Blackhawks Game 64: Wins Are More Important Than Lottery Balls, Lines, Notes & How to Watch vs Predators

Chicago Blackhawks (20-35-8, 48 pts) @ Nashville Predators (23-32-7, 53 pts)
7 pm – Bridgestone Arena
TV: CHSN (Ball/Pang)
Radio: WGN 720 AM (Wiedeman/Murray)

The Chicago Blackhawks and Nashville Predators will conclude their four-game season series tonight. The Predators won the first two games of the series before the Blackhawks dominated them 6-2 at the United Center a month ago. Ryan Donato recorded his first career four-point game (2 G, 2 A), while Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar each had a goal and an assist.

Bedard snapped his seven-game pointless streak last night against the Utah Hockey Club with a primary assist before winning the game in overtime. He has a four-game point streak against Nashville, with three goals and six points in seven career games against them. Friday was his 24^th multi-point game of his career, tying Patrick Kane for the second-most by a teenager in franchise history. Eddie Olczyk has the record with 29.

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Joe Veleno is expected to make his Blackhawks debut tonight after being acquired from the Detroit Red Wings for Petr Mrazek and Craig Smith. He will likely slide in for Philipp Kurashev, who only played six minutes against Utah in his first game back from a hand injury. It will be interesting to see who plays center on the fourth line. That is Veleno’s natural position, but Lukas Reichel has played well down the middle of late.

Tonight’s game is one the Blackhawks should win. They beat Nashville by four goals in early February, and the Predators have since traded away some depth pieces. Nashville has been the most underachieving and disappointing team in the NHL this season. They are starting a below-average goaltender tonight and will be without their top player in Norris Trophy winner Roman Josi. Now is not a time to worry about draft lottery position. It is more important for this young core to win some games and build a culture that knows what success is.

Season Series

10/25 2-3 vs NSH
1/16 2-3 (SO) @ NSH
2/7 6-2 vs NSH
3/8 @ NSH

Blackhawks Team Leaders

G-Ryan Donato (23)
A-Teuvo Teravainen (35)
P-Connor Bedard (51)
PPG-Bertuzzi (8)
GWG-Bedard (5)
SOG-Bedard (148)
PIM-Pat Maroon (76)

Predators Team Leaders

G-Filip Forsberg (24)
A-Forsberg (33)
P-Forsberg (57)
PPG-Michael Bunting/Steven Stamkos (9)
GWG-Stamkos (5)
SOG-Forsberg (220)
PIM-Michael McCarron (68)

Blackhawks Team Stats

GF/G-2.78 (25^th)
GA/G-3.48 (29^th)
PP%-26.2 (7^th)
PK%-81.0 (10^th)
SOG/G-24.6 (32^nd)
SA/G-31.9 (30^th)
FO%-44.7 (31^st)
PIM/G-8:27 (20^th)

Predators Team Stats

GF/G-2.63 (29^th)
GA/G-3.34 (28^th)
PP%-19.9 (21^st)
PK%-80.7 (12^th)
SOG/G-29.7 (5^th)
SA/G-29.3 (25^th)
FO%-52.0 (8^th)
PIM/G-9:44 (28^th)

Blackhawks Probable Lines

Forwards
Colton Dach-Connor Bedard-Frank Nazar
Teuvo Teravainen-Ryan Donato-Ilya Mikheyev
Landon Slaggert -Nick Foligno-Tyler Bertuzzi
Pat Maroon-Lukas Reichel-Joe Veleno

Defensemen
Alex Vlasic-Louis Crevier
Ethan Del Mastro-Connor Murphy
Wyatt Kaiser-Alec Martinez

Scratched
D-T.J. Brodie, F-Philipp Kurashev

Injured
G-Laurent Brossoit (knee), F-Jason Dickinson (ankle)

Predators Probable Lines

Forwards
Steven Stamkos-Ryan O’Reilly-Luke Evangelista
Filip Forsberg-Colton Sissons-Jonathan Marchessault
Jakub Vrana-Fedor Svechkov-Cole Smith
Kiefer Bellows-Michael McCarron-Ozzy Wiesblatt

Defensemen
Brady Skjei-Nick Blankenburg
Marc Del Gaizo-Spencer Stastney
Jordan Oesterle-Justin Barron

Scratched
D-Andreas Englund

Injured
F-Zachary L’Heureux (upper body), D-Jeremy Lauzon (lower body), D-Adam Wilsby (upper body), D-Roman Josi (upper body), F- F-Michael Bunting (appendix surgery)

Goaltending Matchup

Arvid Soderblom (8-15-6, .904 SV%, 3.05 GAA, 0 SO) vs Justus Annunen (13-9-0, .888 SV%, 3.21, 0 SO 0)