The Boston Bruins are set for a classic Original Six matchup as they travel to Chicago to face the Blackhawks, aiming to extend their impressive five-game winning streak. The Bruins recently concluded a five-game homestand and celebrated the retirement of legendary player Zdeno Chara’s jersey number, further fueling their momentum.
Currently positioned at 27 wins and 19 losses, the Bruins will be up against a struggling Chicago team that has not found success on home ice recently, having lost their last three games. However, the Blackhawks are hoping for an upturn in fortunes as star rookie Connor Bedard, with 19 goals and 27 assists for a total of 46 points this season, has returned from injury and contributed two assists in the three games since.
At the United Center, the Bruins held a morning skate before the big game, during which they made some notable announcements. Billy Sweezey, a player from Hanson, received his first call-up to the team. Coach Marco Sturm mentioned that defenseman Andrew Peeke, who exited Thursday’s game with a lower-body injury, will be a game-time decision along with Hampus Lindholm, who is reportedly “getting close” to returning to play.
Sturm also confirmed that Joonas Korpisalo will start in goal for the Bruins, maintaining their current lineup without any changes.
The lineups for both teams are as follows:
**Bruins Forwards:**
– Marat Khusnutdinov – Elias Lindholm – David Pastrnak
– Casey Mittelstadt – Pavel Zacha – Viktor Arvidsson
– Alex Steeves – Fraser Minten – Morgan Geekie
– Tanner Jeannot – Sean Kuraly – Mark Kastelic
**Bruins Defensemen:**
– Jonathan Aspirot – Charlie McAvoy
– Nikita Zadorov – Henri Jokiharju
– Mason Lohrei – Andrew Peeke
**Starting Goalie for Bruins:** Joonas Korpisalo (8-8-0, 3.20 GAA, .894 SV%)
**Blackhawks Forwards:**
– Ryan Greene – Connor Bedard – Andre Burakovsky
– Tyler Bertuzzi – Jason Dickinson – Ilya Mikheyev
– Ryan Donato – Oliver Moore – Nick Lardis
– Colton Dach – Nick Foligno – Landon Slaggert
**Blackhawks Defensemen:**
– Alex Vlasic – Louis Crevier
– Wyatt Kaiser – Artyom Levshunov
– Matt Grzelcyk – Connor Murphy
**Starting Goalie for Blackhawks:** Arvid Soderblom (5-7-1, 3.87 GAA, .873 SV%)
In terms of special teams, the Bruins boast the sixth-best power play in the NHL, with a success rate of 24.6%. They scored an empty-net goal against Seattle during their last game and have drawn 202 penalties this season, ranking fifth in the league. However, their penalty kill, despite showing improvement with a shorthanded goal in their last game, currently ranks 19th with an 78.8% efficiency.
In contrast, the Blackhawks come into this matchup with the league’s 12th-ranked power play at 22.2% but have a strong penalty kill that sits at second in the NHL with an 85.0% success rate.
The teams faced off earlier this season, with the Bruins clinching a thrilling 4-3 victory in overtime.
As the Bruins prepare for this pivotal game, they have upcoming matches against the Dallas Stars and the Vegas Golden Knights, making tonight’s contest an important stepping stone in their campaign. Fans can catch the action live at 8:00 PM ET on NESN or tune in on 98.5 The Sports Hub to support their team as they aim for continued success on the ice.