Blackhawks Gameday Preview: Blackhawks hope to avoid another National TV embarrassment facing Avalanche

Chicago Blackhawks (13-25-2, 28 pts) vs Colorado Avalanche (25-15-1, 51 pts)
6:30 p.m. CT – United Center
TV: TNT (Burke/Pang/Redmond)
Radio: WGN 720 AM (Wiedeman/Murray)

After playing in the least-watched Winter Classic in the history of the event, and then playing in maybe the least-watched nationally broadcasted game in the NHL ever, the Chicago Blackhawks find themselves once again playing to a national audience when they welcome the Colorado Avalanche to Chicago tonight on TNT. The Blackhawks come into this game having lost four of their last five games while being out-scored 25-11 over that stretch, while the Avalanche are 8-1-1 in their last ten games and having 13 wins on the road this season, tied for the second-most of any team in the league.

Captain Nick Foligno and his Blackhawks teammates understand the fan base's frustration, and, to them, it feels "1000% worse." pic.twitter.com/Ln1pVOJ5oe

— CHGO Blackhawks (@CHGO_Blackhawks) January 7, 2025

Much has been made about the identity of the Blackhawks this season while they have been going through this really rough stretch, but it has also been a question ever since the rebuilding process started in the 2021-22 season. “Being a hard team to play against” is the go-to description from inside the locker room for what the Blackhawks want their identity to be. While that has been seen in small samples over the past two+ seasons, the Blackhawks have been unable to play within that identity for significant stretches of time.

In their most recent win, Chicago won individual battles and answered the physical challenge presented to them by the Montreal Canadiens in a 4-2 win on January 3. Following that game, Captain Nick Foligno promised “Blackhawks hockey the way you expect it,” but the effort was followed up with an embarrassing 6-2 loss to the reeling New York Rangers.

Connor Bedard on the Blackhawks’ search for an identity and how the young players factor into it
(Q’s :@BenPopeCST & @ByScottPowers) pic.twitter.com/rEM3oBfWGc

— CHGO Blackhawks (@CHGO_Blackhawks) January 8, 2025

Physical play is one thing, but being hard to play against isn’t strictly a mentality of going around and hitting everything that moves on the ice. “Being hard to play against is different for everyone,” Connor Bedard said following Wednesday’s morning skate. “There’s guys that are going to be throwing big hits, but that’s not really me. I just need to make smart plays and win my battles and do what I can to be in the offensive zone. Being hard to play against isn’t just physicality, it’s when you don’t have the puck.”

That’s the right mentality to have, but the Blackhawks will have their work cut out for them against a tough Colorado Avalanche team that will be without Jonathan Drouin tonight, will skate 11 forwards and 7 defensemen, and will be starting Trent Miner in net, making his NHL debut.

Bedard comes into tonight’s game on a career-long seven-game point streak with three goals and nine points over that span of time. He continues to lead the team in points (35) and is on a 72-point pace this season.

Tyler Bertuzzi enters the game on a three-game goal streak and has six goals in his last seven games. Bertuzzi has found success alongside Bedard at five-on-five and on the powerplay and has taken the team-lead in goals this season (14). Bertuzzi is on-pace for his fifth 20+ goal season, scoring at a 29-goal pace this year.

Season Series

10/28/24 at COL – 5-2 W
1/8/25 vs COL
3/10/25 at COL
4/2/25 vs COL

Blackhawks Team Leaders

G-Tyler Bertuzzi (14)
A-Connor Bedard (25)
P-Connor Bedard (35)
PPG-Tyler Bertuzzi (6)
SOG-Connor Bedard (98)
PIM-Tyler Bertuzzi, Pat Maroon (39)

Avalanche Team Leaders

G-Mikko Rantanen (24)
A-Nathan MacKinnon (52)
P-Nathan MacKinnon (66)
PPG-Mikko Rantanen (8)
SOG-Nathan MacKinnon (156)
PIM-Nathan MacKinnon (25)

Blackhawks Team Stats

GF/G-2.53 (30th)
GA/G-3.43 (28th)
PP%-23.3 (13th)
PK%-83.6 (5th)
SOG/G-25.6 (29th)
SA/G-30.2 (28th)
FO%-43.9 (31st)
PIM/G-8:30 (16th)

Avalanche Team Stats

GF/G-3.39 (5th)
GA/G-3.17 (21st)
PP%-22.8 (14th)
PK%-77.6 (22nd)
SOG/G-29.5 (11th)
SA/G-26.7 (6th)
FO%-44.7 (30th)
PIM/G-7:13 (9th)

Blackhawks Probable Lines

Forwards
Tyler Bertuzzi-Connor Bedard-Ilya Mikheyev
Taylor Hall-Jason Dickinson-Nick Foligno
Colton Dach-Frank Nazar-Teuvo Teräväinen
Craig Smith-Lukas Reichel-Ryan Donato

Defensemen
Alex Vlasic-Louis Crevier
Wyatt Kaiser-Seth Jones
Nolan Allan-T.J. Brodie

Scratched:
Pat Maroon, Philipp Kurashev

Injured:
Laurent Brossoit (knee), Alec Martinez (neck), Connor Murphy (OUT)

Avalanche Probable Lines

Forwards
???-Nathan MacKinnon-Mikko Rantanen
Artturi Lehkonen-Casey Mittelstadt-Ross Colton
Joel Kiviranta-Parker Kelly-Logan O’Connor
Tye Felhaber-Juuso Parssinen-Jere Innala

Defensemen
Devon Toews-Cale Makar
Sam Girard-Josh Manson
Keaton Middelton-Sam Malinski
Calvin de Haan

Scratched
John Ludvig

Injured
Gabriel Landeskog (IR), Tucker Poolman (IR), Valeri Nichushkin (DTD), Scott Wedgewood (OUT), Jonathan Drouin (OUT), Oliver Kylington (IR), Miles Wood (IR)

Probable Goaltending Matchup

Petr Mrázek (7-14-1, .893 SV%, 3.39 GAA, 0 SO) vs Trent Miner (8-5-3, .903 SV%, 2.47 GAA, 0 SO** AHL Stats)