Let's play a challenge, dear reader. No, we're not guessing who scored in Thursday's blowout win. This exercise will focus on three Chicago Blackhawks who will impact Saturday's game against the Vegas Golden Knights. You're probably thinking of that one guy who can easily impact the game. But this challenge will have a little stipulation involving said player.
That involves not naming Connor Bedard here. You see, it's easy to say that he'll impact Saturday's game against the Golden Knights. The former first-overall pick has 27 goals and 35 assists this season and is fighting to be the league's next generational talent.
Imagine the countless battles that Bedard and Macklin Celebrini will have in the upcoming years. It would make for excellent television and would have hockey fans on the edge of their seats. Gary Bettman has a potential gold mine waiting in the wings, which makes Bedard a literal cop-out choice for this article.
Therefore, let's work around this and find three different Blackhawks for this exercise. Yes, Chicago has a feeble record of 25-29-11 and is already thinking about next season. However, that doesn't mean that these three Blackhawks aren't going to be difference-makers in Saturday's game.
1.) Spencer Knight
There's a chance that Spencer Knight starts on Saturday against the Golden Knights. If that's the case, Vegas will go up against a surprisingly good goaltender this season. The 24-year-old has a GAA of 2.61, a save percentage of .909, and three shutouts.
Although his previous start against the Golden Knights wasn't as good as his season stats (25 saves on December 2 in a 4-3 loss), the former Florida Panther has shown that he can steal a game or two. Watch for him if he gets the call against Vegas on Saturday night.
2.) Tyler Bertuzzi
The 31-year-old burned the Golden Knights on January 4, getting a hat trick in the overtime win. Granted, it was against a depleted Golden Knights team. However, Bertuzzi literally carried the Blackhawks on his back, operating dangerously with all sorts of space.
If Vegas wants to win on Saturday, that means constricting him and not giving him any open looks. That's especially true since he already has two goals and three assists in March. People might focus on Bedard on the ice and that's fair. However, the former Red Wing can't be ignored, especially if he gets attractive looks.
3.) Andre Burakovsky
This season, Burakovsky has 11 goals and 20 assists. He also has just one goal since January 8, enduring a brutal dry spell in the process. However, Saturday's game could give the Austrian left winger the perfect chance to rebound.
Vegas has had issues with goaltending this season and fans aren't sold on a recent turnaround. Will the goaltenders build off Adin Hill's Thursday performance and take the next step? If "no" is the answer, watch for the former first-round pick to capitalize and snap a terrible streak that plagues him.