The Chicago Blackhawks (4-2-2) look for their fifth win in a six-game stretch when they return to the United Center to face off with the Los Angeles Kings (3-3-3) on Sunday night.
Last time out, the Blackhawks bested the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 at Benchmark International Arena to move to 4-0-1 over their past five games. Ryan Donato found the back of the net twice, while Spencer Knight stopped 29 of 31 shots faced to earn the win.
Donato, now the team-leading goal scorer with five tallies, extended his goal streak to four games and his point streak to five games against the Lightning. Donato now has seven points in eight games this season and also has five points (2G, 3A) in his last four games against Los Angeles.
With another two assists on Thursday, Frank Nazar is now the leading scorer for the Blackhawks with nine points (4G, 5A) through eight games. Nazar already has three multi-point performances on the season.
The Kings are on the back end of a road back-to-back on Sunday, as they fell 5-4 to the Predators in a shootout in Nashville on Saturday. Los Angeles has lost five of its last seven games heading into their matchup with Chicago.
Adrian Kempe has led the charge offensively for the Kings this season, as he’s their leading point scorer with 12 points (5G, 7A) through nine games. Quinton Byfield, the second overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, is second on the team with eight points (2G, 6A). Anze Kopitar, who was activated off injured reserve on Saturday, has four assists through five games.
Blackhawks Regular Season Notes (Last Five Games)
FINALLY, Jeff Blashill got his first win as the Blackhawks’ new head coach with a 3-1 victory over the Utah Mammoth. Ilya Mikheyev led the way with two goals, while Spencer Knight was excellent once again in net.
The Young & Fun Blackhawks have officially arrived. Connor Bedard & Lukas Reichel each tallied three points in a dominant 8-3 win over the St. Louis Blues. What a statement made on national television.
Tyler Bertuzzi’s late goal that was waived off for goaltender interference got all the attention, but the Blackhawks’ sloppy second period was what cost them in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Canucks.
Connor Bedard wouldn’t be denied in overtime, as he set up Ryan Donato for the game-winning goal to beat the Anaheim Ducks 2-1. Here are 10 takeaways from the Blackhawks’ third win in their last four games.
Another game, another game-winning goal for Ryan Donato. The Blackhawks scored with under a minute remaining in the third period against the Tampa Bay Lightning to earn their fourth win in the last five games.
2024-25 Results vs. Kings
11/02/24 — 4-3 W (SO), Crypto.com Arena
03/03/25 — 5-1 W, United Center
03/20/25 — 3-1 L, United Center
Projected Blackhawks Lineup
Forward Lines
Ilya Mikheyev-Connor Bedard-Andre Burakovsky
Teuvo Teravainen-Frank Nazar-Ryan Donato
Colton Dach-Ryan Greene-Jason Dickinson
Landon Slaggert-Nick Foligno
Defensive Pairings
Alex Vlasic-Sam Rinzel
Wyatt Kaiser-Louis Crevier
Matt Grzelcyk-Connor Murphy
Artyom Levshunov
Scratched
F — Sam Lafferty*
Injured
F — Tyler Bertuzzi (undisclosed)
***
Bertuzzi didn’t practice with the team on Saturday and was absent once again for the morning skate. Head coach Jeff Blashill confirmed after the morning skate that Bertuzzi won’t play for the first time this season, which opens up a spot on the top line. Ilya Mikheyev filled that position in practice.
It’s also worth noting that Andre Burakovsky and Jason Dickinson both returned to the team on Saturday and are expected to rejoin the lineup versus Los Angeles. Burakovsky was back on the top line with Connor Bedard and Mikheyev, while Dickinson skated on the third line with Colton Dach and Ryan Greene.
The Blackhawks didn’t go through line rushes during their morning skate, but Sam Lafferty was once again the last skater on the ice, which likely foreshadows another healthy scratch coming his way. Laffery has been healthy-scratched in five consecutive games entering Sunday.
Blashill is expected to utilize an 11-forward, seven-defensemen lineup for the sixth straight game.
Projected Kings Lineup
Forward Lines
Andrei Kuzmenko-Anze Kopitar-Adrian Kempe
Kevin Fiala-Quinton Byfield-Alex Laferriere
Warren Foegele-Phillip Danault-Trevor Moore
Joel Armia-Alex Turcotte-Corey Perry
Defensive Pairings
Brian Dumoulin — Drew Doughty
Joel Edmundson — Brandt Clarke
Mikey Anderson — Cody Ceci
Scratched
F — Jeff Malott, D — Jacob Moverare
Injured
F — Kyle Burroughs (upper body)
***
The Kings didn’t hold a morning skate on Sunday, since they traveled from Nashville late on Saturday night. The lineup listed above is from their game on Saturday against the Predators.
GOALTENDING MATCHUP
Anton Forsberg (1-1-1, 3.89 GAA, .880 Sv%, 0 SO) vs. Arvid Soderblom (1-0-1, 3.46 GAA, .881 Sv%, 0 SO)
Forsberg is likely to get the start for Los Angeles in the back end of their back-to-back after Darcy Kuemper played on Saturday in Nashville. Forsberg stopped 22 of 25 shots faced to earn the loss in his most recent outing nine days ago. The former Blackhawks netminder is 1-1-1 with a 3.32 GAA and .841 Sv% in three career starts against Chicago.
Soderblom gets his first start in 11 days and will make his third appearance in the 2025-26 season. In his most recent start, he stopped 23 of 26 shots faced in an 8-3 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Soderblom is 1-1-1 with a 4.41 GAA and .878 Sv% in three career starts against the Kings.
How To Watch, Listen, & Game Info
Los Angeles Kings (3-3-3) @ Chicago Blackhawks (4-2-2)
6:00 p.m. CT — United Center
TV/Stream: CHSN (Ball/Pang), FDSNW
Radio: WGN 720 AM (Wiedeman/Konroyd)
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