Chicago's prized rookie and NHL's top draft pick of 2023 set to skate again on line that produced in 4-3 OT win at Vegas on Friday.
Based on lines in the Blackhawks' Sunday's practice, Connor Bedard will again center Philipp Kurashev and Nick Foligno when Chicago meets the Coyotes in Arizona on Monday night.
The unit was the team's most productive in a 4-3 OT win over the Golden Knights in Vegas in Friday.
Kurashev fires in the game-winner in Vegas.Kurashev, in his second game back from a wrist injury, scored the game-winner during a power play at 2:50 of the extra period. Bedard fired his his third goal of the season off a nifty pass from Foligno to tie it at 2 late in the first.
For the game, the Kurashev-Bedard-Foligno line had six shots on goal and attempted 11 more shots (seven blocked, four missed).
Bedard, who enters Monday tied for the NHL rookie lead in shots on goal with 25, likes the dynamics of the trio. See video.
Lineup Summary
Against Arizona, the Blackhawks (3-5-0) will be without impressive rookie defenseman Alex Vlasic, who's in concussion protocol after a big hit from Brett Howden in Vegas. Isaak Phillips was recalled from AHL Rockford to take Vlasic's place. (See story on the site.)
Speedy forward Andreas Athanasiou returns to the lineup after being a healthy scratch in Vegas.
Lukas Reichel remains as the second-line center despite not recording a point in eight games. The 21-year-old German, Chicago's No. 1 draft pick in 2020, (17th overall) is a minus-8 and has 18 shots on goal.
Forward Lines
- F1: Nick Foligno-Connor Bedard-Philipp Kurashev
- F2: Jason Dickinson-Lukas Reichel-Taylor Raddysh
- F3:Tyler Johnson-Ryan Donato-Corey Perry
- F4. Andreas Athanasiou - McKenzie Entwistle-Reese Johnson
Extra: Boris Katchouk
Defense Pairings
- D1. Kevin Korchinski- Seth Jones
- D2. Isaak Phillips- Connor Murphy
- D3. Jarred Tinordi-Wyatt Kaiser
Extra: Nikita Zaitsev
Goalies
- Arvid Söderblom (Starter) /Petr Mrazek
Injured: Forward Taylor Hall (shoulder, IR), Defenseman Alex Vlasic (concussion).