Blackhawks Game Day Preview: A chance for rare back-to-back wins versus Islanders

Chicago Blackhawks (9-17-2, 20 pts) @ New York Islanders (11-12-7, 29 pts)
6:30 pm CT – UBS Arena
TV: CHSN (Ball/Pang)
Radio: 720 AM (Wiedeman/Murray)

The Chicago Blackhawks will look to win back-to-back games for just the second time this season when they take on the New York Islanders tonight. They are looking to sweep their way through New York after beating the Rangers 2-1 on Tuesday night. The Islanders lost 3-1 to the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday.

This should be a low-scoring game, as both teams are near the bottom of the league in scoring. Both goaltenders have been on their game of late, as Ilya Sorokin has regained his form that saw him be a Veniza Trophy finalist in 2022-23. He will make his seventh straight start for the Islanders tonight. Islanders’ leading scoring Anders Lee will be a game-time decision as an illness has been making its way through New York’s locker room.

Related Artice – How Chicago’s playstyle has changed under Anders Sorensen

Both teams have struggled in the third period. The Islanders have allowed 41 third-period goals this season, the most of any team. Only the Pittsburgh Penguins have allowed more, with 44. The Blackhawks have given up the fourth-most goals in the third period, with 37. The Islanders have a minus-16 goal differential in the final frame, while the Blackhawks have a minus-19.

Special teams could be the deciding factor in tonight’s game. The Islanders have the NHL’s worst penalty kill at 65.6%. They are even worse on home ice at 51.9%. The problem will be getting power-play chances. The Blackhawks have drawn the second-fewest penalties in the league this season (81), while the Islanders have taken the second-fewest (74).

Season Series

12/12 @NYI
12/15 vs NYI

Quotables

“At the end of the day, it’s about the players. It’s their team. It’s their group. I’m just nudging them along here. You’re learning every day – little things here and there. I’ve been talking to the older guys about their experience in certain situations. The staff around me, they’re the best. To lean on them and get input from them.”

Anders Sorensen

“He’s a good person, first and foremost, and that’s a huge part of why he’s so successful. He’s a really smart hockey player. His thoughts on things are really important because he watches a lot of hockey. I watch a lot of hockey, and we exchange some ideas. It comes back to the players are the ones playing. Sometimes, they see things we don’t as coaches, and trying to get their feel for that is important.”

Sorensen on Connor Bedard

“We’re at our best when we’re pushing the pace. Especially with the lead…you don’t really want to just sit back and just watch them and try to not get scored on. They’re not going to score from their own end. That was our mindset going in.”

Connor Bedard

Blackhawks Team Leaders

G-Ryan Donato (10)
A-Connor Bedard (16)
P-Connor Bedard (21)
PPG-Teuvo Teravainen (4)
SOG-Bedard (69)
PIM-Connor Murphy (32)

Islanders Team Leaders

G-Anders Lee (13)
A-Bo Horvat (14)
P-Lee (24)
PPG-Lee (3)
SOG-Lee (93)
PIM-Scott Mayfield (21)

Blackhawks Team Stats

GF/G-2.39 (30^th)
GA/G-3.11 (20^th)
PP%-23.3 (11^th)
PK%-82.5 (6^th)
SOG/G-25.8 (30^th)
SA/G-30.4 (27^th)
FO%-44.1 (30^th)
PIM/G-7:27 (10th)

Islanders Team Stats

GF/G-2.53 (28^th)
GA/G-2.97 (15^th)
PP%-23.2 (31^st)
PK%-65.6 (32^nd)
SOG/G-28.2 (20^th)
SA/G-28.7 (17^th)
FO%-54.8 (1^st)
PIM/G-5:14 (1^st)

Blackhawks Probable Lines

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

Defensemen
Alex Vlasic-Wyatt Kaiser
Nolan Allan-Connor Murphy
Kevin Korchinski-T.J. Brodie

Scratched:
D-Louis Crevier, F-Joey Anderson

Injured:
G-Laurent Brossoit (knee), D-Seth Jones (foot), G-Petr Mrazek (groin), Alec Martinez (neck)

Islanders Probable Lines

Forwards
Maxim Tsyplakov-Bo Horvat-J.G. Pageau
Anders Lee-Brock Nelson-Kyle Palmieri
Simon Holmstrom-Casey-Cizikas-Pierre Engvall
Matt Martin-Kyle MacLean-Oliver Wahlstrom

Defensemen
Alexander Romanov-Ryan Pulock
Dennis Cholowski-Noah Dobson
Isaiah George-Scott Mayfield

Scratched
F-Hudson Fasching, D-Grant Hutton

Injured
D-Adam Pelech (jaw), F-Matthew Barzal (upper body), D-Mike Reilly (heart), F-Anthony Duclair (leg), G-Semyon Varlamov (lower body)

Goaltending Matchup

Arvid Soderblom (2-6-1, .921 SV%, 2.41 GAA, 0 SO) vs Ilya Sorokin (8-8-4, .912 SV%, 2.58, 1 SO)

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