Preview: Blackhawks at Blue Jackets
Send a link to a friend
[October 21, 2016]
The Chicago Blackhawks appear to have found their footing
after a slow start and will go for their third consecutive victory
when they visit the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday night. The Blue
Jackets, in a scheduling oddity, have played the fewest games in the
NHL and come into the matchup well rested, having been idle since
Saturday.
Columbus, which lost its first eight games in 2015-16, is beginning
a stretch of five contests in the next eight days -- four of which
will be on the road. "We've been sitting on 0-2 for a week here,"
Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said. "We need to have a good
start and feel good about ourselves." The Blackhawks have had an
opportunity to do just that, rebounding from an 0-2-0 start by
winning their next two while pumping in 12 goals. Chicago has
struggled against Columbus, losing three of the past four meetings,
including an overtime and shootout defeat on the road.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CSN Chicago, FSN Ohio (Columbus)
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (2-2-0): Marian Hossa reached a major milestone
by scoring his 500th goal in Wednesday's 7-4 victory over
Philadelphia, but he exited the game after blocking a shot and
missed practice Thursday. Coach Joel Quenneville continues to tinker
with his defensemen pairings and is expected to sit veterans Michal
Rozsival and Brian Campbell. “We still have a lot of options as we
go along here,” Quenneville said. “That’s the thing with our
defense. You haven’t etched in stone how long it’s going to be with
one guy."
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2016/Oct/21/images/ads/current/LPL_small%201.gif)
[to top of second column] |
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2016/Mar/14/images/ads/current/tires250x300.gif)
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (0-2-0): Rookie defenseman Zach Werenski, the
No. 8 overall draft pick in the 2015 draft, collected his first NHL
point in the season opener before notching his first goal in
Saturday's 3-2 loss to San Jose. "We have a lot of teaching to do
with him without the puck. That's our job as coaches," Tortorella
said. "The God-given ability he has, it's at a different level than
a lot of players at this league." Ex-Chicago forward Brandon Saad is
coming off a career-best 31-goal campaign in his first season with
Columbus.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2016/Oct/21/images/ads/current/Webster_SDA_HI_2016.png)
OVERTIME
1. Blue Jackets G Sergei Bobrovsky is 4-2-1 with a 2.67
goals-against average versus Chicago.
2. Blackhawks G Corey Crawford owns an 11-3-2 mark and 2.19 GAA in
16 starts against the Blue Jackets.
3. Columbus placed D Cody Goloubef on waivers Thursday.
PREDICTION: Blackhawks 4, Blue Jackets 2
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |