Two hot teams will clash when the Blackhawks host the Hurricanes on Tuesday night at the United Center.
The Blackhawks (9-7-4) are riding a season-high four-game winning streak, and have outscored their opponents 21-10 during that span. Carolina (12-7-1), meanwhile, has won three straight and outscored its opponents 17-9 during that stretch.
In order, the Blackhawks last four games goals allowed: 4, 3, 2, 1.
Obviously, a shutout is coming tonight.
Or not. The Hurricanes have 17 goals in their last three games.
— Jimmy Greenfield (@jcgreenx) November 19, 2019
Rookie Kirby Dach scored twice, and Corey Crawford made 33 saves to lift the Blackhawks to a 4-1 win over the Sabres on Sunday night. Dach, who was the third overall pick in this year’s NHL draft, has four goals and two assists during his four-game point streak. Patrick Kane also extended his point streak to nine games with a third-period goal. Kane, who turned 31 years old Tuesday, has 17 points (eight goals, nine assists) during that span, and leads the team in goals (11), assists (15) and points (26).
Despite a 0-4 career record against Carolina, Robin Lehner is expected to start in net. He’s been one of the better goaltenders this season with the second-best goals saved above average (11.08) to Arizona’s Darcy Kuemper (12.20) and the fourth-best save percentage (.936).
Carolina will try to make franchise history Tuesday with its first regular-season road trip sweep of at least three games. The Hurricanes enter the game off a 4-3 overtime win over the Wild on Saturday. Andrei Svechnikov scored the game-winner off an assist from Dougie Hamilton as both players earned their team-leading 22nd point of the season. Both players have identical point totals with nine goals and 13 assists.
The Hurricanes will be without forward Erik Haula, who played the first two games of the road trip, but coach Rod Brind’Amour said Haula will not be back “any time soon.” Eetu Luostarinen will draw into the lineup after being recalled from the AHL. The 21-year-old had an assist in three NHL games earlier this season and had eight points (five goals, three assists) in 12 AHL games.
Wheaton native Ryan Dzingel will play against his hometown team. Dzingel, who signed a two-year deal with Carolina as a free agent after being a trade deadline acquisition with Columbus, hasn’t found much success against Chicago with two assists in seven games with the Senators.
Carolina is expected to have Petr Mrazek in net against Chicago once again. He posted a 32-save shutout earlier this season against the Blackhawks, and is 9-3-1 with a .904 save percentage and a minus-1.26 GSAA this season.
Jaccob “Buckets” Slavin 🏀 pic.twitter.com/0zlCaSPxMG
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) November 18, 2019
Series history
Carolina won the first game of the season series 4-0 on Oct. 26 in Raleigh. Svechnikov scored twice, and Nino Niederreiter and Jordan Staal had one goal each. It was the Blackhawks’ fourth straight loss to the Hurricanes. Chicago’s last win in regulation against Carolina came in a 2-1 home victory Jan. 6, 2017.
Chicago head coach Jeremy Colliton made his NHL coaching debut last season against Carolina in a 4-3 loss.
Tale of the tape
Blackhawks — Statistic — Hurricanes
46.0% (29th) — Corsi For — 54.4% (1st)
48.6% (25th) — Faceoffs — 50.8% (10th)
3.05 (15th) — Goals per game — 3.45 (8th)
2.85 (22nd) — Goals against per game — 2.95 (18th)
14.5% (t-25th) — Power play — 23.8% (8th)
80.0% (18th) — Penalty kill — 83.3% (11th)
Lineups
Blackhawks
Saad — Toews — Nylander
DeBrincat — Strome — Kane
Shaw — Kampf — Kubalik
Carpenter — Dach — Smith
Keith — Gustafsson
De Haan — Seabrook
Maatta — Murphy
Lehner
Crawford
Hurricanes
Dzingel — Staal — Foegele
Svechnikov — Aho — Teravainen
Niederreiter — Wallmark — Necas
McGinn — Luostarinen — Martinook
Slavin — Hamilton
Edmundson — Pesce
Gardiner — van Riemsdyk
Mrazek
Reimer
How to watch
When: 7:30 p.m.
Where: United Center, Chicago
TV: NBC Sports Chicago
Live stream: NBC Sports app