The NHL's regular season finds the Chicago Blackhawks visiting Raleigh, NC, to compete against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena. In this edition of NHL Predictions, the Carolina Hurricanes return home from a three-game road trip to face the Chicago Blackhawks, marking their first encounter this season. The two teams currently occupy contrasting positions in the NHL standings.
The Blackhawks find themselves near the bottom with a record of 15-37-3, reflecting similar struggles across various metrics. Despite a challenging stretch of 2-7-1 in their last ten games, the return of Connor Bedard from injury has provided a boost. Bedard, the young standout, played a pivotal role in the Blackhawks' recent 3-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators and leads the team in points with 36.
In contrast, Carolina returns home following a three-game road trip that began with a loss to the Dallas Stars. However, they rebounded swiftly with two wins against the Arizona Coyotes and Vegas Golden Knights, primarily credited to the exceptional performances of goaltenders Pyotr Kochetkov and Spencer Martin.
Threat from Connor
As mentioned earlier, this marks Connor Bedard's inaugural visit to Raleigh. Like another exceptional talent, Connor McDavid, Bedard entered the league amidst high expectations, and thus far, he has lived up to the hype. While McDavid and Bedard showcase different styles and strengths, both can create impactful moments on the ice. Bedard demonstrates an elite hockey IQ, consistently positioning himself effectively.
In a fashion reminiscent of Sidney Crosby, Bedard has a knack for acquiring the puck and orchestrating plays culminating in goals. In the game against Ottawa, Bedard notched one assist and one goal, with another goal nullified due to offsides, indicating that his injury hasn't hindered his performance.
For Carolina, the key will be deploying their robust defense to contain Bedard. This doesn't imply neglecting other Blackhawks players, but Bedard is undeniably their primary offensive threat. Having the advantage of the last change at home should enable them to match Jordan Staal's line against Bedard strategically. However, the onus ultimately lies on the players to shadow him and neutralize his impact, as any leeway granted to Bedard could result in favorable outcomes for Chicago.
Navigating Goaltending Challenges
With factors like injuries, inconsistent play, waiver acquisitions, and several PTOs without finalized contracts, goaltending has posed a challenge. However, amid the struggles, there have been glimpses of optimism. Kochetkov has delivered commendable performances and displayed more consistent play than previous seasons. Despite his relatively young NHL goaltending experience, he is progressing positively.
Starting the season with lower rankings in SV%, GAA, and goals saved above expected, he has worked his way back up to more respectable statistics. Notably, he achieved a shutout against the New Jersey Devils and rebounded with a solid 30-save performance against Arizona after conceding three goals against the Dallas Stars.
The Predictions
This showdown is a crucial opportunity for Carolina to leverage their strengths against the Blackhawks. While Chicago is in a rebuilding phase and positioned at the league's bottom, Carolina has its eyes set on Stanley Cup aspirations. However, navigating such matchups can be tricky, as underestimating the opponent is risky. It is imperative for Carolina not to underestimate Chicago and instead focus on consistently executing its strengths.
Entering this game, Carolina aims to uphold their standing in the Metropolitan Division, emphasizing the importance of not overlooking the matchup. With Bedard posing a threat and Chicago seeking momentum from their recent win over the Senators, Carolina needs to stick to their game plan and ensure solid goaltending for a potential victory.