Chicago Blackhawks (31-18-2) at Winnipeg Jets (26-18-9) Friday, February 6 7PM Central CSN Chicago/TSN 3
THE BUZZ
Who’da thunk a February matchup of the Hawks and Jets would be more than a Chicago walkover—but with divisional and playoff standing at stake. Well, it is. The Hawks come in 1-3 on their road trip, and victims of consecutive shutouts. And they face a team that’s given them as much trouble as anyone this year.
There are tests throughout the regular season, and this is one of them. The Jets have appeared to have the Hawks’ number, not just on the scoreboard but in terms of their tactical approach on the ice: aggressive forecheck, laying back with a lead and taking away the Hawks’ stretch pass. Further, over the last six weeks, a number of teams have taken this approach with Chicago with success. So, on the road at the MTS Centre, the Hawks get the chance to show that they can beat this approach, and the Jets.
THE NUMBERS
Power Play Chicago, 13th, 18.4% Winnipeg, 21st, 18.1%
Penalty Kill Chicago, 1st, 87.9% Winnipeg, 14th, 81.7%
5-On-5 GF/GA Differential Chicago, 5th, 1.25 Winnipeg, 9th, 1.12
THE LINEUPS (PROJECTED)
Chicago
Saad Toews Hossa Sharp Richards Kane Bickell Shaw Teravainen Nordstrom Kruger Smith
Keith Rundlbad Hjalmarsson Seabrook Oduya Rozsival
Crawford
Winnipeg
Ladd Little Wheeler Perreault Scheifele Byfuglien Frolik Lowry Thorburn Galiardi Slater Peluso
Enstrom Bogosian Stuart Trouba Chiarot Pardy
Hutchinson
All for now. I’ll recap Saturday
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