On the Wings

Update (7:50 PM): You can watch the game in progress here on NHL TV, via the Chicago feed. - Matt

Tonight is the third of eight games between these two Original Six teams this season. The Blackhawks lead the series 2-0, with wins October 6th (4-3 SO) and October 12th (3-2). They’ll meet once more this month, on the 17th, before wrapping things up with games in January, March, and April (2).

Since beating the Wings on the 12th, the Hawks have posted a 7-5-0 record. Their wins have come in pairs over that stretch, with losses preventing longer streaks. They dropped three in a row from October 23rd to October 27th, two of which came to Eastern Conference opponents (Boston and Atlanta). They have won their last two games, beginning with a 5-2 win over Columbus on Wednesday and then continuing with a 4-2 win over St. Louis on Friday. It was the third time in 12 games they’ve played St. Louis and their second win over the Blues. Tonight’s game ends a four-game homestand that will be followed by a six-game roadtrip beginning Wednesday.

Rookie Patrick Kane leads the Hawks in the three major offensive categories: goals (6), assists (13), and points (19). Any one of five Blackhawks could be said to lead the goals category, as former Red Wings Robert Lang and Jason Williams, as well as rookie Jonathan Toews, and Patrick Sharp have six goals as well. Lang isn’t far behind Kane in points with 15.

It looks as though Martin Havlat may return today after going down in the first game with a shoulder injury.

Patrick Lalime has backstopped the Hawks to their last two wins at the expense of Nikolai Khabibulin, who last played in the team’s November 4th loss to Nashville. Nonetheless, Lalime will be on the bench, as Khabibulin has been named the starter for tonight. The Russian is 2-0 against the Wings this season.

The big story tonight is that the game will be locally televised in the Chicago area for the first time in decades. It’s a landmark day for the Blackhawks and hopefully the start of a healing of the fanbase that was ravaged during the Bill Wirtz years.

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The Wings have posted a 10-1-0 record since losing to the Hawks last month. Their only loss came October 15th to Anaheim on the road. Since then, they’ve won nine in a row. They are coming off a solid 4-1 win over Columbus Friday night, a game which followed a shaky 3-2 shootout win over Nashville two nights before. The Wings are now three games in to a nine-game stretch against Central Division opponents.

Despite the fact that Sidney Crosby played last night, Henrik Zetterberg remains the NHL point leader, if only by one point, with 26. He is the only Red Wing to crack the double-digit mark in goals with 13. Tomas Holmstrom is second, with nine.

The Wings have no injuries, but it is possible there could be a lineup change or two. Tomas Kopecky is coming off what Mike Babcock called his best game of the season, so it’s unlikely he’ll sit. However, Dallas Drake may get the night off in favor of Matt Ellis or Aaron Downey.

Chris Osgood will get the start tonight and Dominik Hasek will back him up, though it’s highly unlikely he’ll relieve Osgood for anything less than an emergency.

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The Wings haven’t been at all successful against the rejuvenated Blackhawks this season and that needs to change tonight. If they pick up where they left off Friday night, they should be in good shape. They’ll need to keep out of the box, which is easier said than done, and find ways to shut down the dynamic duo of Toews and Kane. It’ll have to be one of their tighter defensive efforts. Expect the Hawks to put on a strong performance for the fans on TV. If the Wings don’t come out flat, we should have a good game.