Preview: Predators at Blackhawks

[January 12, 2016]  Patrick Kane offered quite the understatement after propelling the red-hot Chicago Blackhawks to their season-high seventh straight victory. After telling reporters that the reigning Stanley Cup champions are "trending in the right direction," Kane and the Blackhawks look to keep the visiting Nashville Predators spiraling down the standings on Tuesday when the Central Division rivals meet at the United Center.

Kane tallied twice in Sunday's 6-3 victory over Colorado to increase his point total to 12 (four goals, eight assists) during Chicago's winning streak. The 2013 Conn Smythe Trophy winner also scored twice as the Blackhawks and Predators split a home-and-home series last month - with the host club emerging victorious both times. While Chicago is hot on the heels of division-leading Dallas, Nashville followed a 5-1 victory over the Blackhawks on Dec. 10 by losing nine of 13 (4-7-2). "Is there a concern in the last three to five games? Yeah, there is," coach Peter Laviolette told reporters after the Predators dropped their third straight with a 4-0 setback to Arizona on Saturday. "We've got to be better and there's no excuse."

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, FSN Tennessee (Nashville), CSN Chicago

ABOUT THE PREDATORS (19-16-7): James Neal has torched the Blackhawks during his career, scoring twice in the most recent meeting and accumulating 14 goals and five assists in 20 outings. Eric Nystrom tallied in each encounter this season and defenseman Roman Josi notched a pair of assists. "We're in a playoff race, and it's going to go by fast," Josi told the team's website of the Predators' plight. "You have to win those games right now. You can't wait until the end of the year to win games and think you're going to make the playoffs."

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (27-13-4): Captain Jonathan Toews recorded his second three-goal performance of the season on Sunday and has two goals and three assists in his last two games. Corey Crawford has won five straight starts overall and boasts an impressive 15-5-1 mark with six shutouts and a 1.62 goals-against average at home this season. The two-time Jennings Trophy winner kept Nashville in check on Dec. 8, turning aside 36-of-37 shots in a 4-1 victory at the United Center.

OVERTIME

1. Nashville is 1-for-18 on the power play in the last six games and just 6-for-11 on the penalty kill in the last three.

2. Chicago veteran Marian Hossa tallied twice versus Colorado to move within seven goals of 500 for his career.

3. Predators G Pekka Rinne, who has yielded 19 goals in his last six games (2-4-0), is 4-8-3 on the road this season.

PREDICTION: Blackhawks 3, Predators 1

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