Blackhawks face Artemi Panarin and the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night
Can the Blackhawks be held to fewer than 10 goals this season?
After opening the season with one of the most dominant performances possible in an NHL game, the Chicago Blackhawks are back at it again on Saturday, welcoming the Columbus Blue Jackets to 1901 W. Madison for a Saturday night showdown.
Artemi Panarin highlights the roster for Columbus, acquired by the Blue Jackets in the blockbuster trade for Brandon Saad that dominated offseason headlines. Columbus was third in the eastern conference with 108 points last season, but was also third in a loaded Metropolitan Division behind the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins.
Panarin’s addition gives Columbus some much-needed offensive firepower and he had three assists in his Columbus debut last night. But this team still lives and dies largely with the performance of its goaltender, Sergei Bobrovsky. He blanked the Islanders in the season opener last night, with Columbus pouring in five goals (Pfft. Five? That’s it?) for a victory. He may not be the one in net for Columbus tonight, though.
Expectation is that G Joonas Korpisalo will start for #CBJ tonight vs. #Blackhawks
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) October 7, 2017
The schedule does a big favor for the Hawks again, with Columbus playing a game at home last night and traveling to Chicago, where the Blackhawks have been waiting to get back on the ice following Thursday’s obliteration of Pittsburgh.
Filed under the “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” column, the Blackhawks forward combos — currently averaging 10 goals per game — remain largely unchanged. The lone switch is on the fourth line, with center Tanner Kero reportedly feeling better but being scratched in favor of Tommy Wingels, an Evanston native who will make his Blackhawks debut.
It’s another 7:30 p.m. CT puck drop from the United Center.
Projected lineups
Blackhawks
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| F1 | Brandon Saad - Jonathan Toews - Richard Panik |
| F2 | Ryan Hartman - Artem Anisimov - Patrick Kane |
| F3 | Patrick Sharp - Tanner Kero - Alex DeBrincat |
| F4 | Lance Bouma - Tommy Wingels - John Hayden |
| D1 | Duncan Keith - Brent Seabrook |
| D2 | Michal Kempny - Connor Murphy |
| D3 | Gustav Forsling - Jan Rutta |
| Goaltender | Corey Crawford |
Wild
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| F1 | Nino Niederreiter - Eric Staal - Charlie Coyle |
| F2 | Marcus Foligno - Mikko Koivu - Tyler Ennis |
| F3 | Jason Zucker - Joel Eriksson EK - Chris Stewart |
| F4 | Daniel Winnik - Matt Cullen - Gustav Olofsson |
| D1 | Ryan Suter - Jared Spurgeon |
| D2 | Jonas Brodin - Mathew Dumba |
| D3 | Kyle Quincey - Mike Reilly |
| Goaltender | Devan Dubnyk |
How to watch Blackhawks vs. Blue Jackets
Start time: 7:30 p.m. CT
Location: United Center, Chicago
TV: WGN
