Game 25 Preview And Open Thread: Blackhawks vs. Coyotes
Puck Drop: Nov. 30, 7:30 PM CST
Chicago Blackhawks
Record: 13-9-2
Points: 28
Place: t-2nd in Central, t-4th in Western Conference
Power Play Percentage/Rank: 19.8%, 3rd in West, 10th in NHL
Penalty Kill Percentage/Rank: 83.1%, 7th in West, 11th in NHL
Blackhawks Team Statistics
vs.
Phoenix Coyotes
Record: 11-11-0
Points: 22
Place: 4th in Pacific, 11th in Western Conference
Power Play Percentage/Rank: 14.1%, 12th in West, 26th in NHL
Penalty Kill Percentage/Rank: 81.7%, t-9th in West, t-17th in NHL
Coyotes Team Statistics
Offense
1st line: LW Ruutu - C Lang - RW Havlat
2nd line: LW Sharp - C Toews - RW Kane
3rd line: LW Burish - C Perreault - RW Samsonov
4th line: LW Koci - C Fraser - RW Lapointe
Defense
1st pairing: Keith/Seabrook
2nd pairing: Zyuzin/Sopel
3rd pairing: Vandermeer/Byfuglien
Goalie
Khabibulin
Scratches: Johansson (Healthy), Williams (Groin), Wisniewski (Concussion)
Injured Reserve: Bourque, Adams, Dowell
Tonight is the second of 11 home games that will be televised by Comcast Sports Net this year for the Hawks. Chicago is coming off a great effort in which they knocked off the Lightning by a score of 5-1 on Wednesday night, as Martin Havlat scored two goals and Patrick Kane assisted on three as the 'Hawks controlled the play all night long.
The Coyotes last played Wednesday as well, and fell to the Wild 3-1 in Minnesota. They are led offensively by forwards Shane Doan, Radim Vrbata (ex-Hawk, of course) Steven Reinprecht and defenseman Ed Jovanovski (who is missing tonight's game due to a suspension stemming from a hit in Minnesota that he delivered).
If the Hawks play half as good as they did against Tampa Bay, I think they will definitely come out of this one with a win. Phoenix hasn't played themselves to a great record this year, so the Blackhawks need to avoid playing down to the competition tonight.
