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The Chicago Blackhawks (26-31-13) kick off a four-game East Coast road trip against the New York Islanders (40-26-5) on Tuesday. It’s the second and final meeting of the 2025-26 season between the two teams.
In the first matchup at the United Center on Dec. 30, both clubs’ final game of the 2025 calendar year, the Islanders earned a 3-2 shootout victory. Calum Ritchie and Bo Horvat (PP) were the goal scorers for New York in regulation, with Horvat also tallying the shootout winner. The Blackhawks rallied back from an early 2-0 deficit with goals from Teuvo Teravainen and Nick Lardis (PP) to record a point. David Rittich stopped 17 of 19 shots faced to secure the win in net.
Last time out, the Blackhawks fell 3-2 in overtime to the Nashville Predators on Sunday, blowing a 2-1 third-period lead in the process. Lardis and Connor Bedard were the two goal scorers in the game for Chicago. Filip Forsberg was responsible for two of the three Predators’ goals, including the overtime winner, while Steven Stamkos also found the back of the net. Spencer Knight stopped 30 of 33 shots in defeat.
The Islanders are coming off a 1-0 shutout win over the Blue Jackets on Sunday, snapping Columbus’s 12-game point streak in the process. Horvat tallied the lone goal of the game, while Ilya Sorokin stopped all 26 shots faced for his seventh shutout of the year.
With 85 points through 71 games this season, the Islanders currently hold a one-point cushion for the second and final Wild Card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Every game matters from here on out. Fortunately for New York, 10 of its final 12 games this season will be played on home ice.
Here’s everything else to note before the puck drops at 6:00 p.m. CT in Long Island.
Blackhawks Projected Lineup
Forward Lines
Ryan Greene — Connor Bedard — Anton Frondell
Tyler Bertuzzi — Frank Nazar — Nick Lardis
Andre Burakovsky — Ryan Donato — Ilya Mikheyev
Teuvo Teravainen — Sam Lafferty — Landon Slaggert
Defensive Pairings
Alex Vlasic-Artyom Levshunov
Wyatt Kaiser-Sam Rinzel
Ethan Del Mastro-Louis Crevier
Scratched
F — Sacha Boisvert (visa), F — Dominic Toninato
Injured
F — Andrew Mangiapane (undisclosed), F — Oliver Moore (lower body)
***
Anton Frondell joined the Blackhawks in Long Island on Monday night and will officially make his NHL debut against the Islanders. Frondell, 18, will play left wing on the top line with Connor Bedard and Ryan Greene. The 2025 No. 3 overall selection will have his sister and parents in attendance at UBS Arena.
Andre Burakovsky has been demoted to the third line, while Teuvo Teravainen also hops down to the fourth line. Dominic Toninato will be the healthy scratch.
Sacha Boisvert finally had his work visa approved, meaning he’s cleared to start practicing and playing for the Blackhawks. Boisvert participated in the morning skate but will make his NHL debut later on during the four-game road trip. Chicago plays Philadelphia on Thursday, New York (Rangers) on Friday, and New Jersey on Sunday before returning home.
Islanders Projected Lineup
Forward Lines
Anders Lee — Bo Horvat — Emil Heineman
Calum Ritchie — Brayden Schenn — Mathew Barzal
Ondrej Palat — Jean-Gabriel Pageau — Simon Holmstrom
Kyle MacLean — Casey Cizikas — Marc Gatcomb
Defensive Pairings
Matthew Schaefer-Adam Pelech
Carson Soucy-Tony DeAngelo
Scott Mayfield-Adam Boqvist
Scratched
F — Anthony Duclair
Injured
D — Ryan Pulock (lower body), F — Kyle Palmieri (ACL), D — Alexander Romanov (upper body), G — Semyon Varlamov (knee)
Projected Goaltending Matchup
Arvid Soderblom (6-11-3, 3.72 GAA, .879 Sv%, 1 SO) vs. David Rittich (14-9-3, 2.69 GAA, .898 Sv%, 2 SO)
Soderblom will make his 21st start of the season for the Blackhawks. The 26-year-old allowed four goals on 49 shots faced to record the loss in his last start against the Colorado Avalanche on Friday. Soderblom is 1-3-0 with a 3.50 GAA and .893 Sv% in four career games against New York.
Rittich will make his 27th start of the season for the Islanders. The 33-year-old veteran stopped 30 of 32 shots to earn the win in his most recent start against the Calgary Flames on Mar. 14. Rittich is 4-1-0 with a 3.11 GAA and .878 Sv% in six career games against Chicago.
2025-26 Results vs. Islanders
The Blackhawks have earned points in seven of their last 11 games against the Islanders in New York (5-4-2) and have gone 15-7-3 in their last 25 overall games against the club. Connor Bedard has recorded points (2G, 4A) in each of his three career games versus New York.
12/30/25 — 3-2 L (SO), United Center
03/24/26 — UBS Arena
2025-26 Team Stats & Leaders
Chicago Blackhawks:
Goals — Connor Bedard (29)
Assists — Connor Bedard (37)
Points — Connor Bedard (66)
GF/GP — 2.58 (30th)
GA/GP — 3.14 (22nd)
PP% — 18.6% (22nd)
PK% — 84.1% (2nd)
FOW% — 46.6% (31st)
New York Islanders:
Goals — Bo Horvat (29)
Assists — Mathew Barzal (46)
Points — Mathew Barzal (64)
GF/GP — 2.85 (22nd)
GA/GP — 2.77 (4th)
PP% — 16.6% (27th)
PK% — 81.1% (10th)
FOW% — 52.1% (6th)
How To Watch, Listen, & Game Info
Chicago Blackhawks (26-31-13, 65 points)vs. New York Islanders (40-26-5, 85 points)
6:00 p.m. CT — UBS Arena
Head Coaches: Jeff Blashill (CHI), Patrick Roy (NYI)
TV/Stream: CHSN (Ball/Pang), MSGSN
Radio: WGN 720AM (Wiedeman/Konroyd)
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The post Blackhawks vs. Islanders: Frondell’s Debut, Preview, Lineups, How To Watch Game 71 appeared first on Chicago Hockey Now.
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