Chicago Blackhawks (6-8-3) at Carolina Hurricanes (7-7-3)

6:00pm Central/7:00pm Eastern
PNC Arena
TV/Radio: NBCSCH/WGN

PROJECTED STARTERS

Chicago – Cam Ward (3-2-3 W/L, .887 SV%, 3.92 GAA)
Carolina – Scott Darling (1-2-1 W/L, .905% SV, 3.01 GAA)

TEAM STATISTICS

Power Play
Chicago (12.5%, 31^st)
Carolina (14.3%, 27^th)

Penalty Kill
Chicago (76.9%, T-22^nd)
Carolina (71.9%, 28^th)

Shots for/against
Chicago (33.1, T-9^th, 33.0, 24^th)
Carolina (41.8, 1^st, 25.5, 1^st)

Shooting %
Chicago (8.7%, T-25^th)
Carolina (6.5%, 31^st)

Faceoff %
Chicago (50.1%, T-16^th)
Carolina (51.7%, T-7^th)

Avg. height/weight
Chicago 6’1”, 195lbs
Carolina 6’1”, 198lbs

PROJECTED LINES/PAIRINGS

Chicago Blackhawks

Nick Schmaltz–Jonathan Toews–Patrick Kane
Alexandre Fortin–Artem Anisimov–John Hayden
Alex DeBrincat–David Kampf–Dominik Kahun
Chris Kunitz–Luke Johnson–Andreas Martinsen
Duncan Keith–Brent Seabrook
Erik Gustafsson–Henri Jokiharju
Brandon Davidson–Jan Rutta

Carolina Hurricanes

Micheal Ferland–Sebastian Aho–Teuvo Teravainen
Brock McGinn–Jordan Staal–Justin Williams
Jordan Martinook–Lucas Wallmark–Andrei Svechnikov
Warren Foegele–Clark Bishop–Phillip Di Giuseppe
Jaccob Slavin–Dougie Hamilton
Calvin de Haan–Justin Faulk
Haydn Fleury–Trevor van Riemsdyk

Analysis

Here’s a few stats to ponder before the Hawks take on the Hurricanes in Carolina:

-The Blackhawks have picked up one point out of a possible fourteen over the past seven games. Let that stat sink in for a minute.

-Chicago sits second-to-last in goal differential in the entire league at -15. Only the Kings, who also fired their coach, are worse at -17.

-A 3.76 goals-per-game surrendered is only better than the Ottawa Senators. That’s an organization you do not want to be compared to in any category.

-With the man advantage, the Hawks have scored on 12.5% of their chances. Last in the league.

Throw in the fact that Patrick Kane has played 24:33 and 27:43 in Jeremy Colliton’s first two games as head coach and you wonder who else does he trust throughout the lineup? This seems like a player talent problem not a coaching problem.

Good thing the Hawks’ management secured those season tickets in the summer.

Enjoy the game tonight.

The post Preview/Game Thread: Blackhawks vs Hurricanes appeared first on The Rink.

Carolina Hurricanes (6-7-2) at Chicago Blackhawks (6-6-3)

7:30pm Central, 8:30pm Eastern
United Center
TV/Radio: NBCSCH/WGN 720

PROJECTED STARTERS

Chicago – Corey Crawford (3-4-0 W-L, .907 SV%, 2.92 GAA)
Carolina – Scott Darling (0-2-0 W-L, .893 SV%, 3.14 GAA)

TEAM STATISTICS

Power Play

Chicago (14.0%, T-27^th)
Carolina (12.5%, 29th)

Penalty Kill

Chicago (76.6%, 23rd)
Carolina (69.8%, 29^th)

Shorts for/against

Chicago (32.8, T-10^th, 33.5, T-24th)
Carolina (41.6, 1st, 24.3, 1^st)

Shooting %

Chicago (9.3%, T-16th)
Carolina (6.3%, 31st)

Faceoff %

Chicago (49.4%, 18^th)
Carolina (52.3%, 4^th)

Avg. height/weight

Chicago 6’1”, 195lbs
Carolina 6’2” 198lbs

PROJECTED LINES/PAIRINGS

Chicago Blackhawks

Alex DeBrincat–Jonathan Toews–Brandon Saad
Nick Schmaltz–Artem Anisimov–Patrick Kane
Andreas Martinsen–Marcus Kruger–Alexandre Fortin
Chris Kunitz–David Kampf–Dominik Kahun
Duncan Keith–Henri Jokiharju
Erik Gustafsson–Brent Seabrook
Jan Rutta–Brandon Davidson

Carolina Hurricanes

Micheal Ferland–Sebastian Aho–Teuvo Teravainen
Warren Foegele–Jordan Staal–Justin Williams
Jordan Martinook–Lucas Wallmark–Andrei Svechnikov
Brock McGinn–Nicolas Roy–Valentin Zykov
Jaccob Slavin–Dougie Hamilton
Calvin de Haan–Justin Faulk
Trevor van Riemsdyk–Brett Pesce

Analysis

Jeremy Colliton, coaching his first NHL game after the firing of Joel Quenneville, takes over the reigns of the Hawks after a season plus as the head coach of the Rockford IceHogs.

The 33-year old Colliton is tasked with improving the special teams. Both the power play and penalty kill rank in the bottom third of the league, respectively.

On the surface, the Hurricanes look like a great first opponent for a rookie head coach. However, a deeper look at the numbers show Carolina can play in both the offensive and defensive zones (currently 1^st in both shots for and shots against).

A little “puck luck” and the Hurricanes could have a completely different record than their 6-7-2 mark. Currently last in the NHL with a 6.3% shooting percentage, a correction to league average would make the Canes a tough offensive threat.

Corey Crawford, on a three-game losing streak, squares off against Scott Darling, having lost both of his starts this season after returning from a lower-body injury. Darling, a Lemont, IL native, was a member of the 2015 Stanley Cup winning Blackhawks.

Comment below in our live game thread tonight!

And look for the internet’s most robust recap of the game tomorrow morning on the-rink.com. 

The post Preview/Game Thread: Blackhawks vs. Hurricanes appeared first on The Rink.

The-Rink.com host Jeff “Gatekeeper” Osborn and co-host John Jaeckel throw together a last minute episode to address the recent insanity following the end of the NHL season.

Happy Fathers Day to all the wonderful fathers out there!

• The “terrible” Michal Kempny is now a Stanley Cup Champ
• The Blackhawks sign Jacob Nilsson, Andreas Martinsen, and Henri Jokiharju
• Corey Crawford is actually alive, ALLEGEDLY
• Then things get interesting as they talk about:
  • Suggestion of a Brandon Saad buyout
  • Talk of a trade involving Marian Hossa for Scott Darling
  • Talk of a trade involving Brandon Saad for Justin Faulk
• We wrap up the episode with some great listener/reader questions.

Please subscribe, rate this episode, and even write us a review. Reviews will be read on the air.

Also, Please help spread the word to more #RinkRats and visit our sponsor www.PUCKHCKY.com. Use the discount code “THERINK” for 10% off all orders.

The post The Blackhawks Rinkcast – Episode 24 appeared first on The Rink.