This isn't the first time that the Blackhawks have faced some adversity this season, but it's the first time they've felt it since gaining the confidence that they can be a good team in 2025-26.
During their first back-to-back situation earlier in the week, they blew a 2-0 lead and lost to the Seattle Kraken, followed by a 9-3 defeat at the hands of the Buffalo Sabres the next night.
Now, things don't get any easier. The big, bad Colorado Avalanche are in town with their sparkling 15-1-5 record. They and their .833 points percentage lead the National Hockey League standings by a pretty wide margin.
For the Blackhawks to get back on track heading into American Thanksgiving week, they'd need to pull off an incredible upset win at the United Center over the league's top team.
Scouting Colorado
The Colorado Avalanche have a solid core that leads the way, receive good goaltending, and boast unmatched depth.
Lehkonen - MacKinnon - Necas
Colton - Nelson - Landeskog
Kelly - Drury - Olofsson
Nielsen - Bardakov - Polin
Toews - Makar
Manson - Burns
Girard - Malinski
Colorado could switch up some of their wingers in the top-six throughout the night, but this is more or less what their group will look like. Everything runs through Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, two of the five best players in the NHL.
The Avalanche didn't play their best game against the Nashville Predators on Saturday night, but MacKenzie Blackwood made 35 saves on 35 shots to preserve a 3-0 Avalanche victory. They can win in multiple ways.
Scott Wedgewood will likely get the start against the Blackhawks. He has been incredible this season, as well. No matter what, the Blackhawks will have their work cut out for them in terms of putting the puck in the net.
Keeping the puck out of their own net may be an even tougher challenge, as the top players on Colorado don't need many chances.
Projected Blackhawks Lines, Defense, And Goalie
Andre Burakovsky is going to miss another game. He was hit in the head during the game against the Kraken and hasn't returned since. Jason Dickinson, however, is going to return to the lineup for the first time in 10 games.
Greene-Bedard-Bertuzzi
Teravainen-Nazar-Moore
Donato-Dickinson-Mikheyev
Slaggert-Dach-Lafferty
Vlasic-Crevier
Kaiser-Levshunov
Grzelcyk-Murphy
Rinzel
During the morning skate, Dickinson skated with Ilya Mikheyev and Ryan Donato. That line will likely see a ton of MacKinnon at even strength.
Jeff Blashill confirmed that they plan to go with 11/7 again, so one of those fourth-line forwards (likely Sam Lafferty or Landon Slaggert) will be in the press box.
Spencer Knight is going to be the starting goalie for Chicago. Blashill left Arvid Soderblom in for all nine Sabre goals last time out to preserve Knight for this game against the Avalanche.
How To Watch
In the Chicagoland area, this game can be seen on CHSN and heard on WGN Radio AM 720. Nationally, it can be found on NHL Network. The puck drops shortly after 6 PM CT.
The game can be seen on CHSN and heard on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. Those outside of Chicago interested in catching the game can find it on ESPN+. The puck will drop shortly after 6 PM CT at KeyBank Center in Buffalo.
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