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Game 13 @ Stars

February 7, 2021, 3:30 AM ET [111 Comments]
Theo Fox
Chicago Blackhawks Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
The Blackhawks are in Dallas to take on last year's Western Conference champion Stars on SuperBowl Sunday for an afternoon matchup between two of the NHL's top power play teams.

The conclusion of this series on Tuesday will bring the Hawks to the quarter pole of the 56-game season. Columbus comes to Chicago for the next set before they head back out to Detroit.

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Game Day

Game 13, February 7:
Blackhawks @ Stars
2:00pm CST

Records:
Blackhawks, 4-4-4, 12 Pts
Stars, 5-2-1, 11 Pts

Season Series:
0-0-0

Power Play:
Blackhawks, 14-37, 37.8%
Stars, 14-35, 40.0%

Penalty Kill:
Blackhawks, 34-42, 81.0%
Stars, 28-35, 80.0%

Joe Pavelski is in beast mode leading the Stars along with fellow veterans Jamie Benn, Alexander Radulov, and John Klingberg as well as defensive phenom Miro Heiskanen.

Also notable are former 1st rounders Denis Gurianov and Jake Oettinger. Gurianov is on a hot start building on his solid rookie year. Oettinger could be the future starter.

Tyler Seguin and Joel Kiviranta are on IR while Stephen Johns and Ben Bishop are on LTIR. Andrej Sekera is the only Dallas player on the NHL COVID-19 Protocol List.

Anton Khudobin is not available for the Stars for disciplinary reasons.

The Stars projected lineup could look like this:

Benn - Pavelski - Radulov
Dickinson - Hintz - Gurianov
Cogliano - Faksa - Comeau
Kero - Dowling - Robertson

Lindell - Klingberg
Heiskanen - Oleksiak
Hanley - Pysyk

Oettinger
Bow

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Rockford Updates

Young Roster

The IceHogs roster has 29 players with a majority (17) being rookies including 2020 draft picks Michael Krutil, Isaak Phillips, and Chad Yetman. There are 9 returners from last year.

Starting Lineup

Healthy scratches: forwards Mitchell Fossier, Riley McKay, Brad Morrison, Cam Morrison, and Chris Wilkie; defensemen Cole Moberg and Isaak Phillips; and goalies Cale Morris and Tom Aubrun.

Interestingly, Phillips was the only one of the scratches who was out in the pregame skate.

The power play units were comprised of:
PP1 = Quenneville, Barratt, Yetman, Kalynuk, Franson
PP2 = Altybarmakian, Soderlund, Teply, Krys, Regula

The penalty killers included all blueliners and a variety of forwards.

Team Captains

Garrett Mitchell was named Friday as the new Hogs captain. Cody Franson and John Quenneville are the alternates.

Game Recap

The Hogs power play is off to a roaring start going 3 for 6. The penalty kill went 4 for 5 in a game laden with infractions including a fight between Dmitry Osipov and Tanner Jeannot.

Despite the strong power play and penalty kill, performance at even strength was mediocre but it was the first game of the season. Passing and defensive awareness especially need to improve.

While head coach Derek King had the line blender on, it wasn't mixing up between lines but rather within lines as rearguards and wingers occasionally switched sides on different shifts.

1st Goal: Quenneville (1-0) PP

Wyatt Kalynuk and Franson both spotted Quenneville who drove the entire middle of the ice from the circles in the D zone to the same spot in the O zone before firing home a wrister.

2nd Goal: Yetman (2-0) PP

Like the first power play, the Hogs swiftly moved the puck as Franson found Evan Barratt in the high slot who quickly put a shot on net that Yetman pounced on for a garbage goal.

3rd Goal: Kalynuk (3-2) PP

Again, moving the puck expeditiously was key on the Hogs third power play goal as Andrei Altybarmakian cycled the puck up to Franson who fed Kalynuk for a one timer at a wide angle.

4th Goal: Chalupa (4-5)

The Hogs pulled within one of the Wolves as a result of industrious cycling by Dylan McLaughlin and D.J. Busdeker who got the puck to Matej Chalupa in the left circle.

Player Notes

Kalynuk was by far the best Rockford player. He skates and passes extremely well with poise and authority. Plus, he routinely protects the net.

Although he also skates confidently like Kalynuk and puts in the effort defensively, Chad Krys still gets beat quite a bit. He at least knows where to be and battles.

Quenneville is a definite impact player as a power forward in the AHL. If he could only put it together in the NHL, though.

Barratt's skating isn't as concerning as some may think. He doesn't look slow or plodding. He gets from point A to point B fluidly.

Also, Barratt and Altybarmakian each play a spirited game getting their nose dirty to pester the opponent.

Altybarmakian as well as Tim Soderlund, Mikael Hakkarainen, and Yetman play with high energy at both ends of the ice.

Michal Teply is a visual paradox in that he looks sluggish yet he oddly is involved and makes plays.

Signs of Development

In the pregame interview, King was asked what the Blackhawks and IceHogs coaching staffs are looking for in terms of what will help a prospect to stand out. His answer: work ethic.

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See you on the boards!

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