The Chicago Blackhawks are house for one more sport as they’re set to tackle the Vancouver Canucks at United Middle.
To this point on this homestand, they’re 1-1-0 with a loss to the Buffalo Sabres and a win over the San Jose Sharks within the house opener.
We have seen the Blackhawks dominate play at instances and be utterly caved in at different instances. They’re nonetheless on the lookout for that high-end consistency that NHL groups have to succeed.
The Canucks are one of many prime groups within the Western Convention as of late. They’re solely 2-1-2 with six standings factors out of the gate which isn’t spectacular however they’ve Stanley Cup aspirations.
Vancouver’s prime talent is without doubt one of the issues that makes them a respectable menace to win the convention and presumably be the final group standing.
One in all their greatest scorers, J.T. Miller, has been battling an damage however he must be good to play on this one in opposition to the Hawks. Additionally they produce other spectacular prime gamers up entrance like Brock Boeser, Elias Pettersson, and Jake DeBrusk who can all rating.
The engine of every part in Vancouver, nonetheless, comes within the type of their captain Quinn Hughes. Scorching off of his Norris Trophy-winning season as the very best defenseman within the NHL, he’s poised to guide his group to the subsequent stage.
After profitable the Pacific Division and a playoff spherical in 2024, they have been defeated within the second spherical by the eventual Western Convention champion Edmonton Oilers. They’re out to get the job accomplished this time round.
To beat a highly-skilled squad just like the Canucks, the Hawks have to match up their talent the precise method. For Chicago, that begins and ends with Connor Bedard who hails from Vancouver, British Columbia.
Bedard and Hughes are two of probably the most thrilling younger gamers within the NHL proper now. With the Norris Trophy winner in opposition to the Calder Trophy winner, there are positive to be some particular moments on the ice.
They each are extremely nifty, quick, artistic and have fantastic photographs. If they’re ever on the ice on the identical time, one thing cool is certain to occur. These are the sorts of gamers that drive ticket gross sales.
Philipp Kurashev was Chicago’s second-best ahead in 2023-24. He has had a sluggish begin to this season offensively as he has only one aim and no assists in six video games. His defensive sport has been good although.
Luke Richardson on Philipp Kurashev probably being a wholesome scratch on Tuesday vs. Vancouver: “I simply did not assume he had an awesome sport. … We simply want extra from him.” #Blackhawks
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) October 21, 2024
Luke Richardson on Philipp Kurashev, who’s prone to be a wholesome scratch on Tuesday: “To me, he’s a man that I’ve gotten used to relying on and he can’t play the way in which he did the final sport for me to proceed to depend on him like that. I do know he’ll use it as a little bit of a wake-up…
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) October 21, 2024
It appears as if Luke Richardson goes to make Kurashev a wholesome scratch on this sport in opposition to Vancouver which is a curious determination. Positive, he wants to attain extra and be higher at creating.
Nevertheless, taking a powerful defensive ahead that has some offensive edge out of the lineup in opposition to this expert Canucks group does not seem to be a good suggestion. We’ll see the way it pays off.
#Blackhawks lineup at follow:
Foligno-Bedard-Teravainen
Corridor-Athanasiou-Bertuzzi
Mikheyev-Dickinson-Donato
Maroon-Reichel-SmithVlasic-Jones
Kaiser-Murphy
Allan-BrodieMrazek
SoderblomExtras: Anderson, Kurashev, Phillips
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) October 21, 2024
The transfer to scratch Kurashev will pressure some strikes with the ahead traces. Richardson goes to strive Lukas Reichel at middle once more and he could have Craig Smith on his wing together with Patrick Maroon. Reichel and Smith have some good chemistry proper now.
Hockey followers can anticipate some fairly performs being made recurrently right here on this one. Will probably be onerous to match Vancouver’s expertise when you’re Chicago however they’ve the blokes to make it fascinating.
This sport goes to be part of NHL Frozen Frenzy. All 32 groups are going to be taking part in with staggered instances. Do not be stunned if this is without doubt one of the extra thrilling video games of the bunch with all of this high-end talent.
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