The Blackhawks play their second preseason game of a three-day stretch when they visit the Red Wings on Tuesday in Detroit.
Chicago dropped its preseason opener 4-3 in overtime to the Capitals on Monday in Washington, D.C. Aleksi Saarela scored, Alex Nylander and Adam Boqvist each had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks. Collin Delia made 25 saves.
Tuesday’s lineup will feature more NHL players for Chicago with Alex DeBrincat, Drake Caggiula, Connor Murphy and Dylan Strome. Andrew Shaw and Zack Smith will play in their first game since be acquired in the offseason.
Six players that were active Monday will skate Tuesday as well: forwards Jacob Nilsson, Brendan Perlini, Anton Wedin and defensemen Nicolas Beaudin, Carl Dahlstrom and Slater Koekkoek. Perlini led all skaters with eight shot attempts and five shots on goal in Washington.
Goaltender Robin Lehner, defenseman Philip Holm, forwards Andrew Shaw and Zack Smith will play in their first game with Chicago since being acquired in the offseason. Holm will be paired with Slater Koekkoek on the second pairing. Shaw will be at right wing on the top line with Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Strome, while Smith will be at left wing on the second line with Drake Caggiula and prospect MacKenzie Entwistle centering the trio.
#Blackhawks changing it up again. Robin Lehner now scheduled to start and play entire game in goal vs. Red Wings in Detroit.
— Chris Kuc (@ChrisKuc) September 17, 2019
It’ll also be Dominik Kubalik’s debut. He was named MVP of Switzerland’s National League after scoring 57 points (25 goals, 32 assists), and could be a top-nine option at left wing this season.
#Blackhawks power play units for tonight’s preseason game vs. Detroit:
PP1: DeBrincat-Strome-Shaw-Kubalik-Holm
PP2: Perlini-Nilsson-Entwistle-Krys-Carlsson— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) September 17, 2019
What to watch for:
- How will Shaw look with DeBrincat and Strome?/
This line could be a realistic second-line option for coach Jeremy Colliton this season. If they do well that could point to Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews staying on the top line together and Brendan Perlini staying in the bottom six.
- Will Carl Dahlstrom and Connor Murphy be effective together?/
The duo looked like a potential shutdown pairing at times last season, but were inconsistent. This is an opportunity for Dahlstrom to show he can be a seventh defenseman for the NHL club.
- Can Kubalik create scoring chances?/
Kubalik hasn’t played a game in North America since his junior days in the OHL with Kitchener in 2014. He was able to score easily in the Czech Extraliga and National League, but will those scoring opportunities translate on a smaller ice surface with more physical play?
Lineups
Blackhawks
DeBrincat — Strome — Shaw
Smith — Entwistle — Caggiula
Kubalik — Nilsson — Perlini
Fortin — Johnson — Wedin
Dahlstrom — Murphy
Holm — Koekkoek
Carlsson — Krys (Beaudin)
Lehner
Lankinen
Red Wings
Hirose — Rasmussen — Svechnikov
Elson — Pearson — Puempel
Terry — Turgeon — Ford
Glendening — de la Rose
Hronek — Beneth
Cholowski — Bowey
Hicketts — McIlrath
Howard
Pickard
How to watch
When: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday
Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit
TV: NBC Sports Chicago-Plus