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Preview: Blackhawks at Stars
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[February 06, 2016]
After a franchise-best 12-game
winning streak helped the Chicago Blackhawks move into first place, the
Dallas Stars would like to continue their recent hot streak on Saturday
when the Central Division rivals meet at American Airlines Center.
Dallas, which resides three points behind Chicago with three games in
hand, has won three in a row - including the first two contests of five
straight against division representatives.
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 John Klingberg scored 35 seconds into overtime for his second goal
in as many games as the Stars rallied to a 4-3 victory over Colorado
on Thursday. The defenseman is riding a three-game point streak and
also had an assist in Dallas' 4-0 victory over Chicago on Dec. 22.
Antti Niemi turned aside all 20 shots he faced in that contest and
fellow former Blackhawk Patrick Sharp scored and set up a goal.
Corey Crawford yielded four goals on 32 shots to take the loss in
that game, but has since rebounded with a 12-3-0 mark.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), FSN Southwest-Plus
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (35-16-4): After serving a one-game suspension
for missing the NHL All-Star Game, captain Jonathan Toews came back
with a vengeance - capping a two-goal performance with an overtime
tally in Chicago's 5-4 victory over Arizona on Thursday. Toews'
eighth-game winning goal tied him with San Jose captain Joe Pavelski
for the league lead while his fifth overtime tally matched the NHL
record of Tampa Bay's Steven Stamkos, who set the mark in 2011-12.
Toews has 32 points (12 goals, 20 assists) in 31 career encounters
with the Stars, but was held in check in the teams' first meeting.
ABOUT THE STARS (33-14-5): Dallas' high-octane offense was dealt a
jolt with the news that veteran Jason Spezza will be sidelined for a
few games with an upper-body injury. "I'm going to say it's more
than few days," coach Lindy Ruff said of Spezza, who is third on the
team with 18 goals - with one coming in the Stars' victory over the
Blackhawks. With Spezza sidelined, Dallas recalled center Radek
Faksa from Texas of the American Hockey League.
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OVERTIME
1. Chicago RW Marian Hossa is five goals shy of 500 for his career.
2. Dallas has won 11 of its last 14 home games.
3. The Blackhawks are 1-for-19 on the power play in the last seven
contests.
PREDICTION: Stars 4, Blackhawks 3
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