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Chicago Blackhawks (30-15-2) at Los Angeles Kings (20-15-12)
9:30PM Central/7:30 Pacific
NBCSN,SN,SN1,CSN-CH


THE BUZZ

Anti-climax or tone setter?

The Kings have struggled much more so than the Hawks have thus far this season. Yet it’s hard to imagine the defending champs not being a factor come playoff time—nor a tough out for a Hawk team that succumbed to them in seven grueling (and epic) games in last year’s Western Conference Finals.

The Kings get Tyler Toffoli (mononucleosis) back likely tonight; Mike Richards gets a taste of the AHL.

All that said, the Kings will need points and wins like nobody’s business to just get into the playoffs. But this is a team that knows how to take care of business. The Hawks appear assured (relatively) of a spot in the playoffs, but clearly they need to re-discover the form that had some predicting they would come out of the West earlier this season. A telling stat has been shot totals—the Hawks have been giving up a lot of them, often allowing more than they take, which is highly uncharacteristic of them.

With that in mind—and the playoffs now at least in sight—this is an important game for both clubs.


THE NUMBERS

Power Play
Chicago, 14th, 18.9%
LA, 13th, 19.3%

Penalty Kill
Chicago, 1st, 88.4%
LA, 25th, 77.8%

5-on-5 GF/GA Differential
Chicago, 4th, 1.27
LA, 12th, 1.11




THE LINEUPS (PROJECTED)

Blackhawks

Saad Toews Hossa
Sharp Richards Kane
Bickell Teravainen Shaw
Nordstrom Kruger Smith

Keith Rundblad
Seabrook Hjalmarsson
Rozsival Oduya

Crawford


Kings

Gaborik Kopitar Brown
King Carter Toffoli
Clifford Stoll Williams
Andreoff Shore Lewis

Muzzin Doughty
McNabb Greene
Regehr Martinez

Quick


All for now, recap tomorrow.

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