The Chicago Blackhawks has three games on tap this week all against Eastern Conference teams. Chicago hosts Philadelphia (Tuesday) and Toronto (Saturday) with a visit to Columbus (Friday) mixed in between.
Let’s take a look at the upcoming week in Blackhawks’ hockey (all times Central):
Monday – Off day
There are four games on the schedule with three of them featuring Western Conference teams. San Jose visits the Rangers in Madison Square Garden, while Central Division teams Colorado is in Pittsburgh for its road game of the season. Winnipeg hosts Boston.
IceHogs: Idle
Central Division: COL at PITT, BOS at WPG
Tuesday – Flyers at Blackhawks, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN, CSN-C)
Chicago will look for back-to-back for the first time this season when the Hawks hosts the Flyers. The two teams also met last season in the Hawks’ fourth game of the season, resulting in a 3-0 home win for Philadelphia. The Flyers swept the season series last season.
IceHogs: Idle
Central Division: COL at WSH, DAL at NSH, LAK at MINN, STL at VAN
Wednesday – Off day
All eyes will be in Winnipeg when No. 1 draft pick Auston Matthews and the Maple Leafs visit No. 2 pick Patrik Laine and the Jets. Stateside, NBCSN’s “Rivalry Night” game will have the Rangers hosting Detroit.
IceHogs: Idle
Central Division: Idle
Thursday – Off day
There are 11 games on the schedule, highlighted by a Stanley Cup rematch with San Jose visiting Pittsburgh. Five Central teams are in action, highlighted by Nail Yakupov’s return to Edmonton for the first time since being traded to St. Louis.
Elsewhere, two fun games to watch will be the Panthers hosting the Capitals and Carolina in Calgary.
IceHogs: Idle
Central Division: COL at TBL, TOR at MINN, LAK at DAL, STL at EDM
Friday – Blackhawks at Blue Jackets, 6 p.m. (CSNC)
Chicago will visit ex-Hawk Brandon Saad and Columbus. Corey Crawford and the Hawks split the season series last season. Crawford made 22 saves in the first meeting then stopped 20 shots in a 5-4 overtime loss in the season finale. Saad had a goal and an assist in Columbus’ win.
IceHogs: Rockford visits Grand Rapids (Red Wings), 6 p.m.
Central Division: NSH at DET
Saturday – Maple Leafs at Blackhawks, 6 p.m. (WGN)
The Hawks three-game week wraps up with Matthews, the No. 1 overall pick, visiting the United Center. Matthews scored four goals in his NHL debut in Ottawa. Scott Darling and Patrick Kane dominated Toronto last season. Darling stopped 63 shots across the two games and Kane tallied four points in each game, including a hat trick in Toronto.
IceHogs: Rockford hosts Milwaukee (Predators), 7 p.m.
Central Division: COL at FLA, MINN at NJ, PITT at NSH, CBJ at DAL, STL at CGY
Sunday – Off Day
There’s a doubleheader on NHL Network with the Oilers in Winnipeg at 2 p.m. before Arizona drops the puck in New York against the Rangers at 6 p.m. The other two games on the schedule have Minnesota at Barclays Center against the Islanders and Anaheim hosting Vancouver in a Pacific Division tilt.
IceHogs: Rockford hosts Cleveland (Blue Jackets), 4 p.m.
Central Division: EDM at WPG, MINN at NYI