Watch as the Blackhawks take on the Calgary Flames tonight on CSN and streaming live on CSNChicago.com. Coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. with Blackhawks Pregame Live. Then stick around after the final buzzer to watch Blackhawks Postgame Live for highlights and analysis.
Click here to watch the game or download the NBC Sports App, your home for live streaming coverage of the Blackhawks.
Five Things to Watch:
1. More line shuffling?
Vinnie Hinostroza has been cleared to play after suffering an upper-body injury in Tuesday's contest against Winnipeg, but he will be out of the lineup tonight as he gets his legs back from under him. Richard Panik will take Hinostroza's spot on the top line with Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, and will look to provide a spark up front after the Blackhawks were shut out for the first time all season. Ryan Hartman, who was a healthy scratch Tuesday, will skate on the third line with Dennis Rasmussen and Marcus Kruger while Andrew Desjardins, Nick Schmaltz and Jordin Tootoo will make up the fourth line.
2. Take advantage on special teams.
As Insider Tracey Myers noted Thursday, the Blackhawks have scored only two power-play goals on 24 opportunities over their last seven games. The Flames may be able to help them bump up that percentage with their penalty kill ranking second-to-last in the league at 75 percent. The Flames also own the second-worst power play percentage at 9.7, and have scored just two goals on the man advantage in their last 10 games (29 opportunities). Now's a good chance to get back to the basics.
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3. Corey Crawford aims to bounce back.
After allowing only 10 even-strength goals through his first 13 games, Crawford gave up four in two-plus periods against Winnipeg on Thursday. (Note: He's actually human). It was bound to happen, but it's all about how you respond. Crawford has consistently shown in the past he's great at bouncing back from a tough outing.
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4. No Johnny Gaudreau.
Gaudreau underwent successful surgery to repair a fractured finger and will miss approximately six weeks because of it. He has had a tough start to the season, putting up 11 points in 17 games, but it's still a significant blow to a Flames team looking to pick themselves up off the floor. Matthew Tkachuk will be relied upon to take on a larger role, and he scored a goal in a 2-1 overtime win over Arizona on Wednesday.
5. Rebounding from a loss.
The Blackhawks are 4-1-0 following a loss this season, with that lone loss coming in the second game of the year. They rarely come out flat two games in a row and don't lose consecutive times often, so expect a better all-around effort tonight.
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