Blackhawks Game Day
Blackhawks Game 45, Nazar & Bedard Together; Lines, Notes & How to Watch vs Predators

Chicago Blackhawks (14-28-2, 30 pts) @ Nashville Predators (14-22-7)
7 p.m. CT – Bridgestone Arena
TV: CHSN (Ball/Pang)
Radio: WGN 720 AM (Wiedeman/Murray)
The Chicago Blackhawks hit the ice again tonight in Music City against the Nashville Predators. One could argue that these are the two biggest disappointments in the National Hockey League this season. The Blackhawks’ general manager set a higher standard for this season, which has never been met. The Predators won the offseason by signing Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei. Despite the raised expectations, both teams sit at the bottom of the Central Division.
When the Predators beat the Blackhawks 3-2 on Oct. 25, they were just a team off to a slow start. Nearly three months later, they haven’t gotten any better. Stamkos and Marchessault have done their jobs. They are tied for the team lead in goals after slow starts. Their line with leading scorer Filip Forsberg is dangerous. However, once that top line returns to the bench, the Predators become a pedestrian team.
Former Blackhawk Vinnie Hinostroza finds himself on the Predators’ second line. He was leading the American Hockey League in scoring when he was recalled, with 11 goals and 33 points in 26 games for the Milwaukee Admirals. He has one assist in his seven games for Nashville. Outside of the top line and Ryan O’Reilly, who has 13 goals, only one player has more than five goals. The Predators are one of only two teams in the league averaging fewer goals per game than the Blackhawks.
The Bridgestone Arena should be buzzing at puck drop because the team is inducting David Poile, Pekka Rinne, and Shea Weber as the inaugural class of the Predators Golden Hall. They beat the Vegas Golden Knights 5-3 their last time out for the 1,000th win in franchise history. Forsberg has goals in three straight games and has 13 goals and 27 points in 35 games against the Blackhawks.
Meanwhile, the Blackhawks are being accompanied on this short trip by their dads. Maybe the fear of disappointing their fathers will get a road win out of this team. They have lost 12 of their last 13 road games and have just one win since Nov. 3 away from the United Center. Their recent run against the Predators has not been great. Nashville has won the last five games in the series. They have at least one point in 28 of the previous 32 games and have held the Blackhawks to two goals or less 27 times.
Interim head coach Anders Sorensen will start the game with Frank Nazar on Connor Bedard’s right wing. The two youngsters played together in the second half of Monday’s loss to the Calgary Flames. They will be fun to watch as the game progresses. Teuvo Teravainen will look to continue his season-high four-game point streak. He is just 10 points shy of 500 in his career.
Arvid Soderblom gets the start in goal tonight. In five career games against Nashville, he is 0-3-1 with a .895 save percentage (SV%) and 3.40 goals-against average (GAA).
Season Series
10/25 2-3 vs NSH
1/16 @ NSH
2/7 vs NSH
3/8 @ NSH
Blackhawks Team Leaders
G-Tyler Bertuzzi (14)
A-Connor Bedard (27)
P-Bedard (39)
PPG-Bertuzzi (6)
GWG-Bedard (3)
SOG-Bedard (104)
PIM-Pat Maroon (41)
Predators Team Leaders
G-Jonathan Marchessault/Steven Stamkos (14)
A-Filip Forsberg (25)
P-Forsberg (37)
PPG-Stamkos (7)
GWG-Stamkos (4)
SOG-Forsberg (143)
PIM-Micheal McCarron (41)
Blackhawks Team Stats
GF/G-2.55 (30th)
GA/G-3.45 (30th)
PP%-23.4 (12th)
PK%-83.3 (4th)
SOG/G-25.1 (32nd)
SA/G-30.5 (28th)
FO%-44.8 (30th)
PIM/G-8:13 (14th)
Predators Team Stats
GF/G-2.47 (31st)
GA/G-3.14 (22nd)
PP%-19.7 (20th)
PK%-82.9 (6th)
SOG/G-29.0 (12th)
SA/G-29.2 (25th)
FO%-51.2 (13th)
PIM/G-9:15 (24th)
Blackhawks Probable Lines
Forwards
Tyler Bertuzzi-Connor Bedard-Frank Nazar
Colton Dach-Lukas Reichel-Nick Foligno
Teuvo Teravainen-Jason Dickinson-Ilya Mikheyev
Taylor Hall-Ryan Donato-Pat Maroon
Defensemen
Alec Martinez-Seth Jones
Alex Vlasic-Louis Crevier
Nolan Allan-T.J. Brodie
Scratched:
F-Philipp Kurashev, D-Wyatt Kaiser
Injured:
G-Laurent Brossoit (knee), D-Connor Murphy (groin), F-Craig Smith (back)
Predators Probable Lines
Forwards
Filip Forsberg-Steven Stamkos-Jonathan Marchessault
Gustav Nyquist-Ryan O’Reilly-Vinnie Hinostroza
Tommy Novak-Fedor Svechkov-Zachary L’Heureux
Mark Jankowski-Michael McCarron-Colton Sissons
Defensemen
Roman Josi-Justin Barron
Brady Skjei-Nick Blankenburg
Spencer Stastney-Luke Schenn
Scratched
F-Kieffer Bellows
Injured
F-Luke Evangelista (lower body), D-Jeremy Lauzon (lower body), D-Adam Wilsby (upper body), F-Cole Smith (lower body), F-Austin Roest (undisclosed)
Goaltending Matchup
Arvid Soderblom (6-11-1, .903 SV%, 2.99 GAA, 0 SO) vs Juuse Saros (9-18-6, .904 SV%, 2.78 GAA, 4 SO)