The second encounter of the season is coming up soon between the New York Rangers (32-16-3) and Chicago Blackhawks (14-35-2) on Friday, February 9, at 8:30 PM ET at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. The Rangers are favored to win this showdown, as they have a puck line at -1.5 (-120).

The Rangers have been successful in their last three games and are 3-2 in their previous five. Their latest victory was a 3-1 performance over the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Artemi Panarin will likely have another strong performance, as he leads them in plenty of offensive categories. This includes having 67 points, 31 goals, and 36 assists.

The Rangers score an average of 3.24 goals and take 31.1 shots per game. With 41 power-play goals and 24 conceded, their power-play percentage stands at 26.6. Seeking an advantage against the Blackhawks, they strategically focus on capitalizing during power plays.

Defensively, they permit an average of 2.78 goals against, dealing with 28.3 shot attempts per game. Despite the tight defensive scenario, their robust penalty-kill percentage of 83.2 adds a strong defensive layer against the Blackhawks.

The Blackhawks have lost their last five matchups and desperately need to break the cycle in the comfort of their home arena. Their most recent defeat was a 2-1 showing against the Minnesota Wild.

Their offense, while it is a bit lacking, has some positives to look at. 18-year-old Connor Bedard leads them with 33 points, 15 goals, and 18 assists. Unfortunately, he is still out of the lineup with an injury and the Blackhawks will need to find ways to stimulate their offense.

The Blackhawks maintain an average of 2.06 goals and take 26.3 shots per game. During power plays, they have scored 19 goals but conceded 37, resulting in a somewhat disappointing power play percentage of 12.3.

Defensively, they are allowing 3.49 goals and face 32.2 shots per game from opposing teams. Their penalty kill percentage is 76.7, slightly lower than the Rangers', which might have an impact on the upcoming game.

Bookmaker provides the upcoming showdown betting odds, with the New York Rangers as 1.5-puck line favorites to win. Their last battle with the Blackhawks ended in a 4-1 showing in their favor last month.

The Blackhawks do not have a lot going for them with Bedard out of the lineup. He has been gone for nearly a month and they still do not have anyone leading in respective categories offensively and they only put up barely 2.00 goals a game. At this rate, the Rangers have a great opportunity to win by at least two goals.