NHL Schedule: Blackhawks, Blues lead weekly national televised games
Wednesday (Oct. 18)
Chicago Blackhawks at St. Louis Blues (8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT on NBCSN)
Why you should watch: A fitting match up for NBCSN’s Wednesday Night Rivalry (two weeks in a row!). These two teams have met in the playoffs twice in the last four years, and they represent the best of a still stacked Central Division.
The Blackhawks have quieted doubters with their 4-1-1 start. The blue line still raises questions, but goalie Corey Crawford has kept them above water. He leads the league with a .960 save percentage through five games played.
The Blues have been a team in transition for a few years now, but it’s gone smoothly. Yes, they’ve been snakebitten in the playoffs, but starting goalies gave way from Jaroslav Halak to Brian Elliott to Jake Allen without missing much. Alex Pietrangelo looks like an early Norris Trophy Candidate, while Colton Parayko looks like a future number one defenseman in his own right.
Skip it if: The top end talent on the Blues might be great, but there are legitimate depth concerns. An injury to Robby Fabri shouldn’t be this much of a concern. Chicago’s blue line is bleak. After Duncan Keith we have the declining Brent Seabrook, some Scotch tape, and chewing gum. And Cody Franson’s somewhere in there, we think.
Verdict: Must watch. Even with their respective roster holes, this is a can’t miss matchup.
Montreal Canadiens at Los Angeles Kings (8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT on NBCSN)
Why you should watch: Anze Kopitar is a wizard. The Slovenian has six points in four games, and he’s still one of the most fun players in the league to watch. After a down 2016-17 season, his hot start has helped propel the Kings to a 3-0-1 record so far.
Skip it if: Pretty much everything else about this game is rough around the edges. The Kings are off to a hot start, but it’s a bit of a mirage. After their top end talent like Kopitar and Drew Doughty, it’s a lot of legacy contracts from their post-Cup hangover.
Verdict: Get to bed early. This one’s a snoozer.
No more games until the weekend, but it’s a fun match up ahead.