The Chicago Blackhawks return to the United Center on Sunday night, and the stakes are getting real. With the playoff race heating up, every point matters - and tonight, they’ll have to earn those points the hard way. The defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers are in town, and they’re not exactly limping into this one.
Let’s start with the Blackhawks. They’re coming off a gritty 2-1 shootout loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday - a game that showcased their fight but also their ongoing struggle to finish.
They played Tampa tight, took it the distance, but couldn’t find that extra goal to seal the deal. That’s been a recurring theme this season: flashes of potential, but not quite enough to tip the scale.
Earlier in the year, Chicago and Florida met in a similarly tight matchup - a 3-2 loss for the Hawks back on October 7 at Amerant Bank Arena. Another one that slipped away late.
And while the Blackhawks haven’t exactly been lighting up the standings, they’re still hanging around. With 50 points through 51 games, they sit just five points back of the second wild card spot in the Western Conference.
In other words, they’re still in the hunt - but the margin for error is razor thin.
Florida, meanwhile, rolls into the Windy City with momentum. Winners of five of their last seven, the Panthers are clicking at the right time.
They’re five points back of the Bruins for the final wild card spot in the East and coming off a 4-3 overtime win against the Wild on Saturday. This is a team that knows how to finish and isn’t afraid of the big moments - not surprising, considering they’re the reigning champs.
For Chicago, the youth movement continues to be the heartbeat of the offense. Rookie forward Ryan Greene found the back of the net against Tampa and now leads all Blackhawks rookies with seven goals on the season.
He’s showing real poise and finishing touch - exactly what this team needs. Oliver Moore is another name to watch.
He’s riding a two-game point streak and has a chance to stretch that to three tonight, which would be a career-best.
In goal, the Blackhawks are expected to turn to Spencer Knight. The 24-year-old netminder has been steady this season with a 15-13-6 record, a 2.54 goals-against average, and a .913 save percentage.
He stopped 28 of 31 in his last outing against Carolina and will be making his 35th start of the season. He’s been reliable, and tonight, he’ll need to be sharp against a Florida team that knows how to capitalize on mistakes.
On the other side, the Panthers are expected to go with Daniil Tarasov between the pipes. He’s posted a 7-6-2 record with a 2.63 GAA and a .906 save percentage - solid numbers, and more than capable of holding the fort if Florida’s offense does its job.
This game is shaping up to be a battle of wills. Florida is coming in on the second night of a back-to-back, which could give the Blackhawks a slight edge in terms of energy. But make no mistake - the Panthers are dangerous, even when they’re running on fumes.
For the Blackhawks, this is the kind of game that can swing a season. Protecting home ice, staying within striking distance of a playoff spot, and proving they can hang with the league’s best - it’s all on the table tonight. If they want to keep their postseason hopes alive, they’ll need to find a way to come out of this one with points.