Colorado Avalanche (20-47-3) at Chicago Blackhawks (46-20-5) 6PM Central/5PM Mountain WGN/Altitude
PROJECTED GOALIES: Jeremy Smith/Colorado Scott Darling/Chicago
NOTES: If Jeremy Smith's name sounds familiar it's because he once was a highly touted prospect in the US Amateur program, originally drafted by the Nashville Predators back in 2007. Like his counterpart tonight, Chicago's Scott Darling, Smith has bounced around quite a bit in the minors. And certainly, he will get no breaks tonight, where his team is fairly outmatched against a banged up, but still potent Blackhawk club.
Yet again, the Hawks found a way to win last night, tying the game up on John Hayden's first NHL goal—a nifty roof shot kicked to his stick at high speed—a skill goal. And the Hawks won the game in OT on what was arguably an even higher skill goal, with Ryan Hartman faking a slapshot and drawing Fredrik Andersen's legs apart, only to slip the puck through the five hole for the game winner.
The Hawks struggled a bit to mount a lot of pressure last night, playing without Marian Hossa and Artem Anisimov and Marian Hossa, but one more time in a season full of finding ways to win, they did it again. Hopefully coming off playing on the road and going to late OT last night, Chicago doesn't struggle quite as much tonight.
The Hawks are up five points on Minnesota for first place. Tonight's game matters big time.
I'll recap tomorrow.