The Chicago Blackhawks (12-11-6) host the New York Rangers (15-12-4) Wednesday night at the United Center, with puck drop set for 7:30 p.m. ET. We’re trying to protect home ice against a Rangers team riding a 3-game road winning streak and sporting one of the NHL’s best road records at 12-4-1.
Game Information
Date: Wednesday, December 10, 2025
Puck Drop: 7:30 p.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. CT
Location: United Center, Chicago
TV Coverage: TNT, HBO Max, truTV
Betting Lines and Odds
Moneyline: Rangers -140 to -142 (favorites)
Over/Under: 6.0 to 6.5 goals
Blackhawks Solid but Not Great at Home
We’re 12-11-6 overall with a 6-5-3 home record at the United Center. Not dominant, but we compete on our ice and give ourselves chances to win most nights.
Frank Nazar’s Continued Development
Our young forward has been impressive with 5 goals and 15 assists this season. He’s developing into a legitimate NHL talent and creating offense consistently.
Tyler Bertuzzi Heating Up
Bertuzzi has been hot lately with 6 goals and 4 assists in his last 10 games. His net-front presence and finishing ability give us a scoring threat that can compete with any lineup.
Discipline Remains Issue
We rank fourth in the NHL in total penalties, averaging 4.3 per game. That’s way too many, especially against a Rangers power play clicking at over 22%. Staying out of the box is absolutely critical.
Rangers Dominant on the Road
New York enters with a 15-12-4 record but a stunning 12-4-1 road record – among the NHL’s best. They actually play better away from Madison Square Garden, which creates major concern.
Mika Zibanejad Leads Elite Offense
The Rangers’ top center continues dominating with elite puck control and scoring touch. Supported by Artemi Panarin and Adam Fox, New York’s offensive depth could overwhelm us if we’re not disciplined.
Three-Game Road Win Streak
The Rangers have won 3 straight on the road and are playing with confidence. They’re 13-1-1 when scoring 3+ goals, showing when their offense clicks, they’re nearly unbeatable.
Special Teams Advantage
New York’s power play is at 22.5% while ours sits at 18.9%. Their penalty kill is 81.2% compared to our 76.5%. They have clear advantages in both special teams situations.
Why This Game Worries Me
The Rangers are clicking on all cylinders right now, especially on the road where they’re 12-4-1. Their offensive depth, special teams superiority, and road confidence create major challenges.
Our Penalty Problem
Averaging 4.3 penalties per game against a power play clicking at 22.5% is a recipe for disaster. We absolutely must stay disciplined or they’ll score multiple PP goals.
Their Road Dominance
New York’s 12-4-1 road record shows they travel extremely well. The United Center crowd won’t intimidate them – they’ve played in tougher buildings and won.
Scoring Differential
They average 3.1 goals per game while we average 2.7. That half-goal difference matters over the course of games, especially when they’re also better defensively.
What We Need to Do
Stay Out of Penalty Box
This is non-negotiable. Taking 4+ penalties against this Rangers team means giving them multiple power play opportunities we can’t afford.
Clog Neutral Zone
The Rangers push pace early using speed and puck movement. If we can clog the neutral zone and force turnovers, we’ll create counterattack opportunities.
Capitalize on Home Ice
We’re 6-5-3 at the United Center. Not dominant, but we compete at home. The crowd needs to bring energy and we need to feed off it.
Special Teams Battle
Our 18.9% power play needs to capitalize on any chances we get. Our 76.5% penalty kill must shut down their 22.5% power play. Special teams will decide this game.
Key Matchups to Watch
Nazar and Bertuzzi vs Rangers’ Defense
Our young playmaker and hot-handed veteran need to generate offense against New York’s structured defense. If they’re neutralized, we struggle to score.
Our Penalty Kill vs Rangers’ Power Play
This is where the game will likely be decided. They score on 22.5% of power plays – we give them 4 opportunities and they score at least once.
Goaltending Battle
Both teams need solid goaltending. If this becomes a track meet, their offensive depth gives them advantage. We need low-scoring, tight hockey.
Blackhawks Fan Perspective
This is a tough matchup. The Rangers are 12-4-1 on the road, riding a 3-game road winning streak, and have clear advantages in special teams and offensive depth.
We’re competitive at home (6-5-3), but we’re not dominant. Against a team playing this well on the road, we’re legitimate underdogs despite home ice advantage.
The penalty issue kills us. We can’t average 4.3 penalties per game against any team, let alone one with a 22.5% power play. If we take our usual number of penalties, they’ll score multiple PP goals and run away with it.
Nazar and Bertuzzi give us offensive threats, but Zibanejad, Panarin, and Fox are on another level. Their depth throughout the lineup exceeds ours.
Wednesday night at the United Center – we need a disciplined, defensive effort to have any chance. Take penalties and chase the game, and this gets ugly fast.
Game Prediction
Final Score: Rangers 4, Blackhawks 2
New York’s road dominance continues with a comfortable victory at the United Center. Their power play scores twice on our undisciplined penalties, and their offensive depth proves too much.
Nazar and Bertuzzi score for us to keep it competitive, but the Rangers control play for most of the game.
The game goes over 6.0-6.5 goals as both offenses produce, with special teams goals pushing the total higher.
Realistic Assessment:
Rangers’ 12-4-1 road record is real
Our penalty problems will get exposed
Their special teams advantage is significant
We’ll compete but probably lose
For Blackhawks fans, this represents a measuring stick game against a playoff-caliber opponent. Compete hard, stay disciplined, and hope for the best.
Let’s Go Hawks!
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