Blackhawks Gear Up for a High-Stakes Clash in Vegas
So tonight’s matchup between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Vegas Golden Knights feels like one of those games where a lot more is at play than just two points in the standings. Chicago is heading into Game 26 sitting at 11-9-5, still hanging around that playoff bubble after finally snapping a five-game losing streak. And honestly, the timing couldn’t be better—they’re opening a road trip in one of the toughest places to play, T-Mobile Arena, and this will be the first time these two teams see each other this season.
Chicago’s projected lineup looks pretty intriguing, especially that top line with Ryan Greene, Connor Bedard, and Andre Burakovsky. Bedard just earned the NHL’s “Third Star of the Month” for November, and it really shows—he’s climbed up to 37 points and sits third in the league. Having Greene’s steady presence and Burakovsky’s finishing touch alongside him gives the Blackhawks a balanced mix of speed, creativity, and scoring threat right from the opening faceoff.
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The middle six for Chicago has also been set up to add some pace and depth. Tyler Bertuzzi, Frank Nazar, and Oliver Moore form a line that can push the tempo with every shift. Teuvo Teravainen, Jason Dickinson, and Ilya Mikheyev provide another wave of responsible two-way play. And Landon Slaggert, who’s expected to return after being a healthy scratch, slots back into the rotation as the Hawks stick with that 11-forward, 7-defenseman strategy. The team seems to like how it frees up their blue-liners to take on more flexible minutes when someone gets hot.
On the back end, Alex Vlasic and Louis Crevier lead things off, followed by Wyatt Kaiser with Artyom Levshunov, and Matt Grzelcyk paired with Connor Murphy. Spencer Knight is set to start in goal again. After allowing two quick goals against Anaheim on Sunday, he completely settled down and essentially slammed the door the rest of the night, helping spark Chicago’s five-goal comeback.
But this matchup isn’t going to be easy. Vegas comes in with an 11-6-8 record, and while they haven’t looked like the powerhouse people expected early on, their roster is absolutely loaded. Jack Eichel, Mitch Marner, Mark Stone, Tomas Hertl, Pavel Dorofeyev—their top six is stacked with game-breakers. On defense, Shea Theodore and Noah Hanifin anchor a deep group. And tonight marks a notable moment: Carter Hart will make his Golden Knights debut after returning from a conditioning stint. It’ll be his first NHL start since early 2024, so all eyes will be on how he handles the moment.
Both teams have reasons to prove something—Chicago wants to show that their recent comeback wasn’t a one-off, and Vegas wants to look more like the Cup contender their roster suggests. With star power everywhere and momentum on the line, this one has all the ingredients of a fast, intense, high-energy battle in the desert.
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