PREMIUM
GAME OF THE WEEK (Rogers' 10* NHL) >> SIZZLING 18-6 L24 NHL!
(NHL) Chicago vs. Florida,
Money Line: -103.00 Chicago (Away)
Result: Win
Money Line: -103.00 Chicago (Away)
Result: Win
The set-up: The 10-8-3 Chicago Blackhawks got two goals from Patrick Kane in Wednesday's 3-2 OT loss at Tampa Bay but several other high-profile members of the 'Hawks are mired in significant goal-scoring slumps. Chicago has overcome a lack of offense to record at least a point in four of its last five outings (3-1-1) but the team which topped the Central Division with 109 points last season (also tops in the West), is stuck in last-place in the Central with only 23 points! The Blackhawks will complete a three-game road trip against the Florida Panthers on Saturday at the BB&T Center in Miami, facing an 8-11-2 Florida team which is playing a little better after a 2-1 OT win at home over Toronto on Wednesday (Panthers opened the season 4-8-2).
Chicago: Patrick Panik and Jonathan Toews own just 13 points each, plus Brandon Saad has 10. Toews scored one goal in his past eight games -- and that was an empty-netter. Panik is scoreless in 12 straight games and Saad has managed just one goal in his past 15 games. Some good news is that Chicago has embraced a rather simplistic solution to a complicated season-long dilemma that was its ailing power play, and it seems to be working. "Shoot the puck, retrieve the puck, shoot again," forward Artem Anisimov told the Chicago Sun-Times of the team's units with the man advantage, who have converted 6-of-17 opportunities in their last four games after a dreadful 2-for-33 stint in the previous eight.
Florida: Captain Derek MacKenzie returned to practice on Friday and could be in line to end a five-game absence due to a lower-body injury versus the Blackhawks. "Once he gets off the ice, we're going to talk to him, see how he feels, how he dealt with the practice and then make a decision whether (Saturday's) the day or it's going to be on the road trip," coach Bob Boughner told the Sun-Sentinel.The Panthers are getting better production from their top line of center Aleksander Barkov (21 points) and wingers Jonathan Huberdeau (21 points) and Evgenii Dadonov (17 points). Then there is no. 1 goalie goalie Roberto Luongo, who has been stellar as of late. Luongo has posted a 2.11 goals-against average and a .944 save percentage since returning on Nov. 4 from an injury to his right hand,
The pick: Luongo sports a .931 save percentage with five shutouts in his career versus Chicago but I want no part of the Panthers in this one. The Blackhawks' improved power play gets a chance here vs. the Panthers' 30th-ranked penalty kill unit (just 73.2 percent). Chicago goalie Corey Crawford may be just 9-7-1 on the season but he's got a 2.23 GAA & .932 SP. Make Chicago a 10* play.
Chicago: Patrick Panik and Jonathan Toews own just 13 points each, plus Brandon Saad has 10. Toews scored one goal in his past eight games -- and that was an empty-netter. Panik is scoreless in 12 straight games and Saad has managed just one goal in his past 15 games. Some good news is that Chicago has embraced a rather simplistic solution to a complicated season-long dilemma that was its ailing power play, and it seems to be working. "Shoot the puck, retrieve the puck, shoot again," forward Artem Anisimov told the Chicago Sun-Times of the team's units with the man advantage, who have converted 6-of-17 opportunities in their last four games after a dreadful 2-for-33 stint in the previous eight.
Florida: Captain Derek MacKenzie returned to practice on Friday and could be in line to end a five-game absence due to a lower-body injury versus the Blackhawks. "Once he gets off the ice, we're going to talk to him, see how he feels, how he dealt with the practice and then make a decision whether (Saturday's) the day or it's going to be on the road trip," coach Bob Boughner told the Sun-Sentinel.The Panthers are getting better production from their top line of center Aleksander Barkov (21 points) and wingers Jonathan Huberdeau (21 points) and Evgenii Dadonov (17 points). Then there is no. 1 goalie goalie Roberto Luongo, who has been stellar as of late. Luongo has posted a 2.11 goals-against average and a .944 save percentage since returning on Nov. 4 from an injury to his right hand,
The pick: Luongo sports a .931 save percentage with five shutouts in his career versus Chicago but I want no part of the Panthers in this one. The Blackhawks' improved power play gets a chance here vs. the Panthers' 30th-ranked penalty kill unit (just 73.2 percent). Chicago goalie Corey Crawford may be just 9-7-1 on the season but he's got a 2.23 GAA & .932 SP. Make Chicago a 10* play.
