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 Chicago again will be without stars Toews (upper body) and
Patrick Kane (lower body) as it attempts to pull within one point of
second-place Colorado in the Central Division. Columbus has an
opportunity to pass Detroit for the first wild-card spot in the
Eastern Conference and pull even in points with third-place
Philadelphia in the Metropolitan Division. The Blue Jackets also can
move three points ahead of Toronto for the second wild card.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CSN (Chicago), FSN Ohio (Columbus)
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (43-19-15): Chicago ended its three-game losing
streak with a 3-2 shootout victory over Minnesota on Thursday after
allowing the tying goal with 1:54 remaining in the third period. In
addition to Toews and Kane, who both are out for the rest of the
regular season, the Blackhawks were without defensemen Michal
Rozsival and Johnny Oduya on Thursday. Rozsival has not played since
March 16 while Oduya was held out of the lineup — both with
lower-body injuries.
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (39-30-7): Sergei Bobrovsky stole the show in
his return to Philadelphia, making 37 saves en route to his fourth
shutout of the season. The reigning Vezina Trophy winner had not
played in the City of Brotherly Love since being traded to Columbus
in June 2012. The win was the Blue Jackets' first in seven all-time
visits to Philadelphia.
[to top of second column] |
OVERTIME
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Blue Jackets D Ryan Murray could be in the lineup for the first
time since undergoing knee surgery on March 7.
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Columbus could be without LW Nick Foligno, who exited Thursday's
game with a lower-body injury.
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Chicago LW Bryan Bickell scored in his return to the lineup after
missing six contests with an upper-body injury.
PREDICTION: Blue Jackets 3, Blackhawks 2
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