The Chicago Blackhawks aim to wash away Thursday’s awful loss against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday night at the United Center.

The Chicago Blackhawks finish up their Thursday/Friday back-to-back at the United Center. With the red-hot Columbus Blue Jackets in town, the Blackhawks NEED to eliminate the memory of their bad performance on Thursday night. The 6-2 loss in Pittsburgh was atrocious, and wiping it away will not be an easy task.

Chicago Blackhawks vs Columbus Blue Jackets Preview

Coming off an ugly loss, the Blackhawks do not get a break against the Blue Jackets. After a rough start to the season, Columbus has rallied, putting themselves within striking distance of a playoff spot. A 7-3-0 stretch over their last 10 makes the Blue Jackets another tough opponent for Chicago. There are no breaks on the merciless NHL schedule.

The Blue Jackets are led by Zach Werenski, who may be positioning himself for a Norris Trophy with his play. His 57 points in just 48 games leads all defensemen in the league. In addition, Jet Greaves has been incredible as the starting goaltender for the Jackets, posting a 2.68 GAA over 35 games (33 starts).

For the Blackhawks, there are some changes coming to the NHL roster. Artyom Levshunov has really struggled lately, and head coach Jeff Blashill clearly sees that. The Blackhawks recalled defenseman Sam Rinzel from Rockford on Friday, likely indicating that Levshunov will watch Friday night’s game from the press box. With the Olympic freeze approaching, there is a chance this roster continues to look a lot different in the coming days and weeks.

The Blackhawks will sport their black alternate jerseys on Friday night. The Blackhawks will wear the jerseys just two more times this season, with one of those coming on the road against the Vegas Golden Knights in March. That makes Friday the penultimate home game featuring the sweet new uniforms.

Story continues below.

More Sports News

.wp-block-group__inner-container:has(> .embla),
.wp-block-group:where(.alignfull) > .wp-block-group__inner-container:has(> .embla) {
width: calc(100vw – (var(–side-spacing) * 2)) !important;
}
.embla {
position: relative;
overflow: hidden;
}
.embla__container {
display: flex;
flex-wrap: nowrap;
gap: 0 !important;
width: 75%;
}
.embla__slide {
margin-inline-end: var(–column-gap);
}
.embla__arrow,
.embla__arrow:active,
.embla__arrow:target,
.embla__arrow:hover,
.embla__arrow:focus-visible {
display: none;
position: absolute;
top: 50%;
transform: translateY(-50%);
width: 40px;
height: 40px;
margin: 0;
padding: 0;
line-height: 0;
background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75);
color: var(–color-primary);
border-radius: 100vw;

svg {
width: 24px;
}
}
.embla__prev {
left: 0;
}
.embla__next {
right: 0;
}
]]>

This is the lone game on the NHL schedule for Friday. All eyes are on the Blackhawks in the NHL.

How to Watch Chicago Blackhawks vs Columbus Blue Jackets

Date: Friday, Jan. 30, 2026

Time: 7:30 p.m. CT

TV Channel: CHSN*, FDSNOH, NHL Network

Live Stream: CHSN App (in market only), FuboTV (Free Trial Available)

Several streaming and TV options are available for fans looking to watch the Blackhawks vs the Columbus Blue Jackets game live. The game will air locally on Chicago Sports Network (CHSN)* and FDSNOH in their respective markets, and NHL Network nationally. With the game showing on NHL Network, ESPN+ will be blacked out.

*CHSN is currently available via a direct-to-consumer streaming service and cable services Xfinity (Comcast Ultimate Tier, channel 200 and 201), DIRECTV (channel 665), DIRECTV Stream (channel 665), U-Verse (channel 1741), Astound (channels 685 and 576), and FuboTV.