Corey Crawford will get the start and Brad Richards will be sidelined for the second-straight night with an upper-body injury as the Chicago Blackhawks host their central division foe the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night at the United Center.
Richards is considered day-to-day and Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said he is close, but with extra days to rest there is no rush to bring him back.
The Jets have won two straight over the Blackhawks, both in Chicago, and November’s victory came in the first of five meetings this season.
Chicago won for the third time in its past four games on Sunday despite hitting the ice with heavy hearts after hearing about the passing of assistant equipment manager Clint Reif. The Blackhawks held a moment of silence prior to the game then shutout the visiting Maple Leafs 4-0. A goal for each of Reif’s children.
Antti Raanta made 31 saves for his third career shutout, while Patrick Kane had a goal and two assists. David Rundblad, Jonathan Toews and Kris Versteeg netted a goal as well. Patrick Sharp added three assists.
Corey Crawford will make his second start since returning from an eight-game absence. He made 17 saves on 19 shots in the shutout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. He is 3-2-0 with a 1.61 goals-against average and .936 save percentage against the Jets.
Rundblad will also start as Tim Erixon is out once again.
Opponent Breakdown: Winnipeg Jets
The Jets are coming off a 2-1-1 home stand, capped by a 4-3 overtime loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. Winnipeg led 3-1, but the Flyers scored twice in the third and the game-winner just 10 seconds into the extra frame.
Former Blackhawk Dustin Byfuglien was one of three goal-scorers for the Jets, but also turned the puck over which led to the Flyers’ overtime goal. Mathieu Perreault lit the lamp to extend his seven-game point streak (3G, 4A) and Matt Halischuk snapped his 27-game goal less streak.
Ondrej Pavelec made 19 saves in the loss.
Winnipeg has been without its top four defenseman – Zach Bogosian, Toby Enstrom, Jacob Trouba and Mark Stuart – for each of its last two games. Bogosian, Enstrom and Trouba are on injured reserve while Stuart suffered a lower-body injury in a fight last week and will likely be out for the entire month of January.
The Jets are in fourth-place, seven points behind the Blackhawks in first-place in the division. They have also picked up at least a point in 11 of their last 12.
Jets coach Paul Maurice has started to split time between No. 1 goaltender Pavelec and Michael Hutchinson, who is next up in the rotation.
Hutchinson has won three of his past four games and is 7-2-2 on the season with a 1.73 GAA and .940 save percentage in 12 games. Hutchinson’s only career start against Chicago was a 33-save shutout performance on Nov. 2 at the United Center.
Injury Report
Chicago: Richards (upper-body) and Trevor vanRiemsdyk (knee)
Winnipeg: Stuart (lower-body), Trouba (upper-body), Bogosian (lower-body) and Enstrom (lower-body)
Game Information
When: 7:30 p.m. CT
Where: United Center
TV: CSN +
Radio: WGN-720
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