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NHL Predictions: January 30 Chicago Blackhawks vs Carolina Hurricanes

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NHL Predictions

Welcome to the latest edition of NHL Predictions. Each day, the team here at Last Word on Hockey will dive deep into analysis for any given game to give you the scoop on what elements can change the outcome. Today, we’re taking a look at the contest between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Carolina Hurricanes. Be sure to keep an eye on our other NHL Predictions as the season presses on.

NHL Predictions

Chicago Blackhawks at Carolina Hurricanes

Time: 7:00 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST)

TV: FDSNSO; CHSN; ESPN+

In their second and final game with each other this season, the Chicago Blackhawks will play the Carolina Hurricanes. The cross-conference matchup will hold a little more meaning alongside the potential points, as longtime Hurricanes player Teuvo Teräväinen is set to take the ice in the arena he called home for eight seasons. Furthermore, this will mark Taylor Hall’s first meeting with his former team since the Hurricanes acquired him last week.

The Carolina Story

Starting off this set of NHL Predictions, we will discuss the home team. The Carolina Hurricanes have been surging since mid-January, catching their second wind in the second leg of the season. Going into the game against the Hawks, they sit on a six-game point streak—a streak that started prior to their last meeting with Chicago last week. Since then, well, Carolina has certainly had some significant changes. Namely, the departure of Martin Nečas and Jack Drury, who the Hurricanes drafted in 2017 and 2018, respectively. Entering a blockbuster three-way trade with the Colorado Avalanche and the Chicago Blackhawks, Carolina landed former Hart Trophy Winner Taylor Hall and Stanley Cup Champion Mikko Rantanen.

With what many are calling “The biggest trade in the salary cap era”, the event has garnered an intense focus. However, there is a lot to discuss outside of that, and instead, on the ice. The Carolina Hurricanes quick New York road trip came up with three points against Metropolitan Division Rivals. The first, a game against the New York Islanders, marked Pyotr Kochetkov’s 100th NHL regular season game. Against the Isles, he made 24 saves on 27 shots, with a couple launched by former teammate Tony DeAngelo. The game ultimately led to an overtime loss thanks to the quick stick of Brock Nelson. However, something else was building.

The next game, the Hurricanes took on the New York Rangers in a highly anticipated matchup. The game also gave a first to a few of the visiting players. Scoring first, and at the same moment getting the game-winning goal, was Andrei Svechnikov before even a minute passed. The goal came with an assist from Taylor Hall, which was his first point in a Canes sweater. At the end of the second period, Mikko Rantanen got his first point in Carolina Red with an incredible pass to Svechnikov for one of the cleanest goals from the 24-year-old Russian Winger. A couple more snazzy goals later and the Canes finished the game, up by four.

Frederik Andersen ended the game with an exclamation mark as he notched his 28th NHL career shutout. It was a special moment after a few special games for him, marking his first shutout in Madison Square Garden. For Andersen, this came one game after his 300th win (making him the second-quickest goaltender to achieve this feat) and two games after his 500th game (which was the last time the Canes faced the Blackhawks). Despite there being some concern in the bigger picture, you have to give him his flowers on his recent accomplishments. Whew, have a week, Freddie.

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The Chicago Story

For the second half of this NHL Prediction, we need to discuss the Chicago Blackhawks. The thing most will hear in regards to the Blackhawks is that “it has been a rough season”. And sadly, that isn’t something which will change much here. It hasn’t been pleasant for the ‘Original Six’ team as they continue the grind through a rebuild. In the previously mentioned trade, many would consider them to have taken a major loss as they traded Taylor Hall and the rights to Nils Juntorp, while only getting back a 2025 third-round draft pick (which they’d originally given to Carolina during the 2024 NHL Entry Draft for their rights to Jack Pridham) and having to pay half of Mikko Rantanen’s salary for the season. It was a brutal transaction for their chance to build their young core for the future.

However, there is a bright side to things. Namely, their improvement in the standings so far this season. Having now cracked themselves past the ever-chipper San Jose Sharks, the Blackhawks sit in 31st place league-wide. With 37 points in their 50 games played, it is an improvement compared to their 30 in 50 last season.

Beyond the cross-conference matchup of top and bottom divisional teams, many eyes are going to be watching this game for more reasons than just a couple of points. This will be a moment in which the Chicago Blackhawks could make a statement in their play against the Hurricanes and set pace for the future. Aside from that, there may be more zest in the Blackhawks game as Teräväinen returns to Raleigh and they face off against Hall and the opposing star on their payroll.

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Prediction

The Carolina Hurricanes will be back in their black uniforms as they welcome the Chicago Blackhawks to Lenovo Center. Both teams have played well in their recent matches, with Chicago aiming to make January their most productive month of the season. Both teams should have a lot of motivation to pull out a win in this game for many reasons previously mentioned in this article. Mulling over the stats for both teams over the season, it doesn’t bode in favour of the Blackhawks—Outscored by 40, outshot by nearly 400, and outgoalied with over 30 more allowed goals than the Hurricanes.

However, it should be noted that the seasonal stats for the Hurricanes are a bit muddied due to not being their standard this season, from their incredibly hot start to the mid-season breakdown to the way they’re climbing back to their usual. One thing to watch in this game will be the special teams matchups. The Blackhawks are dangerous on the power play, well above the league average in power play percentage. Meanwhile, the Hurricanes have a dominating penalty kill percentage, in which they lead the league, and are fourth in the league for shorthanded goals. The odds lean in Carolina’s favour, but the Blackhawks may see this as a more important game for the team and bump it into overdrive for the win.

Prediction: Hurricanes win 3-2

Your Nightly Bets

Looking at bets for this round of NHL Predictions, for the Carolina Hurricanes, it’s a Finnish free-for-all plus Hall. Keeping an eye on Sebastian Aho and Mikko Rantanen as goalscorers may make for a good wager. Sebastian Aho is on a three-game goal streak and has a good record of scoring against the Blackhawks, having notched a goal in their three most recent games with each other. As for Rantanen, his two games with the Canes have seen a few high-quality scoring opportunities. Additionally, he has put eight shots on net between the two. The closest to that number of shots within the past two games is Andrei Svechnikov with six.

As for general points, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Seth Jarvis, and Taylor Hall would be three fine choices. Kotkaniemi has been pretty incredible, currently sitting on a five-game point streak. With his continued netfront presence, this pattern should continue. The honorary Finn Jarvis has also been nothing short of a menace on the ice. Currently, he leads the team in the month of January with 14 points. Last but not least is Hall, who notched a point in the last game and has shown to be a welcome component to the team, will likely be looking for a score against his old team.

For the Chicago Blackhawks, it’s a mixed hat of options, as well, so let’s start off with goalscorers. The two choices for this game would be Tyler Bertuzzi and Ryan Donato. It is now the Year of the Snake, and Bertuzzi is one sneaky left winger who knows how to slither his way to the netfront for goals. Meanwhile, Donato has been setting himself a nice pace in goalscoring, managing to spread goals evenly throughout January.

As for general points, Teuvo Teräväinen, Nick Foligno, and Connor Bedard are our three picks. Teräväinen has shown his scoring ability time and time again, and it is to be assumed that there may be extra hype playing in front of a Carolina crowd who will still be cheering him on due to his many years with the team. Meanwhile, Bedard is on a three-game point streak, while only failing to generate points in two of 12 games in January. For Foligno, the Blackhawks Captain has remained consistent, with this month being his best this season in terms of points.

Main Photo Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images

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