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Preview: Winnipeg Jets at Chicago Blackhawks

Time: 7:30 PM CDT

Channel: TSN3, NBCSCH

Radio: TSN1290

The home stand is over, and it’s back on the road for the Winnipeg Jets (47-19-10). Four straight road games are coming up, starting with a stop in Chicago to take on the Blackhawks (31-36-10).

If you had told me before the season that Chicago would be more than 30 points back of Winnipeg at this point in the season, I would probably have strained my eyeballs from rolling them so hard. This team was going to make the playoffs. The Oilers were going to do well. The Golden Knights were going to suuuuuuck. Duh.

Seventy-seven games later, Chicago has been mathematically eliminated for a while. It didn’t help that Corey Crawford went down in December with a concussion that has kept him out of the game since, as he deals with vertigo and post-concussion symptoms. As you’ll see in the stat leaders section of the preview below, Crawford leads the team in most goaltending categories.

Chicago is 2-6-2 in their last 10, as further injuries to guys like Jonathan Toews have a ragtag crew of misfits forming the lineup for Chicago. Dylan Sikura, who has played some dominant hockey with Northeastern of the NCAA, makes his professional debut tonight.

The Jets are on a six game winning streak, all of which were at home, with the last four going beyond regulation time.

If Winnipeg gets at least a point tonight and Minnesota loses in regulation, the Jets will clinch (at least) the second spot in the Central Division as the Wild will not be able to catch them.

This is the fourth time these teams have met this season, with Chicago winning the first two, while Winnipeg thumped the Blackhawks 6-2 a couple of weeks ago. The teams play again on April 7, which is the last game of the regular season for both teams.

Eric Comrie starts in goal for the Jets, while the ‘Hawks counter with Anton Forsberg.

Winnipeg Jets: 47-19-10

Stat Leaders:

Goals: Patrik Laine (43)

Assists: Blake Wheeler (66)

Points: Wheeler (86)

Goalie Stat Leaders:

Wins: Connor Hellebuyck (40)

Goals Against Average: Hellebuyck (2.38)

Save Percentage: Hellebuyck (.923)

Minutes: Hellebuyck (3,726)

Special Teams: PP 23.3% (4th), PK 82.0% (10th)

Chicago Blackhawks: 31-36-10

Stat Leaders:

Goals: Alex DeBrincat, Patrick Kane (26)

Assists: Kane (46)

Points: Kane (72)

Goalie Stat Leaders:

Wins: Corey Crawford (16)

Goals Against Average: Crawford (2.27)

Save Percentage: Crawford (.929)

Minutes: Anton Forsberg (1,715)

Special Teams: PP 16.0% (28th), PK 80.0% (20th)

PREDICTION: JETS 4 BLACKHAWKS 1

OPPONENT’S BLOG: SECOND CITY HOCKEY

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