PREVIEW: Blackhawks Open Season-Long Homestand Against Blue Jackets

TIME: 7:30 p.m. CT
TV: NBCSCH | RADIO: WGN 720 AM | STREAM:
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The Blackhawks open a season-long six-game homestand on Thursday night as the Columbus Blue Jackets make their lone trip of the season to Chicago. It's also the first of three nights of hockey over the next four days at the United Center as Chicago faces the Blue Jackets, Stars and Panthers across Presidents' Day Weekend.

TEAM RECORDS

• CHI: 18-24-7, 43 PTS
• CBJ: 23-23-1, 47 PTS

HOW TO WATCH

Catch all the action with Mike Monaco and Colby Cohen on NBC Sports Chicago with pregame coverage beginning at 7 p.m. John Wiedeman and Joe Brand have the call on WGN Radio as well.

VS. COLUMBUS

The Blackhawks defeated the Blue Jackets 4-2 at Nationwide Arena on Jan. 11 for their sixth consecutive victory vs. Columbus. Alex DeBrincat notched two markers while defensemen Connor Murphy and Calvin de Haan added goals of their own in the victory. DeBrincat now has a point in 11 consecutive games (7G, 9A) vs. Columbus, which dates back to the beginning of the 2018-19 season. Kirby Dach finished with a +2 plus/minus rating and won four of his six draws (67 percent) against the Blue Jackets that night.
Chicago registered a 6-2-0 mark against the Blue Jackets, including winning their last five straight matchups, during the 2020-21 campaign when the two clubs played in the same division. Patrick Kane led the team with 16 points (4G, 12A) in eight games against Columbus last year and posted a season-best four points (1G, 3A) at Nationwide Arena on Feb. 23.

HELLO, AGAIN

Tuesday's first meeting of the season will be the first time Seth Jones faces his former team after being acquired in a trade on July 23. Adam Boqvist, who was sent the other way in the deal, returns to Chicago for the first time since the swap. He skated 19:46 in his first game against the Blackhawks on Jan. 11. Jones missed that game and his return to Columbus in COVID protocol.
Jones has registered 30 points (3G, 27A) in 45 games with the Blackhawks this season, while registering a team-high 26:09 of average ice time. He played 381 career regular-season games across 6 seasons with the Blue Jackets from 2016-2021. Jones was a No. 4 overall pick of the Nashville Predators in 2013.
Boqvist has 17 points (9G, 8A) in 34 games this season for Columbus. A first-round pick of the Blackhawks in 2018, the blueliner is in his third NHL season.

SHOWTIME HEATING UP

Kane notched a goal and an assist on Monday against the Jets to extend his point streak (1G, 3A) to three games. Kane has points (3G, 7A) in six of his last seven skates. Since Jan. 26, Kane shares 13th in the league with 10 points (3G, 7A) in seven games.

CAT IN THE HAT

Alex DeBrincat scored his 28th goal of the season against Winnipeg on Monday, his 28 markers ranking fifth in the NHL this year. It was also his fourth game winner of the season, the most on the club. His 11 power-play goals share fifth in the league.

MARATHON MAN

Seth Jones skated in a game-high 27:23 of total ice time on Monday vs. Winnipeg. He has played in 27 or more minutes in 20 games during the 2021-22 campaign. His 26:10 average TOI this season is a career high and fourth in the league. His previous season best came during the 2018-19 season when he averaged 25:49 of ice time per game.

EVERYTHING BAGEL

Brandon Hagel has three points (2G, 1A) over his last three games and three multi-point efforts over his last seven skates. Since Jan. 13, when Hagel began a season-long four-game point streak (2G, 2A), he shares first on the team with six markers and second with 11 points. Hagel registered 24 points (9G, 15A) last season in 52 games. In 43 skates this year, he has a career best 14 goals and 27 points.