Liontips
Utah — Chicago: NHL match forecast
Utah will continue its home series of games on February 26. Chicago will be the next opponent of the newcomers in the new season. The Hawks are unlikely to be able to make the playoffs, but Clayton Keller's squad is on the tenth line in the conference and expects to participate in the final part of the tournament. At the beginning of the season, the hosts defeated their opponent on their home ice. Will the guests be able to take revenge? This is stated in the forecast for the confrontation
Command Analysis
Utah Hockey Club
USACurrent form
Utah is trying to get to the top eight in the West, but so far it occupies only the tenth place in the conference. The newcomers do not lose hope of reaching the finals of the tournament in their first season, but the hosts have only 59 points after 58 matches. The team led by Andre Turigny was bad at the end of January and lost five matches in a row, although in two home matches the debutants still clung to the scoring points. In the final match of the last home series, the debutants beat Philadelphia (3:2, OT), and at the start of the current guest tour they managed to beat Columbus in Ohio (3:2, OT). Before the trip to the capital, Clayton Keller's squad was defeated in the Role by the local hurricanes (3:7), but the very next day they unexpectedly won in the US capital (5:4, B). In the first match after the break, the newcomers were defeated in California by the local Los Angeles (3:5), but then they confidently beat Vancouver (2:1).
The captain of "Utah" remains its top scorer at the moment. Clayton Keller scored 63 points (20+43) in the goal+pass system and is 19 points ahead of Logan Cooley (16+28), who returned to the ice and immediately scored the puck. Dylan Gunter returned to action after injury and is on the fourth line in the list of the most productive players of the club (21+22), while in the first six matches he earned nine points and was very good. Nick Schmaltz (11+33) is also among the league's hundred leaders.
Connor Ingarm was injured in the game against Washington, but played against Los Angeles in the last match. The Canadian goalkeeper made 88.19% of his saves and never left the court without missing a goal. Karel Weimelka looks much better than his colleague. He blocked 90.89% of shots on his possessions and made one shutout in 35 duels. It was he who became the hero of the meeting against the Canadians.
Disqualifications and injuries
Robert Bortuzzo will not be able to participate in the upcoming match. Connor Ingram's condition is still in question.
Interesting betting trends
- Utah is averaging 2.82 goals per game this season.
Beginners don't always play poorly offensively, but their performance is only getting worse.
- The Salt Lake club throws 28 times per game on average.
The debutants don't shoot that many goals, but they managed to realize 10.1% of the chances.
Chicago Blackhawks
USACurrent form
Chicago is having a weak regular season and is still on the 15th line in the West. The Illinois club has only 41 scoring points after 57 games. Anders Sorensen's team played a lot at home at the end of December and the beginning of the new year, but managed to get only four wins in the new one. In the second half of January, the Hawks scored points in five out of seven games and performed well offensively. They have won only one meeting this month and are still unable to get in the right shape. After the break, the Blackhawks lost to Colabus (1-5) in Ohio, and then lost soundly at home to Toronto (2-5), although they had a good chance of success.
The Blackhawks finally started scoring more goals and scored 17 accurate shots in the previous six games. Connor Bedard holds the lead in the club's goalscoring list. The young forward scored 49 points (16+33) and more often gives assists to his partners. The best sniper of the guests so far is Ryan Donato, who scored 19 goals.
Chicago was poor defensively and has recently seriously deteriorated its defensive performance. The average for the season is 3.53 goals per match, while the Hawks have conceded 25 goals in the last six starts. Arvid Söderblom became the main goalkeeper of the guests, and this season he has 90.48% of deflected shots.
Disqualifications and injuries
Leon Brossois and Connor Murphy will not be coming to Salt Lake with the team.
Interesting betting trends
- Chicago throws more than 24 times per match
The visitors do not try to shoot from any position, and often this strategy brings the Blackhawks the desired result.
- The Hawks play more than 19 power plays per match.
Anders Sorensen's players love contact hockey and don't give their opponents much free space.
Trends
Bet 1st period: total more than 1.5 goals
In the last three out of five matches involving Utah, at least two goals were scored in the first period.
1.80Bet 3rd period: "Utah" will score
The Blackhawks have conceded in the third period in the last three out of four games.
1.42Tip and bets
Chicago is not always justifiably considered an obvious underdog in its matches. Anders Sorensen's team is capable of beating absolutely any team in the league, which it has proven more than once during the current season. Utah lacks stability, and the newcomers play almost the worst on their ice in the conference. At the beginning of the season, the debutants easily outplayed the Hawks at the Delta Center. We think it won't be so easy for them now. We believe in the guests and do not expect their defeat in Salt Lake. Let's play a bet on the victory of the guests with a plus handicap.
Prediction - Chicagowinswith an Asian handicap (+1.5) in 1.82
Betting on an individual total
The Blackhawks very rarely leave the court without at least two abandoned goals. Right now, the team from Illinois is not in optimal shape, but even so, the guests are required to score at least twice. Utah lets its opponents play and often concedes in large numbers. We believe that Andre Turigny's players will see a red light outside their gates at least three times.
We bet more than two goals on Chicago's individual total with a coefficient of 1.60
Bet on the total
The teams have played only one match in their history and it turned out to be productive. Chicago plays in an open style, and very rarely do matches involving the Hawks turn out to be boring. Utah concedes a lot and lets their opponents play offensively. Clayton Keller's squad should score more goals, because Logan Cooley has finally returned to the lineup. We expect at least six accurate shots for two from our opponents.
We take a total of more than 5.5 goals for 1.70
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