PREVIEW: Blackhawks vs. Blues - March 8, 2020
Chicago returns to the United Center to face St. Louis for the fourth and final time this season
by Carter Baum @CarterBaum / Blackhawks.com
TIME: 6:30 p.m. CT
TV: NBCSN RADIO: WGN Radio 720 STREAM: NHL.TV & MyTeamsApp
The Blackhawks look to get back in the win column at home as the St. Louis Blues visit the United Center for the final time this season on Sunday night (TICKETS).
TEAM RECORDS
CHI: 31-29-8, 70 PTS
STL: 40-18-10, 90 PTS
LAST TIME OUT
Chicago saw their four-game win streak come to an end on Friday night with a 2-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings. Patrick Kane found the net for the 31st time this season and Corey Crawford stopped 23 shots in his eighth straight start.
St. Louis dropped a 4-2 game to the New Jersey Devils on Friday night. Vince Dunn and Jaden Schwartz each scored while Jordan Binnington made 28 saves in the loss.
The Blues have taken the three previous meetings this season, including a wild 6-5 affair on Feb. 25 in St. Louis. Duncan Keith (1G, 1A) and Jonathan Toews (2A) had two points each on the night. Toews leads the Blackhawks in the season series with four points (4A) and is winning 64.2% of his draws against the Blues.
Video: Game Preview: CHI vs. STL
LINEUP NOTES
Crawford will start once again in net tonight against the Blues, while Adam Boqvist, who was a late scratch in Detroit (wrist), returns in place of Dennis Gilbert.
Here are Chicago's projected line combinations against St. Louis:
Kubalik - Toews - Saad
Nylander - Strome - Kane
DeBrincat - Dach - Caggiula
Highmore - Kampf - Carpenter
Keith - Boqvist
Seeler - Murphy
Maatta - Koekkoek
SHOWTIME
Kane reached the 30-goal plateau for the fifth time in his career after registering a marker on Thursday against the Oilers, Four of those 30-goal seasons have come within the last five years, including when he set a single-season career high with 46 during the 2015-16 campaign. Kane shares sixth (Jeremy Roenick) in franchise history with the five seasons of 30 or more goals.
Video: Inside the Room: Patrick Kane
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY
NBC Sports is utilizing an all-female crew to broadcast and produce game coverage this evening, coinciding with International Women's Day and marking the first NHL game broadcast and produced solely by women in the U.S.
Kate Scott will call the action alongside U.S. Olympic gold medalists Kendall Coyne-Schofield and AJ Mleczko. Game production will be led by producer Rene Hatlelid and director Lisa Seltzer. The first-of-its-kind broadcast is in celebration of International Women's Day, which dates back over 100 years. Throughout the broadcast, NBS will highlight women who have made their mark on hockey, and sports in general, with the hopes to inspire future generations of women to excel on the ice and behind the scenes.