Preview: Blackhawks reveal new streaming platform to fans as they take on Nashville Predators Thursday

The Chicago Blackhawks are getting set to take on the Nashville Predators Friday night, ending their five-game homestand.

The Predators are coming to the United Center for the first time this season, and the timing could be a challenge for Chicago. Nashville started the season rough but finally found a win this week with a big 4-0 shutout against the Boston Bruins. The Predators dropped five losses straight, and are now looking to turn the jets on.

Predators' Turnaround and Now Big Expectations

Nashville got off to a tough start, going 0-5-0 before picking up their first win against Boston. That win was huge, especially with all the high expectations around Nashville's new lineup, the Preds added stars like Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, setting up hopes for a big season.

Blackhawks Face a Fired-Up Nashville Team

For the Blackhawks, this game comes at a challenging time, as Nashville is fresh off a strong win. With their new lineup alongside stars like Ryan O'Reilly, Filip Forsberg, Roman Josi, and goalie Juuse Saros, the Preds are no easy team to face. While Chicago's lineup might not match Nashville's on paper, they've shown solid defensive efforts, including a big win over Edmonton. They'll need that same focus on defense to hold off the Predators on Friday.

Keys for the Blackhawks: Get the Offense Going

For Chicago to win, they'll need their offense to show up strong. Taylor Hall, Tyler Bertuzzi, Nick Foligno, and Teuvo Teravainen have added solid depth, but the spotlight is on Connor Bedard. Bedard has been creating chances but hasn't had much luck lately, including in Tuesday's game against Vancouver. Friday could be his time to break through.

Ready for the Challenge

The Blackhawks are taking each game as a chance to improve over last season. Facing a Nashville team with renewed energy is a test, but a win would be huge as they close out this homestand. Finishing 2-2-0 at home would be a positive step forward, and with the right effort, they're ready to rise to the challenge.

How to watch

The Blackhawks caught many off guard when they shared a social media post on the platform X on Thursday, stating that the game will be streamed on Hulu and or ESPN plus, whichever fans choose- but both are subscription based. The Blackhawks themselves, did not promote the game on the new Chicago Sports Network, that has failed fans.