Alex DeBrincat will make his first preseason start for the Chicago Blackhawks when they visit the Pittsburgh Penguins at 6:05 p.m. Friday at the Consol Energy Center.
DeBrincat, the team’s second-round pick in this year’s draft, surpassed 50 assists in each of the last two seasons, with 53 in 2014-15 and 50 in 2015-16. And while his point total did fall from 104 in 2014-15 to 101 last season, his points per game rate climbed from 1.5 to 1.68, as he appeared in eight fewer games (60 rather than 68). His performance in the CHL playoffs also improved last year, as he improved from 16 points in 20 games in 2014-15 to 19 points in just 13 games last season.
Lars Johansson will start in net for Chicago. The 28-year-old signed a one-year deal with Chicago in May. He has played the last three seasons with Frolunda HC in the Swedish Hockey League, posting a 56-27-0 record with 11 shutouts in 93 games.
The Swedish netminder will split time in net with Mac Curruth, who went 6-5-2 with a 2.30 GAA and .926 save percentage in 33 games last season for AHL Rockford after being called up from ECHL Indianapolis. With Michael Leighton’s departure, Curruth and Johansson will battle for the No. 1 job in Rockford.
The Hawks dropped its preseason opener to the Penguins, 2-0, on Wednesday.
Blackhawks morning state lines:
Fortin-Hinostroza-Hartman
Motte-Kero-Baun
DeBrincat-Knott-Schmaltz
Labrie-Desjardins-Lundberg— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) September 30, 2016
Blackhawks defenseman pairings during the morning skate:
Forsling-Gustafsson
Kempny-Rozsival
Dahlstrom-van Riemsdyk
Norell-Hjalmarsson— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) September 30, 2016
Penguins are 1-1 in preseason
Chris Kunitz scored twice and Tristan Jarry stopped all 30 shots he faced in the shutout win over the Hawks.
Marc-Andre Fleury will start in net for the Penguins. He stopped 16 of the 19 shots he saw during two periods in the Penguins’ preseason opening loss to Detroit.
Pens lines:
Kuhnhackl-Porter-Sestito
Guentzel-Rowney-Simon
Wilson-Fehr-Sheary
G.Wilson-Dea-Archibald
Pouliot-Daley
Dumoulin-Schultz
Oleksy/McNeill-Warsofsky
How to watch
When: 6:05 p.m. CT
Where: Consol Energy Center, Pittsburgh
TV: WGN