A pair of disheartening losses carried the Chicago Blackhawks into the holiday break. Following a 5-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Friday night, the Blackhawks managed to let a 5-2 lead slip on Saturday against the St. Louis Blues. Chicago ultimately lost 7-5 to the hands of their division rival.
On Wednesday, the Blackhawks are looking to get back to their winning ways. A tough challenge lies ahead with one of the top teams from the Central Division paying their first visit to Chicago this season. The Winnipeg Jets are currently one point back of the division lead.
In order to get back to their winning ways, reinforcements returning from the injury report are key. In the case of Wednesday's game, the Blackhawks are getting help as Alex Vlasic and Tyler Johnson are both returning to the lineup.
With their returns, Johnson will plug in as the third line center and Vlasic will return to his normal top pairing spot opposite of veteran Connor Murphy.
Alex Vlasic has not suited up since December 14 against the Seattle Kraken. His return will bring additional stability to the blue line as Seth Jones remains sidelined. Vlasic and Murphy will likely be the tough pair that head coach Luke Richardson leans on against the talented Jets.
So far this season, Vlasic has one goal and five assists in 27 games. Vlasic is also averaging over 20 minutes of ice time per game.
As for Johnson, he did not play in St. Louis but was on the ice for the Canadiens game. In 32 games, Johnson has seven goals and four assists. He will look to help power the Hawks' new-look third line with some well-needed depth scoring.
What's On Tap Next?
The Blackhawks and Jets do battle at the United Center on Wednesday night. Unlike the usual start times, Wednesday's game will begin at 8:00 pm CT. The late start time should make it more accessible for fans attending the game after work.
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