Preview/Game Thread: Blackhawks vs Avalanche

  

Chicago Blackhawks (14-20-6) at Colorado Avalanche (19-13-6)
8:00pm Central, 7:00pm Mountain
Pepsi Center
TV/Radio: NBCSCH/WGN

PROJECTED GOALIES:

Chicago – Collin Delia (2-0-0 W-L, 1.50 GAA, .964 SV%)
Edmonton – Semyon Varlamov (11-8-3 W-L, 2.78 GAA, 0.913 SV%, 1 SO)

Team statistics:

Power Play

Chicago (27th – 14.3%)
Colorado (4th – 27.2%)

Penalty Kill

Chicago (30th – 74.4%)
Colorado (28th – 78.7%)

Shots for/against per game

Chicago (19th, 31.4% – 29rd, 34.3%)
Colorado (16th, 31.8% – 22nd, 32.5%)

Shooting%

Chicago (T-18th – 9.2%)
Colorado (5th, 10.8%)

Faceoff%

Chicago (17th, 50.0%)
Colorado (T-25th, 47.9%)

Avg. height/weight

Chicago
6’1” 197lbs
Colorado
6’0” 201lbs

PROJECTED LINES/PAIRINGS:

Chicago Blackhawks

Brandon SaadJonathan ToewsDominik Kahun
Artem AnisimovDylan StromePatrick Kane
Alex DeBrincatDavid KampfDylan Sikura
Andreas MartinsenMarcus KrugerJohn Hayden

Duncan KeithErik Gustafsson
Gustav ForslingBrent Seabrook
Carl DahlstromConnor Murphy

Colorado Avalanche

Matthew NietoNathan MacKinnonMikko Rantanen
Gabriel LandeskogAlexander KerfootJ.T. Compher
Sheldon DriesCarl SoderbergMatt Calvert
Sven AndrighettoTyson JostGabriel Bourque

Samuel GirardErik Johnson
Tyson BarrieIan Cole
Patrik NemethRyan Graves

Analysis:

The Blackhawks ride a high into Denver, after beating the Minnesota Wild 5-2 on Thursday evening.  Rookie goalie Collin Delia made 46 saves, and will start his second game in a row.  He is the first rookie Blackhawks goaltender to make 46 saves in a game since Michael Leighton in 2004.  Last Season, Delia and the Blackhawks were shutout 5-0 by the Avs in Colorado.

Patrick Kane tallied his fifth career regular season hat-trick in the game vs Minnesota, as well.

The Blackhawks made a small roster move on Friday, assigning Jacob Nilsson to Rockford and activating Marcus Kruger from IR, following time off for concussion protocol.

Colorado has been struggling as of late, and head coach Jared Bednar fired up the line blender, moving Gabriel Landeskog to the second line and replaced him with Matt Nieto.  Starter Semyon Varlamov is scheduled to make the start in net.

For a majority of the season Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen have been absolutely tearing through the league, withRantinen leading the entire NHL with 60 points in 38 games played.

Comment below in our live game thread tonight!

And look for the internet’s most robust recap of the game later tonight or early tomorrow on the-rink.com.

adsense

About Jeff Osborn

Jeff has covered the Blackhawks since 2009 with his former website www.puckinhostile.com and podcast The Puckin Hostile Shoutcast until 2017, when he moved over to The Rink. After a short hiatus to cover the inaugural Seattle Kraken season, he came back to Blackhawks coverage and started "The Net Perspective" podcast to discuss goaltending and goaltender development.

     

Center Ice Forums Preview/Game Thread: Blackhawks vs Avalanche

Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #11004
    Jeff Osborn
    Keymaster

    Chicago Blackhawks (14-20-6) at Colorado Avalanche (19-13-6) 8:00pm Central, 7:00pm Mountain Pepsi Center TV/Radio: NBCSCH/WGN PROJECTED GOALIES: Chic
    [To continue reading full article, click here: Preview/Game Thread: Blackhawks vs Avalanche]

    #11010
    Mister Ricochet
    Participant

    Like the 4th line of Martinson-Kruger-Hayden.  ……… Varmy hasn’t started in 12 days, has given up 3, 4, 3, 5, 6 his last 5 and has only put up a .900+ SPG once in that stretch.  Combined with the Hawk resurgence on the PP and COL’s 28th ranked PK the boys have a shot.

    Of course all eyes on Delia.

    USA  tackles Boqvist and Sveeeden tonight as well.

    #11011
    Mister Ricochet
    Participant

    TSN‏Verified account @TSN_Sports 7m7 minutes ago

    Philipp Kurashev (@quebec_remparts) scores his 2nd goal of the game to put #Switzerland up 2-0! #WorldJuniors #DENvsSUI

    #11012
    John Jaeckel
    Participant

    [quote quote=11010]Like the 4th line of Martinson-Kruger-Hayden. ……… Varmy hasn’t started in 12 days, has given up 3, 4, 3, 5, 6 his last 5 and has only put up a .900+ SPG once in that stretch. Combined with the Hawk resurgence on the PP and COL’s 28th ranked PK the boys have a shot. Of course all eyes on Delia. USA tackles Boqvist and Sveeeden tonight as well.

    [/quote]

     

    Hayden gets to feel like a Viking.

    Nice preview, Farmer Jeff.

    #11014
    Alan Parsons
    Participant

    Sikura is starting to grow on me.  He has some very good defensive instincts and he can pick a pocket as well as anyone on the team.  He is starting to look more and more comfortable.  His points should start coming soon.

    #11015
    Alan Parsons
    Participant

    Great passing tonight.   Really good.

     

Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.