Cole set for 1,000th NHL game as Blackhawks host Canadiens
Chicago expects Ian Cole to reach the career milestone Friday against Montreal at United Center.
Ian Cole is set to play his 1,000th NHL regular-season game when the Chicago Blackhawks host the Montreal Canadiens on Friday. The game at United Center begins at 8 p.m. ET, or 7 p.m. in Chicago.
The Blackhawks' official preview lists Cole's next appearance as his 1,000th. It would make him the 422nd player in NHL history to reach that total.
Cole enters the game with 15 blocked shots this season, the most on the Blackhawks. He also shares the team lead in plus-minus at plus-two, according to the club's preview.
Shot blocking has been a consistent part of Chicago's opening stretch. The club has reached double figures in each of its first nine games, including 11 against Dallas on Oct. 17. Its total of 106 works out to 11.78 per game.
NHL.com's Friday schedule preview also identifies Cole's milestone as one of the night's main storylines. He would join Ryan McDonagh as the second defenceman selected in the 2007 NHL Draft to reach 1,000 games.
The game is available on CHSN in the Chicago market and NHL Network outside the market, with local radio coverage on WGN-720-AM and the Blackhawks App.
