The Blackhawks visit Winnipeg for the second time in less than two weeks tonight. The Jets won a 6-5 barn-burner on November 29th thanks to two-goal performances from both Patrik Laine and Nikolaj Ehlers. The Blackhawks are looking to end a seven-game skid. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 PM central time.
Three Things
- Artem Anisimov is in concussion protocol and did not travel to Winnipeg with the team, so Brendan Perlini will draw back into the lineup.
- Despite tallying a first-period power play goal on Sunday vs. Montreal, the Hawks showed why they are the worst in the league with the man advantage by going 1-8 for the game and 0-5 in the third period.
- It will be a battle of the backups tonight. Laurent Brossoit is expected to start in net for the Jets, and Cam Ward was the first netminder off the ice at Blackhawks morning skate.
Projected Lineups
Jets
Ehlers – Scheifele – Wheeler
Connor – Little – Laine
Perreault – Lowry – Tanev
Lemieux – Roslovic – Appleton
Niku – Trouba
Chiarot – Byfuglien
Kulikov – Myers
Brossoit
Hellebuyck
Blackhawks
Saad – Toews – Hayden
Kahun – Kampf – Kane
DeBrincat – Strome – Perlini
Fortin – Kruger – Kunitz
Keith – Jokiharju
Seabrook – Manning
Murphy – Gustafsson
Ward
Crawford
Milestone Alert
Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith will play in their 1,000th game together tonight. They will be the first pair of defensemen in NHL history to reach that mark.
Laugh It Off
The Winter Classic practice jerseys the Blackhawks debuted on Sunday weren’t anything special, but the Bruins just released a disgusting gold-on-yellow style that will hurt both your eyes and your stomach.
Featured Photo: John Woods/AP
