:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/5057166/136060614.jpg)
The Chicago Blackhawks are 8-1-1 in December and they've been very good at home. The Columbus Blue Jackets have lost four games in a row. Chicago is atop the Central division and Western Conference, while the Blue Jackets have the lowest point total of any team in the NHL.
It's become a lost season for the Blue Jackets, who have had their struggles offensively and defensively, but they have been playing better of late and probably should have won their last time out, a 6-5 loss in Nashville. The Predators scored the last four goals of that game. They'll need to play much better at the defensive end to beat the Blackhawks, who have had one of the league's most potent attacks all season long.
For updates on the game, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more in-depth coverage, head over to Blackhawks blog Second City Hockey and Blue Jackets blog The Cannon. For news and notes from around the league, visit SB Nation's NHL news hub.