The Blackhawks start their first North American road trip this season in search of their first victory away from the United Center on Tuesday when they visit the Predators in Nashville.
Chicago is 0-2 this season on the road, with a 4-3 loss in its season opener to the Flyers in Prague then a 4-0 shutout loss to the Hurricanes last Saturday. The loss in Carolina was the Blackhawks’ fourth straight overall, but Chicago snapped its skid with a 5-1 beat down of a bad Kings team Sunday at home.
Blackhawks head coach Jeremy Colliton reunited Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Strome, and the duo combined for three goals in the win. DeBrincat and Strome are now tied for second on the team in scoring with seven points each behind Patrick Kane’s nine (three goals, six assists).
Slater Koekkoek had two assists Sunday, and moved up to the second pairing with Olli Maatta while veteran Brent Seabrook watched from above as a healthy scratch for only the second time in his NHL career. The Blackhawks did not conduct line rushes during their morning skate Tuesday, but head coach Jeremy Colliton confirmed the same lineup will be used and Seabrook will sit as a healthy scratch for a second straight game.
Robin Lehner quietly had 38 saves Sunday and will start in net again over Corey Crawford. Lehner is 2-1-2 and has allowed at least four goals in his last three outings against Nashville. Crawford has faced the Predators 27 times, but hasn’t been between the pipes against Nashville since Oct. 27, 2017, in a 2-1 home loss. Prior to that last outing, Crawford backstopped four straight wins.
The Predators are riding hot like Prince’s Hot Chicken with three consecutive wins, including a 3-2 overtime win Saturday at Tampa Bay.
Ryan Ellis netted the game-winning goal to tie him with Roman Josi for the team lead with 13 points in 11 games. Matt Duchene, who signed a seven-year deal with Nashville in July as a free agent, is right behind the duo with 11 points (two goals, nine assists) in 10 outings.
In 19 games against the Blackhawks since 2015, Duchene has found plenty of success with a remarkable 16 points (seven goals, nine assists). His point total puts him in a tie for sixth in scoring against Chicago in the past five seasons, while Ryan Johansen is in a tie for fifth at 17 points (two goals, 15 assists) in the same span and amount of games.
The Predators will be without winger Filip Forsberg, who has missed the past five games with a lower-body injury. Forsberg has 14 points (eight goals, six assists) in 21 career games against the Blackhawks.
Nashville held an optional skate Tuesday and did not name a starting goaltender. Pekka Rinne, who is 6-0-1 with a 1.98 goals-against average this season, could be back in net after Juuse Saros stopped 28 of 30 shots in the Predators’ latest win. Rinne has backstopped five of Nashville’s last six wins against Chicago.
Last season
The Blackhawks went 1-2-1 against the Predators with Chicago’s lone win coming on home ice in a 2-1 victory Dec. 18, 2018, with Collin Delia in net. Cam Ward started all three losses. Kane scored a team-high five points (all assists) against the Predators last season, including at least one in each game. Erik Gustafsson had a goal and two assists.
Chicago’s last victory in Nashville came earlier that year during the 2017-18 season, a 2-1 win Jan. 30, 2018.
Tale of the tape
Blackhawks — Statistic — Predators
49.2% (20th) — Corsi For — 48.8% (17th)
49.8% (17th) — Faceoffs — 51.4% (8th)
2.50 (25th) — Goals per game — 4.09 (1st)
3.00 (t-16th) — Goals against per game — 3.00 (t-16th)
9.70% (26th) — Power play — 21.9% (15th)
73.3% (26th) — Penalty kill — 71.4% (27th)
Lineups
Blackhawks
Caggiula — Toews — Kane
Kubalik — Kampf — Nylander
Saad — Dach — Shaw
DeBrincat — Carpenter — Strome
Keith — De Haan
Maatta — Koekkoek
Gilbert — Gustafsson
Lehner
Crawford
Predators
Jarnkrok — Johansen — Arvidsson
Granlund — Turris — Duchene
Grimaldi — Bonino — Smith
Salomaki — Sissons — Watson
Josi — Ellis
Ekholm — Fabbro
Hamhuis — Irwin
Rinne
Saros
How to watch
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville
TV: NBC Sports Chicago
Live stream: NBC Sports app