Preview: Avalanche at Blackhawks

[December 15, 2015]  While Patrick Kane's franchise-best 26-game point streak has taken the league by storm, Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford hasn't done too badly for himself, either. After recording back-to-back blankings, Crawford looks to extend his impressive shutout streak on Tuesday when the Blackhawks host the Central Division-rival Colorado Avalanche.

Crawford, who stopped all 55 shots he faced in blanking Winnipeg and Vancouver, was named the NHL's First Star of the Week on Monday after posting a 4-0-0 mark with a rail-thin 0.50 goals-against average. Chicago isn't the only team riding the hot hand of its goaltender as Colorado's Semyon Varlamov has stopped 160-of-167 shots in his last five appearances. Varlamov made a season-high 42 saves as the Avalanche posted their fifth win in seven outings with a 3-1 victory over St. Louis on Sunday. The 27-year-old Russian hasn't been deterred by the Blackhawks in the least bit, winning each of his last seven encounters to improve his career mark to 10-3-0 with a 1.93 goals-against average in the series.

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, CSN Chicago

ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (14-16-1): John Mitchell has made himself at home on the ice of late, netting his second goal and third point in four games on Sunday after mustering just one tally for his lone point in his previous 12 contests. Colorado should pick up its mail on the road, as it owns a 10-9-0 mark away from the Pepsi Center as opposed to its home mark of 4-7-1. "I think sometimes at home we try too much, and we want to play too well," coach Patrick Roy told the team website ahead of Tuesday's finale of a three-game trek. "It's just a matter of (staying) composed and just (doing) it like we do on the road."

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (17-10-4): Kane, who set up a goal on Sunday in a 4-0 victory over the Canucks, has collected 16 goals and 24 assists during his career-high point streak. "I think when he's feeling it, and he's feeling confident, there's not much he can't do with the puck," captain Jonathan Toews said. "Eventually something's going to happen for him." Unfortunately for Toews, Kane's scoring touch hasn't rubbed off as he has just one goal and one assist in the last nine contests.

OVERTIME

1. Colorado owns a 6-2-0 mark against Central representatives despite residing in the cellar of the division.

2. Chicago has killed off 12-of-13 short-handed situations over the last five games.

3. The Avalanche are just 1-for-20 on the power play in the last eight contests.

PREDICTION: Blackhawks 3, Avalanche 2

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