Blackhawks Game 81: Greene, Demidov Debut, Lines, Notes & How to Watch vs Canadiens

Chicago Blackhawks (23-46-11, 57 pts) @ Montreal Canadiens (39-31-10, 88 pts)
6 pm CT – Bell Centre
TV: CHSN (Ball/Pang)
Radio: WGN 720 AM (Wiedeman/Murray)

The Chicago Blackhawks will be walking into an electric Bell Centre tonight to take on the Montreal Canadiens in the penultimate game of the 2024-25 season. The Habs will try to clinch their first Stanley Cup Playoffs berth since 2021. If they win, they’re in. After losing their last two games on the road, they are back home, where they are 9-0-1 since the 4 Nations Face-Off.

There will be even more excitement in Montreal because Ivan Demidov will make his NHL debut tonight. Demidov, of course, was the player many pundits and fans, myself included, wanted the Blackhawks to take with the second overall pick at last summer’s draft. They went with defenseman Artyom Levshunov instead, but according to a report by TSN’s Pierre LeBrun, they tried to trade back up to fourth to select Demidov. It’s fun that Levshunov and the Blackhawks are in town for his debut. Demidov will start his NHL career on Montreal’s third line.

The Blackhawks are trying to extend their point streak to three games after beating the Boston Bruins on Thursday and losing in a shootout to the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday. They can sweep the season series after defeating the Habs in Chicago in January. Nick Foligno scored two goals that night, while tonight’s starting goaltender, Arvid Soderblom, made 38 saves.

Demidov isn’t the only player making his NHL debut tonight. Ryan Greene will be in the lineup after signing his entry-level contract on Sunday. He will wear number 20 and be on the third line with Foligno and Oliver Moore. Greene is coming full circle by debuting in Montreal, where he was drafted by the Blackhawks in 2022.

Season Series

1/3 4-2 vs MTL
4/14 @ MTL

Blackhawks Team Leaders

G-Ryan Donato (31)
A-Teuvo Teravainen/Connor Bedard (42)
P-Bedard (63)
PPG-Bedard (10)
GWG-Bedard (5)
SOG-Bedard (191)
PIM-Pat Maroon (97)

Canadiens Team Leaders

G-Cole Caufield (37)
A-Nick Suzuki (58)
P-Suzuki (87)
PPG-Patrik Laine (15)
GWG-Suzuki (9)
SOG-Caufield (237)
PIM-Arber Xhekaj (118)

Blackhawks Team Stats

GF/G-2.71 (27^th)
GA/G-3.58 (31^st)
PP%-24.0 (11^th)
PK%-80.0 (13^th)
SOG/G-24.6 (32^nd)
SA/G-31.2 (30^th)
FO%-44.9 (31^st)
PIM/G-8:35 (21^st)

Canadiens Team Stats

GF/G-2.95 (17^th)
GA/G-3.20 (23^rd)
PP%-20.3 (21^st)
PK%-81.4 (7^th)
SOG/G-25.7 (30^th)
SA/G-29.1 (24^th)
FO%-50.9 (13^th)
PIM/G-9:22 (26^th)

Blackhawks Probable Lines

Forwards
Ryan Donato-Connor Bedard-Ilya Mikheyev
Teuvo Teravainen-Frank Nazar-Tyler Bertuzzi
Nick Foligno-Ryan Greene-Oliver Moore
Landon Slaggert -Joe Veleno-Lukas Reichel

Defensemen
Alex Vlasic-Sam Rinzel
Connor Murphy-Louis Crevier
Wyatt Kaiser-Artyom Levshunov

Scratched
D-T.J. Brodie, D-Alec Martinez, F-Philipp Kerashev, D-Kevin Korchinski, F-Pat Maroon

Injured
G-Laurent Brossoit (knee), F-Colton Dach (elbow), F-Jason Dickinson (wrist)

Canadiens Probable Lines

Forwards
Cole Caufield-Nick Suzuki-Juraj Slafkovsky
Brendan Gallagher-Christian Dvorak-Josh Anderson
Ivan Demidov-Alex Newhook-Joel Armia
Patrik Laine-Jake Evans-Oliver Kapanen

Defensemen
Mike Matheson-Alexandre Carrier
Kaiden Guhle-Lane Hutson
Jayden Struble-David Savard

Scratched
F-Michael Pezzetta, F-Joshua Roy, D-Arber Xhekaj

Injured
D-Emil Heineman (undisclosed), F-Kirby Dach (knee), G-Carey Price (knee)

Goaltending Matchup

Arvid Soderblom (9-18-7, .899 SV%, 3.19 GAA, 0 SO) vs Sam Montembeault (30-24-6, .901 SV%, .901 SV%, 4 SO)