Chicago Blackhawks vs Boston Bruins prediction: Bruins' stingy goaltending faces a Blackhawks offense that can't score

A Chicago attack running dry

The Bruins dropped their last two games, and the eight-game point streak that carried their start is over. A visit from Chicago is a chance to steady things, because the Blackhawks have struggled to create anything.

Chicago scores 2.08 goals per game, 31st of 32, and it gets there honestly. The Blackhawks also rank 31st in shots on goal at 21.6 a night. Their shot share, meaning their portion of all shots taken in their games, sits at 41.6%, again 31st. A team that rarely shoots and rarely scores now faces the league's best team save percentage: Boston stops 91.6% of shots against, 1st in the NHL.

The power play offers no rescue. Chicago converts 10.0% of its chances, last in the league. Boston's penalty kill is middling at 77.6%, 18th, and the Bruins go shorthanded often. Even so, an extra man has done little for Chicago this season.

Boston also wins on finishing. The Bruins shoot 13.8%, 4th in the league, which explains how a team with a 48.6% shot share still owns the second-best goal differential.

Who starts in Chicago's net

The goalie matchup is where this game could swing, and Chicago's choice has not been announced. ESPN lists Arvid Soderblom as the probable starter. Earlier in the week, Spencer Knight was expected to get the call, which would have been his eighth consecutive start. The league's Saturday preview calls both teams' starters projected, not confirmed.

The difference is real. Knight has a .897 save percentage and a 3.21 goals-against average this season. Soderblom has allowed nine goals on 50 shots across two appearances, an .820 mark. That is a small sample, but it is the only one available.

For Boston, Jeremy Swayman is the probable starter, with a .912 save percentage and 2.35 goals-against average. He faced only 14 shots in Thursday's loss at St. Louis. The Bruins skipped their morning skate, so the official word may come late.

Boston's shuffle and Pastrnak's milestone

Marco Sturm shook up his top six in the third period Thursday after a 4-1 loss to the Blues, and more changes may follow. One line he likes: the James Hagens unit has outscored opponents 5-1 at 5-on-5, and Hagens opened the scoring in St. Louis.

David Pastrnak leads Boston with 18 points and needs one goal to pass Patrice Bergeron on the franchise's all-time list. Home ice has suited the Bruins, who are 5-1-0 at TD Garden.

Boston's lineup is mostly settled, with one wrinkle. Matthew Poitras had been on injured reserve since late September, yet the league's projected lineup puts him on the third line, so his status is unclear until warmups.

Chicago's lineup questions

Chicago is 0-5-0 away from home, and coach Jeff Blashill said after Thursday's loss in Detroit that too many players weren't close to being good enough. Connor Bedard scored the opening goal that night and has 7 points in 7 games.

Defenseman Bowen Byram remains day-to-day with an upper-body injury. He missed Thursday, his sixth straight absence, and skated in a non-contact jersey. The latest league report, from Friday, lists Saturday as his expected return, but nothing confirms he will play. Andrew Mangiapane was activated from injured reserve last week, though the projected lineup lists him as a scratch. Alex Vlasic sat out Thursday and is listed on the projected lineup's first defense pair.

What the market says

Boston is a -225 favorite, and Chicago is +190, across 11 books. The Bruins have covered the puck line in 11 of 14 games, while Chicago is 5-8 against it.

The total is the interesting part. It was first seen in our feed at 5.5 and now sits at 6.0, even though Chicago's last five games all went under. Boston has gone under in 9 of 14. The Bruins won both meetings last season, 4-3 at home and 5-2 in Chicago.