The Chicago Blackhawks will host the Vancouver Canucks Tuesday night at the United Center for their third game of a four-game home stand.
The Canucks had a rocky start with three straight losses but are currently riding a two game win streak, momentum they’re hoping will continue in Chicago. Despite the losses, the team has been at least competitive in the other three matches, and they did earn a point in four of their five games.
The major issue with Vancouver so far has been the offense as they’ve scored just 2.8 goals per game, tied for 23rd worst conversion rate in the league. Brock Boeser (3 G, 2 A), Conor Garland (2 G, 2 A), and Jake DeBrusk (1 G, 3 A) are all close to a point per game while J.T. Miller, Teddy Blueger, and Nils Hoglander have two goals and three points each, but the rest of the forward group is running on fumes at the moment. From the backend, defenseman Quinn Hughes is right up there in terms of points with the top forwards with one goal and three assists, but he’s basically the only defender really contributing to the offense. The Canucks scored three goals in their last two games, they potted five in their opening game against the Calgary Flames, and a similar roster managed 3.40 goals per game last year (sixth best), so their team can score in theory — they just haven’t consistently yet.
Defensively, it’s been another story: the Canucks have been one of the best at limiting shots on goal (26.82 per 60, fifth best) — driven largely in part to their excellent penalty kill where they are the second best in shots against (34.35 per 60) — even if they their 5-on-5 shot suppression numbers are more middling (28.03 per 60, 16th best). Their top-four of Hughes and Filip Hronek as well as Tyler Myers and Carson Soucy have been near the top defenders in the league defensively in the short season so far.
As for lines for Tuesday night, the Canucks will roll a similar roster as they did against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday. The only question mark for them is whether J.T. Miller will play. He’s usually the No. 1 center, but he took a maintenance day on Monday and is a game time decision. Pius Suter will skate in his spot if Miller is unable to play.
The Blackhawks will see familiar face in net as Kevin Lankinen will be the starter. Lankinen has won his last two games, including a 26-save shutout in Philadelphia, and only gave up four goals on 85 shots for a .953 save-percentage and 3.9 goals saved above expected on the season.
As for the Blackhawks, they’re coming off a 4-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres, another team in the midst of a rebuild (like always) but whose current roster is much younger. Craig Smith scored twice and Lukas Reichel had the primary assist on both goals to make the game close, but the Sabres scored in the waning minutes of the second and were able to hold on for the win despite being outshot 37-22 overall. Good effort and a winnable game that just didn’t go the Blackhawks’ way.
There were a couple of major shifts with the lines the Blackhawks rolled at practice on Monday and repeated at morning skate Tuesday:
The biggest change in the lineup obviously is that Philipp Kurashev is a healthy scratch and will be replaced by Andreas Anthanisou as second-line center. Richardson had this to say about the decision:
Rant coming…
While it’s true that Kurashev has not been as good offensively the last two games, he’s been solid defensively, so it’s still baffling why he alone is being singled out as if there were not several players with issues the last two games. TJ Brodie, for example, has been the worst Blackhawks player in those two games, but he’s only being demoted to the bottom pairing versus being sat in a similar fashion. If we’re talking equivalency, Kurashev could have been demoted to the fourth line instead, which disrupts that line less as well (more on that below) and gives them a defensive boost. We saw the same preferrencial treatment be given to the likes of Jarred Tinordi last year, where it often didn’t matter how terrible he was on the ice, he suited up to skate more often than not. There’s even an argument to be made that Kurashev’s issues are at least partially due to the roster construction: the lack of natural centers means he’s in a position he can play but has not excelled at and has been better suited at wing.
Plus, this move impacts the fourth line in two ways: it breaks up the only line that got any results in the last game, and it’s forcing Lukas Reichel back to center, a position he also is not suited for currently in the NHL. If Reichel does not have a good game after the position shift, will Richardson use that as a reason to then healthy scratch Reichel? It’s a legitimate concern. It also makes you wonder: if Richardson is going to put Reichel at center (despite his issues there), why not put him on the second-line with top-six talent? The only benefit to scratching Kurashev is freeing up a top-nine spot for Reichel. Athansiou getting the reward when he was mostly a passenger in the last game to Reichel and Craig Smih is definitely a choice.
Rant over!
The power play units practice were as follows:
Petr Mrazek was in the starter’s net at morning skate, so he’s the guy against Vancouver:
Also quick injury updates: Alec Martinez could be game ready as soon as the next road trip, and doctors will a yay or nay on Artyom Levshunov and/or Laurent Brossoit this week (possibly today). If cleared, Levshunov would be sent to play with the Rockford IceHogs and Brossoit would stay with the Blackhawks.
Additionally, Levshunov gave a little more information on when he sustained his injury, stating it actually predated the shot block in training camp:
Tale of the Tape
Blackhawks — Statistic — Canucks
43.71% (32nd) — 5-on-5 Corsi For — 51.45% (10th)
42.37% (31st) — 5-on-5 Expected goals for — 52.32% (8th)
2.17 (32nd) — Goals per game — 3.40 (6th)
3.52 (29th) — Goals against per game — 2.70 (T-5th)
46.3% (29th) — Faceoffs — 52.1% (8th)
16.60% (28th) — Power play — 22.7% (T-10th)
75.76% (27th) — Penalty kill — 79.1% (17th)
(All stats from last season)
How to Watch
When: 7:15 p.m. CT
Where: United Center, Chicago
TV: CHSN (How to Watch) And if this stuff isn’t sorted out by November we may start posting a lengthy list of places to pirate streams of the game for free. Only, like, sorta kidding.
Webstream: ESPN+
Radio: WGN 720