Golden Knights Face Off Against Blackhawks in Key Matchup

CHICAGO, IL — The Chicago Blackhawks host the Vegas Golden Knights for a Western Conference showdown on Sunday evening. The game begins at 7 p.m. ET at the United Center.

Vegas, boasting a strong record in recent meetings against Chicago, comes into this match with confidence. The Golden Knights have shown superiority in various statistics this season, especially with key players from the Blackhawks sidelined due to injuries.

Blackhawks’ star Connor Bedard and forward Frank Nazar are currently on injured reserve, which poses significant challenges for Chicago. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights will attempt to capitalize on their on-ice advantages, as they ranked higher in expected goals for, expected goals against, and faceoff wins.

In their last outing, Vegas suffered a close 4-3 loss to the St. Louis Blues, with goaltender Carter Hart expected to start after making 15 saves. On the other side, Spencer Knight of the Blackhawks made 32 saves in a hard-fought 3-2 shootout victory against the Washington Capitals, but he is anticipated to sit this game out as Arvid Soderblom takes his place in net.

Soderblom has struggled this season, with a save percentage of .873 and a goals-against average of 4.02 across 13 games. This matchup heavily favors Vegas in goaltending as Hart has performed better in overall metrics.

With both teams nearing the midway mark of the season, this contest is crucial as they vie for playoff positioning. Golden Knights’ forward Jack Eichel is expected to make an impact, leading the team in goals scored.

The Golden Knights will seek to extend their winning ways against the Blackhawks, who will need to rally despite their injuries as they chase victory on home ice.