Chicago Blackhawks vs Detroit Red Wings prediction: Detroit's goalie question hangs over Chicago's struggling attack

Detroit's unsettled crease

The Red Wings have spent the season pushing play and getting very little for it. Thursday they may not know who is behind them until warmups. John Gibson is listed as Detroit's probable starter. A projection earlier in the week had Michal Postava in net, and the newest reporting says either one could get the start. Postava made his first NHL start Monday in Edmonton and stopped all three shooters in a shootout win.

Gibson has struggled. His save percentage sits at .867 and his goals-against average at 3.44. Daniil Tarasov owns a .940 save percentage, the best on the team, but he was listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed issue on Tuesday's report, and no update has followed.

For Chicago, Spencer Knight is expected to start after making 25 saves in Tuesday's win over Los Angeles. His .897 save percentage is nothing special, but Chicago's situation in goal is clearer than Detroit's.

Detroit drives, but can't finish

Detroit takes 53.7% of the shots in its games, which ranks 9th. Shot share is simply a team's portion of all shots on goal. Chicago sits 31st in that category at 41.9%.

The pressure should come. Detroit averages 29.8 shots per game, 7th in the league, and Chicago allows 30.2, which ranks 27th. Detroit's problem is finishing. Its shooting percentage of 8.7 ranks 29th, which helps explain why the Red Wings average only 2.58 goals per game.

Chicago has the opposite problem. The Blackhawks don't get enough shots to need good luck converting them, and they have scored three or more goals only once in their last five games.

Two weak units collide

This is the most revealing matchup on the ice. Chicago's power play converts 10.3% of its chances (power-play goals per opportunity), which ranks 31st. Detroit's penalty kill stops only 65.9% of opposing power plays, 30th in the league.

Detroit draws 3.5 power plays per game, 6th in the league, so it should get chances of its own. Chicago's penalty kill ranks 17th, middle of the pack. If Detroit turns its shot volume into power plays, that is its clearest route to a multi-goal win.

Kane's return and the lineups

Patrick Kane returns to Detroit needing one assist to reach 900 for his career. He has set up teammates this season but rarely scored himself, with one goal on a 4.5% shooting rate. Coach Jeff Blashill, who formerly coached Detroit, hopes Tuesday's win gives his club some momentum. That win ended a three-game skid.

Bowen Byram remains day-to-day with an upper-body injury. He was still in a non-contact jersey at Tuesday's morning skate, so his status for Thursday is unsettled.

For Detroit, coach Todd McLellan said Dylan Larkin took a maintenance day and is expected to play. Simon Edvinsson remains on the injured non-roster list during a contract dispute, and Marco Kasper is on injured reserve on a week-to-week timetable.

What the market is pricing

Detroit is the -177 moneyline favorite, and Chicago returns +150. The total sits at 6.0, up from 5.75 when our feed first saw this game. Detroit has gone over in 7 of 12 games. Chicago has covered the puck line 5 times in 12.

Last season's meetings swung hard. Chicago won 5-1 in Detroit, and Detroit won 4-0 in Chicago.

• Whether Gibson or Postava takes the crease at warmups
• Detroit's power-play chances against Chicago's 17th-ranked penalty kill
• Whether Kane picks up his 900th career assist