
STATISTICAL COMPARISONS:
Power play:
Chicago 15.5% (28th)
Boston 20.8% (12th)
Penalty kill:
Chicago 81.7% (13th)
Boston 82.8% (6th)
Corsi For % (5-on-5):
Chicago 53.1% (3rd)
Boston 54.0% (2nd)
Faceoffs:
Chicago 49.6% (18th)
Boston 51.1% (9th)
SUMMARY:
The Hawks begin a weekend home and home, facing off today (and tomorrow) against longtime Original Six rival Boston, and recent former (and perhaps soon to be again) teammate Tommy Wingels.
Boston will be looking to fortify its playoff standing, while the Hawks are slowly, painfully winding out their worst season in a decade.
It is easy to assume that the front office and coaching staff are trying to learn some things about individual players—yet GM Stan Bowman seems to have jumped the gun slightly on signing two defensemen (Erik Gustafsson and Jan Rutta), neither of whom would be considered vital to (actual) Hawks’ success next year. So we can likely take Bowman at his word: next year’s team will look a lot like this year’s.
Excited yet?
I’ll be posting an article later this weekend on a few relatively easily-accomplished on-ice strategies to make the Hawks a better team next year.
Untii then, can the Hawks’ awesome and (and evidently absolutely vital to retain) defense hold the Bruins to under 40 shots (something they typically fail to accomplish against even bad teams)?
Comment on today’s action in the comments section below.
Follow: @jaeckel