Chicago vs Carolina Prediction 21 January 2025

🔊 What else are the "Blackhawks" capable of? Chicago remains one of the main outsiders of the West and is firmly entrenched at the bottom of the conference standings, but recently they have started to earn points. Nevertheless, these local successes have not affected the overall trend, and the club is preparing for a massive sell-off. Carolina, on the other hand, continues to be one of the leaders of the Eastern Conference but has not been able to boast stable results lately.

📊 Head-to-Head

Last season, the teams met twice, and the "Hurricanes" gave their opponent no chance on both occasions (6:3, 4:2). Essentially, there was no real competition then, as the "Blackhawks" failed to put up a worthy resistance. The most productive player in those encounters was Carolina's forward Seth Jarvis. The Canadian scored a brace in the second game and added two assists to that. The hockey player is still in great form and has scored points in three of the last five matches.

🔴 Chicago

It's not quite a renaissance for the "Blackhawks," but the last two matches have clearly gone well for the team. First, Anders Sorensen's squad only lost to Nashville in a shootout (2:3), and then they managed to defeat one of the Western Conference favorites, Vegas (5:3). Yes, the "Knights" are currently in crisis, but this does not diminish the achievements of the current home team. However, saving this season is out of reach under any circumstances. Management is preparing for a sell-off of many players, and success is only expected in a few years.

⚫ Carolina

Rod Brind'Amour's squad still can't find balance. They struggle to play successful series for extended periods. After a few successful matches, a slump inevitably occurs, during which the team loses points. For instance, after convincing victories over Toronto (6:3) and Vancouver (2:0), Carolina lost to conference outsiders Anaheim (2:3 OT) and Buffalo (2:4). Nevertheless, the club remains among the favorites of the Eastern Conference and is quite capable of competing for leading positions in the standings.

📌 Projected Lineups

Chicago: Mrazek - Jones, Martinez - Nazar, Bedard, Bertuzzi

Carolina: Kochetkov - Burns, Slavin - Jarvis, Aho, Roslovic

🥅 Goalkeepers

Chicago goalkeeper Petr Mrazek has been alternating matches with his partner Arvid Soderblom. This regime has clearly not benefited the Czech. In the last four matches, he only maintained a save percentage above 90% twice and consequently suffered two losses. However, credit must be given to the goaltender; with such blatantly weak defensive play from his teammates, he delivers maximum efficiency.

Carolina's goalie Pyotr Kochetkov no longer plays in every game but shares time with his partner Justin Tokarski. And this is precisely a case where alternating benefits both. In three of the last four matches, Kochetkov has earned points for his team. The Russian still needs to gain experience in the world's strongest league, but he already delights fans in Raleigh with his composure.

📝 Editorial Prediction

The "Blackhawks" have clearly caught their wave. Players from Illinois definitely won't make it to the Stanley Cup playoffs, but they are quite capable of taking away many points from favorites in both conferences. The last two matches have clearly demonstrated this. Yes, the "Hurricanes" are set on an ultimate victory and will likely achieve their goal. However, Chicago in its current form is fully capable of putting up a real fight against any opponent. The home team should at least maintain a two-goal handicap. Our key bet is Chicago win with a handicap (+2.5).