The Chicago Blackhawks and Vegas Golden Knights are set to face off with notable projected lineups. Both teams display strategic roster adjustments ahead of the matchup scheduled for 10 p.m. ET, available on Hulu, ESPN+, SNO, and SNE.
Blackhawks Projected Lineup
Chicago will roll out a forward line anchored by Ryan Greene, Connor Bedard, and Andre Burakovsky. The middle lines feature Tyler Bertuzzi, Frank Nazar, Oliver Moore, Teuvo Teravainen, Jason Dickinson, and Ilya Mikheyev. Colton Dach, Ryan Donato, and Landon Slaggert round out the forwards. The defense corps includes Alex Vlasic paired with Louis Crevier, Wyatt Kaiser with Artyom Levshunov, and Matt Grzelcyk alongside Connor Murphy. Spencer Knight is expected to start in goal, with Arvid Soderblom available as backup. Sam Lafferty and Sam Rinzel are scratched, while Nick Foligno remains sidelined due to a left-hand injury.
Golden Knights Projected Lineup
Vegas’ top forward line features Ivan Barbashev, Jack Eichel, and Branden Bowman. The second line consists of Mitch Marner, Brett Howden, and Mark Stone. The third line has Brandon Saad, Tomas Hertl, and Pavel Dorofeyev, while Cole Reinhardt, Colton Sissons, and Keegan Kolesar form the fourth line. Defense pairings are Brayden McNabb with Shea Theodore, Noah Hanifin alongside Zach Whitecloud, and Ben Hutton matched with Kaedan Korczak. Carter Hart will start as goaltender, marking his Golden Knights debut after being recalled from a conditioning stint. Backup goaltender Akira Schmid is available. Alexander Holtz and Reilly Smith are scratched, and the team is coping with injuries to Adin Hill, Jeremy Lauzon, and William Karlsson.
Key Status Updates
Landon Slaggert returns to the Blackhawks’ lineup, replacing defenseman Sam Rinzel after Chicago fielded an 11-forward alignment in the previous game. The Blackhawks also activated Laurent Brossoit, loaning him temporarily to Rockford (AHL) on a conditioning assignment. For the Golden Knights, Brandon Saad re-enters the lineup after being a healthy scratch in their recent win. Carter Hart’s start is notable, marking his first NHL game since January, following a Philadelphia Flyers stint.
These lineups suggest a competitive battle, with both teams adjusting rosters to maximize depth and experience. The match will test the readiness of returning players and the effectiveness of tactical line adjustments.
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