7:07 pm
April 10

Blackhawks @ Blue Jackets

Who will WIN this matchup?

Chicago Blackhawks (18-18-5)

@ Columbus Blue Jackets (15-19-8)

 

Starting Goalies:

Kevin Lankinen (CHI): Confirmed

Elvis Merzlikins (CBJ): Confirmed

 

Current odds:

Chicago Blackhawks: (-125)

Columbus Blue Jackets: (+105)

 

• The Chicago Blackhawks open a key five-game road trip Saturday night when they visit the Columbus Blue Jackets, looking for a boost in the Central Division playoff race. Chicago will play two games in three nights at Columbus before visiting the last-place Detroit Red Wings for a pair and then playing a road game against the Nashville Predators.

• The Blackhawks trail fourth-place Nashville by four points and need to make up ground on the trip. To do so, they’ll have to reverse their fortunes of the past month: They have lost five in a row on the road and are just 7-10-3 away from home this season.

• Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy said he and his teammates need to play with urgency and togetherness. He did not hold back after the Blackhawks’ most recent loss, a 5-1 setback on home ice against the Dallas Stars on Thursday night.

• Columbus also is looking for a spark during a disappointing season. The seventh-place Blue Jackets have lost four of their past five games, including a 6-4 defeat against the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday. They have won only two of their past 10.

• Zach Werenski and Max Domi scored in the third period against Tampa Bay, but it was not enough to rally the Blue Jackets from a four-goal deficit. They were stung by a slow start as Tampa Bay scored three goals in the first six minutes and held a 4-1 lead at the first intermission.

• Similarly, in the Blackhawks locker room, Murphy pointed out, “When you’re a playoff team and you have your game together, it seems like nothing can faze you. Lately in these losses, when we give up momentum for longer spurts of time, we haven’t been.”

• The Blackhawks and Blue Jackets already have met six times, with Chicago winning four, as the teams head into their final two matchups of the season.

4/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
Chicago Blackhawks
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