It won’t be a happy holiday on West Madison as the Chicago Blackhawks will be shorthanded when they take on the Colorado Avalanche in their final game before the Christmas break.
The Blackhawks, who had their five-game winning streak snapped by the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday, will be without two key forwards for Friday’s game, as Artem Anisimov and Marian Hossa will both miss the game, according to head coach Joel Quenneville.
Anisimov, who suffered a lower body injury on Saturday against St. Louis, was placed on injured reserve by the Blackhawks earlier in the day, so his absence on Friday is totally expected. Hossa, who left Tuesday’s game early with an upper body injury, is considered day-to-day, so the Blackhawks are likely playing things cautiously with him as they’ll have three days off after Friday’s game to help get him back on his feet.
Tanner Kero will replace Anisimov in the lineup after being called up by the Blackhawks on Thursday, and Tyler Motte skated in Hossa’s place on the second line during Thursday’s workout at the United Center. He’ll likely see time with Ryan Hartman and Vincent Hinostroza in Friday’s game, but players like Dennis Rasmussen and Richard Panik could also move up to that line on occasion as well.
