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Blackhawks face Artemi Panarin and the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night

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.

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

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