PREMIUM
Rogers' 10* NHL Game of the Week >> SWEPT Thursday NHL (2-0), 6-2 L8!
(NHL) Chicago vs. Columbus,
Money Line: -131.00 Chicago (Away)
Result: Loss
Money Line: -131.00 Chicago (Away)
Result: Loss
The set-up: The Blackhawks won 7-4 this past Tuesday at home over the Philadelphia Flyers, evening their record at 2-2-0. The Blackhawks visit Columbus Friday night to take on the Blue Jackets, who have played just two times to open the new season and will be looking for their first win (0-2-0).
Chicago: Chicago can feel Columbus' pain, as the Blackhawks opened with back-to-back losses this season as well but tonight will go for their third consecutive victory. Marian Hossa scored his 500th goal in Tuesday's win over the Philadelphia Flyers but suffered a lower-body injury after blocking a shot in the latter stages of the game. He's considered day-to-day and is questionable for Friday's game in Columbus and Saturday's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Chicago head coach Joel Quenneville continues to tinker with his defensemen pairings and is expected to sit veterans Michal Rozsival and Brian Campbell. In the case of Campbell, here's a guy who has never missed a regular-season game over the last five seasons with the Florida Panthers.
Columbus: The Blue Jackets have played the fewest games in the NHL and come into the matchup well rested, having been idle since Saturday. Talk about a scheduling oddity. Now, the Blue Jackets will begin a stretch of five games in the next eight days, four of them on the road. "We've been sitting on 0-2 for a week here," Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella said. "We need to have a good start and feel good about ourselves." After six days without playing a game, the Blue Jackets are itching to drop the puck in search of that elusive first win. "It's a big game for us," Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said via the team website. "We've been sitting on 0-2 for a week here. It sucks. We need to have a good start and feel good about ourselves."
The pick: The Blue Jackets just may be suffering from a case of déjà vu, as Columbus lost its first eight games in 2015-16. It's unlikely the Blue Jackets will lose their first eight this year but I do believe they'll lose a third straight here, as no way being idle for six days gives them an edge. The two starting goalies for Friday's game are expected to be Sergei Bobrovsky for Columbus and Corey Crawford for Chicago. Bobrovsky is 4-2-1 with a 2.67 GAA versus Chicago and Crawford owns an 11-3-2 mark and 2.19 GAA in 16 starts against Columbus. Chicago is a 10* play.
Chicago: Chicago can feel Columbus' pain, as the Blackhawks opened with back-to-back losses this season as well but tonight will go for their third consecutive victory. Marian Hossa scored his 500th goal in Tuesday's win over the Philadelphia Flyers but suffered a lower-body injury after blocking a shot in the latter stages of the game. He's considered day-to-day and is questionable for Friday's game in Columbus and Saturday's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Chicago head coach Joel Quenneville continues to tinker with his defensemen pairings and is expected to sit veterans Michal Rozsival and Brian Campbell. In the case of Campbell, here's a guy who has never missed a regular-season game over the last five seasons with the Florida Panthers.
Columbus: The Blue Jackets have played the fewest games in the NHL and come into the matchup well rested, having been idle since Saturday. Talk about a scheduling oddity. Now, the Blue Jackets will begin a stretch of five games in the next eight days, four of them on the road. "We've been sitting on 0-2 for a week here," Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella said. "We need to have a good start and feel good about ourselves." After six days without playing a game, the Blue Jackets are itching to drop the puck in search of that elusive first win. "It's a big game for us," Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said via the team website. "We've been sitting on 0-2 for a week here. It sucks. We need to have a good start and feel good about ourselves."
The pick: The Blue Jackets just may be suffering from a case of déjà vu, as Columbus lost its first eight games in 2015-16. It's unlikely the Blue Jackets will lose their first eight this year but I do believe they'll lose a third straight here, as no way being idle for six days gives them an edge. The two starting goalies for Friday's game are expected to be Sergei Bobrovsky for Columbus and Corey Crawford for Chicago. Bobrovsky is 4-2-1 with a 2.67 GAA versus Chicago and Crawford owns an 11-3-2 mark and 2.19 GAA in 16 starts against Columbus. Chicago is a 10* play.
