Blackhawks-Flames: Chicago Looks to Continue Canadian Dominance in Calgary

Game Preview

Look out Canada, the Chicago Blackhawks are still north of the border. The 'Hawks have feasted on the Canadian teams all season with a 10-0-0 record but they will be tested Thursday night against the Calgary Flames.

The Blackhawks are on game two of their three game western Canadian road trip and in game one they put on quite a show against the Edmonton Oilers in which they won 3-1 but Calgary should givethe young 'Hawks a bigger challenge, right?

The 'Hawks have handled the Flames well this season with a 6-1 win, 5-2 win and a 3-2 overtime win but the bad news for the 'Hawks heading into Calgary is that the Flames have lost their last two and are in desperate need for a win.

Although the Flames need a win badly the 'Hawks need one just as badly to create more separation between themselves and the rest of the Western Conference.

The 'Hawks are 10 points up on the number eight seed but any extra space they can create between themselves and the rest of the West will be helpful as the schedule drag on. 

For the 'Hawks to be successful in Calgary on Thursday night they will need to be physical with an already very physical Flames team. They will also need to shutdown Flames star forward Jarome Iginla who has 33 points against the Blackhawks. 

Another key for the Blackhawks is their goal-tending and it looks like Nikolia Khabibulin will get the nod against the Flames Thursday. Coach Quenneville seems to be content with the switching of goal-tenders every game so it is likely that it will be the Bulin Wall in Calgary.

Players to Watch

Martin Havlat

Has there been a hotter Blackhawks in recent memory? No and Havlat looks to continue his hot play against the Calgary Flames. In Havlat's 14 career games against Calgary he has nine goals and five assists for 14 points but this year has been even more productive.

In the three games against Calgary this season Havlat has five point, two goals and three assists. Although the beginning of the road trip was not kind point wise for Havlat but he had a very good game against Edmonton and will likely come out firing in Calgary.

Cam Barker

Yes, I know that Cam Barker has the worst plus-minus on the Blackhawk (minus-6) but he is also tenth on the team in points and second among defensemen. Barker played well versus the Flames this season with three assists in two games against Calgary. 

Cam has plenty of potential and is a very good offensive defensemen but he has had a difficult time in the defensive zone. In order to meet his 3rd pick draft status Barker will need to better his defensive game because his offensive game is already there.

New and Notes

The Chicago Blackhawks reassigned forward Pascal Pelletier to the Rockford Ice Hogs. In his latest call up Pelletier did not appear in any games and was only recalled for emergency purposes. 

The Chicago Blackhawks announced the Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane have signed endorsement deals with Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana Chevy dealers. 

Projected Lineup

Forwards

Brouwer-Toews-Sharp

Byfuglien-Versteeg-Kane

Ladd-Bolland-Havlat

Eager-Fraser-Burish

Defense

Keith-Seabrook

Campbell-Walker

Wisniewski-Barker

Goaltender

Khabibulin (TBA)