Carolina Hurricanes @ Chicago Blackhawks Tips - Hurricanes to gain revenge over Blackhawks

The Carolina Hurricanes take on the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday, April 2, in an NHL Central Division, regular season matchup. This is a straight rematch – Chicago defeated Carolina on Wednesday 2-1, and the Hurricanes are out for revenge. Overall, this will be the 5th meeting between these two teams in 2021, with honors shared at two wins each. 

Carolina are third in the Central division, two places above the Blackhawks. The Hurricanes would have topped the division had they not lost to Chicago, and they remain just a point off the divisions joint leaders Tampa and Florida, with games in hand over both teams.

The Chicago Blackhawks are one of the great teams in NHL history, with six Stanley Cup victories, including three in the past decade. However, barring an incredible run of wins, Chicago are unlikely to reach the playoffs this season. I’m backing the Carolina hurricanes to defeat the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday by at least two clear goals.

The Chicago Blackhawks and the Carolina Hurricanes have played each other 23 times, with Carolina leading their head-to-head by 13-10. In their last eight games dating back over the past two seasons, Carolina lead 6-2. In their most recent meeting on March 31 of this year, the Chicago Blackhawks were 2-1 winners.

Had Carolina defeated Chicago on Wednesday, they would be top of the NHL Central Division right now. Instead they remain 3rd on 49 points, one adrift of the joint leaders the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers. The Hurricanes have won 23 and lost 11, and have games in hand over both the teams above them. 

At the end of February Carolina went on an eight-match winning streak that changed their season completely. Crucial to the Hurricanes success has been Sebastian Aho with 15 goals, Dougie Hamilton with 24 assists, and goalies James Reimer and Alex Nedeljkovic. Although they lost their last match (to Chicago) Carolina remain Stanley Cup contenders. 

Chicago have played 37 games this season with 17 victories and 20 defeats, five of which were overtime shootouts. Their tally of 39 points is equal to that of fourth-placed Nashville Predators, the most in-form team in the NHL right now, with six-straight wins. However both are ten points adrift of the Carolina Hurricanes, who also have three games in hand over them. 

Chicago are the joint-fourth most successful NHL team in history, with six Stanley Cup wins. Three of those wins came in recent years, in 2009-10, 2012-13 and 2014-15. Unfortunately the Blackhawks aren’t likely to make the playoffs this season. That said, they aren’t in bad shape, and have won three out of their last five matches, including Wednesday’s win over Carolina.