Blackhawks Game Day Preview: Taylor Hall & Co look to extend point streak in Minnesota

Chicago Blackhawks (8-12-2, 18 pts) @ Minnesota Wild (14-4-4, 32 pts)
1 pm CT – Xcel Energy Center
TV: CHSN (Ball/Pang)
Radio: 720 AM (Wiedeman/Murray)

The Chicago Blackhawks look to build off their biggest win of the season after beating the Dallas Stars 6-2 on Wednesday. They already have one victory against the Minnesota Wild this season. They played one of the most complete games of the season in their 2-1 overtime win back on Nov. 10. The Blackhawks have looked their best when playing top teams, so expect a good effort this afternoon.

The offense busted out in a big way against the Stars. Taylor Hall racked up his first hat trick in 11 years. Connor Bedard found the back of the net for the first time in a month. Even defenseman Louis Crevier scored his first NHL goal. Twelve different Blackhawks had a point in the win. Luke Richardson’s line combinations made sense for the first time in a long time, so let’s hope these stick together for more than just a game or two. It’s time to build chemistry and consistency.

Related Article – Connor Bedard, secondary scorers bust their slumps

Meanwhile, the Wild have been hit with an injury bug. They have scored only one goal in four of their last eight games, including the last two. They beat the Buffalo Sabres 1-0 on Wednesday behind Filip Gustavsson’s second shutout of the season. The Wild have benefitted from some of the best goaltending in the league, as Gustavsson and Marc-Andre Fleury have a combined .919 save percentage (SV%) and 2.36 goals-against average (GAA). Minnesota has struggled at killing penalties this year, but the Blackhawks have had a hard time drawing them. If the Blackhawks can get some extended power-play time today, that will go a long way toward extending their point streak to four games.

Season Series

11/10 2-1 (OT) vs MIN
11/29 @ MIN
12/23 @ MIN
1/26 vs MIN

Quotables        

“Sometimes it’s nice to kind of feel like what rock bottom is. Or not rock bottom, but just like, ‘All right, that’s the worst I’m going to play, or that’s the worst I’m going to feel. So, let’s figure some stuff out. Let’s change a few things in my preparation and my habits. And let’s see if I cannot dwell on it, but take some constructive criticism, look myself in the mirror, and try to play better.’ So that’s what I’ve done.”

Taylor Hall

“I didn’t care how one went in, to be completely honest. I would’ve taken it off the face.”

Connor Bedard on ending his goal drought

“He’s been obviously such a clutch player for us all year long. He’s producing points the right way. He’s competitive, but I think … [he’s] really understanding how to play in these types of games when you get offense, but it doesn’t come easy or the pucks don’t go in. I think his checking game is also at a high level.”

Wild head coach John Hynes on Kaprizov

Blackhawks Team Leaders

G-Ryan Donato (8)
A-Connor Bedard (12)
P-Connor Bedard (16)
PPG-Teuvo Teravainen (4)
SOG-Bedard (57)
PIM-Pat Maroon (28)

Wild Team Leaders

G-Kirill Kaprizov (14)
A-Kaprizov (21)
P-Kaprizov (35)
PPG-Matt Boldy (4)
SOG-Boldy (78)
PIM-Boldy (17)

Blackhawks Team Stats

GF/G-2.50 (27^th)
GA/G-2.95 (13^th)
PP%-21.8 (11^th)
PK%-78.5 (16^th)
SOG/G-26.0 (30^th)
SA/G-30.8 (27^th)
FO%-44.8 (29^th)
PIM/G-7:54 (13^h)

Wild Team Stats

GF/G-3.23 (12^h)
GA/G-2.36(1^st)
PP%-19.7 (18^th)
PK%-74.5 (26^th)
SOG/G-28.8 (18^th)
SA/G-29.3 (21^st)
FO%-48.7 (24^th)
PIM/G-6:35 (3^rd)

Blackhawks Probable Lines

Forwards
Taylor Hall-Connor Bedard-Philipp Kurashev
Tyler Bertuzzi-Ryan Donato-Teuvo Teravainen
Ilya Mikheyev-Jason Dickinson-Nick Foligno
Pat Maroon-Lukas Reichel-Craig Smith

Defensemen
Alex Vlasic-Connor Murphy
Wyatt Kaiser-Alec Martinez
T.J. Brodie-Louis Crevier

Scratched:
F-Joey Anderson, D-Nolan Allan

Injured:
G-Laurent Brossoit (knee), D-Seth Jones (foot)

Wild Probable Lines

Forwards
Kirill Kaprizov-Joel Eriksson Ek-Matt Boldy
Marcus Johansson-Marco Rossi-Ryan Hartman
Marcus Foligno-Frederick Gaudreau-Yakov Trenin
Devin Shore-Ben Jones-Travis Boyd

Defensemen
Jacob Middleton-Brock Faber
Declan Chisholm-Jared Spurgeon
Jon Merrill-Zach Bogosian

Scratched
None

Injured
D-Jonas Brodin (upper body), F-Jakub Lauko (lower body), F-Marat Khusnutdinov (lower body), F-Mats Zuccarello (lower body), F-Luke Toporowski (undisclosed), G-Troy Grosenick (torn ACL)

Goaltending Matchup

Petr Mrazek (7-8-0, .912 SV%, 2.63 GAA, 0 SO) vs Filip Gustasvsson (10-4-3, .929 SV%, 2 SO)

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