Chicago vs Ottawa: The Senators to beat the Hawks for the tenth time since the start of the season

Only the name is left of the legendary Chicago Blackhawks. Jeremy Colliton’s team is playing some of the worst hockey in the league this season. Bookmakers believe the team will snap their nine-game losing streak at home against Ottawa.

Kane and Taves aren’t getting any younger, so the Blackhawks have less and less chance to prove themselves in the coming years. The franchise seems to have the resources, even despite the recent firing of Stan Bowman as general manager, not just to make the playoffs but to look decent there in the postseason as well. However, the Chicago organization somehow fails to reach its potential. What’s more, the team is deteriorating. Unfortunately, this is happening.

In the previous game, Chicago suffered their 9th straight defeat since the start of the season. This time, Jeremy Colliton’s team’s offense was St. Louis. Chicago held on for 2.5 periods but allowed their opponent to open the scoring for Marc-Andre Fleury, who made 36 saves in the game - most of them coming from Torey Krug. It was the only goal of the game, 0-1. Although, frankly, the Blackhawks should have lost by a much bigger margin.

That being said, the Senators are developing at a very high pace. Even in comparison with last season, D.J. Smith’s team has become much stronger. Successful Ottawa games are gradually becoming the norm. Which, of course, can’t help but rejoice.

Last game Ottawa took on a very strong Dallas. A 4-1 victory with a Josh Norris double and two assists by Drake Batherson, the man who recently scored a hat trick against Washington. Overall, Ottawa now have three wins and four losses. The Capitals no longer look like the unqualified underdogs they have been in recent years.

Tonight’s Blackhawks can’t be considered a favorite in a matchup with, it seems, any team in the NHL. It’s still unclear where Chicago’s mediocre start to the season will lead, but at the moment, there’s no prospect for improvement. On the other hand, Ottawa look like a competitive team, having won 3 games already and only twice lost by more than one goal - 1:3 to Toronto and 4:7 to Washington.

We predict that Ottawa will not lose and might even beat Chicago in regulation time.

• Handicap 2 (0) for 2.08;
• X2 for 1.60.