NEWSLETTER
The Blackhawks are back in action this evening, welcoming the Isles into the United Center. According to Jeremy Colliton at practice today, there’s a lot of urgency to play well tonight in the Chicago locker room.
Jeremy Colliton: “There’s a lot of urgency here to play well tonight. The result is important — no doubt we want to get points — but it’s more about how we play.” #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/Xs3noI5X4X
— Phillip Thompson (@_phil_thompson) October 19, 2021
Well, that’s good. I guess. But also … where was the urgency last week, when the team opened the season against a division rival considered a Stanley Cup contender? Or two days later, against a beatable New Jersey team after getting the doors blown off by the Avs? Or the next night against a banged-up Pittsburgh team while winless through two games?
I’ll believe it when I see it.
In addition to tonight being the home opener, the team will be honoring Blackhawks legend Tony Esposito. ESPN’s TV broadcast of the game will be showing the Tony Esposito pregame ceremony, and (!) Jonathan Toews will be mic’d up(!) for the game. That should be a lot of fun. Here’s to hoping Toews has some good things to say on the mic tonight.
ESPN coverage notes for #Islanders–#Blackhawks broadcast at 7 tonight:
– Sean McDonough & Ray Ferraro will call it; Emily Kaplan will report rinkside.
– It will show the Tony Esposito pregame ceremony.
– Jonathan Toews will be mic’d for the game.— Jeff Agrest (@jeffreya22) October 19, 2021
Broadcast Info
Puck Drop: 7:00 p.m. CT
TV: ESPN
Radio: WGN 720 AM, WRTO 1200 AM (Spanish)
Expected Lineups
Blackhawks (0-2-1)
Hagel – Dach – Kane
Kubalík – Toews – Kurashev
DeBrincat – Borgström – Hardman
Entwistle – Johnson – Khaira
McCabe – Murphy
de Haan – Stillman
Gustafsson – Jones
Fleury
Lankinen
Islanders (0-2-0)
Lee – Barzal – Palmieri
Beauvillier – Nelson – Bailey
Parise – Pageau – Wahlstrom
Martin – Cizikas – Clutterbuck
Pelech – Pulock
Chara – Dobson
Greene – Mayfield
Sorokin
Schneider
Injury Report
Blackhawks:
Wyatt Kalynuk (Day-to-Day – Ankle)
Caleb Jones (Week-to-Week – Wrist)
Islanders:
Semyon Varlamov (Day-to-Day – Undisclosed)
What To Watch For
• The Chicago Blackhawks are still searching for their first win this evening after a pair of regulation losses and an overtime loss has them starting down the barrel of an 0-2-1 record. The Islanders are winless, themselves, so we’ve got a battle of two teams still looking to get into the win column on our hands. Unfortunately, we’ve also got a battle of two teams that have played little-to-no defense whatsoever, with the Isles checking in tonight, allowing 5.50 goals against per game and the Blackhawks not doing much better at 4.33 goals against per game.
• Jeremy Colliton did some line-shuffling ahead of tonight’s game, moving Tyler Johnson down to the fourth line with MacKenzie Entwistle and Jujhar Khaira. Colliton also placed Alex DeBrincat on the third line with Henrik Borgström and Mike Hardman and grouped Brandon Hagel and Kirby Dach with Patrick Kane on the top line. Jonathan Toews will center the second line with Dominik Kubalík and Philipp Kurashev as his wingers. Hopefully, the new lines will help the Blackhawks generate some 5-on-5 offense tonight.
• The Isles announced this afternoon that they’d be getting Matt Martin back after Martin was listed as day-to-day as of this morning with an ankle injury. Martin will skate on the fourth line tonight with Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck. The veteran winger scored 11 points in 54 games for the Islanders last season.
Get Caught Up
The Blackhawks Need to Get More Out of McCabe, Johnson, Fleury, and DeBrincat … Like, Tonighthttps://t.co/PP3NDu038p
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) October 19, 2021
Happy Birthday to former #Blackhawks player and GM Dale Tallon! The architect to the modern Stanley Cup Era in Chicago turns 71 today. pic.twitter.com/AJdjdAg93C
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) October 19, 2021
https://twitter.com/NHLBlackhawks/status/1450519129623044096?s=20
Colliton's comment today on Strome, who'll be a healthy scratch again tonight:
"He’s got to practice hard, prepare to play. That’s what he can do. And then the lineup, that’s up to us. [We’ve] got to figure out daily what we think is our best chance to win. That's it." https://t.co/kQKv9vSEbw
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) October 19, 2021
Alex DeBrincat: “We want to set the pace.” #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/avfPErJEKg
— Phillip Thompson (@_phil_thompson) October 19, 2021
