Preview: Blackhawks at Senators

[October 30, 2014]  The Chicago Blackhawks are mired in a bit of an offensive funk as they prepare to visit the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night in the second matchup between the teams in five days. The Blackhawks eked out a 2-1 victory over the Senators in Chicago on Sunday - their only victory in a four-game stretch during which the club has managed just six goals. The game could also mark the return of starting goaltender Corey Crawford, who has sat out the past five contests due to an upper-body injury.

Ottawa bounced back from its loss in Chicago by scoring three third-period goals in a 5-2 victory at Columbus. Still, the Senators know they need to put forth a better effort than Sunday, when the Blackhawks unleashed 34 of their 45 shots on net in the first two periods. "Their poise with the puck is one of the best in the game," Ottawa forward Chris Neil said. "They move the puck well, which makes them look like a fast team. So we've got to be ready to go, simplify our game and try not to give them 45 shots."

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, CSN Chicago, RDSI, TSN5 (Ottawa)

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (5-3-1): Veteran forward Marian Hossa, a first-round pick of the Senators in 1997, was held off the scoresheet in Tuesday's loss to Anaheim and remains two points shy of 1,000 for his career. Due to Hossa playing six-plus seasons in Ottawa and scoring more than 30 goals in each of his last four there, Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said the Senators would be the perfect opponent for Hossa to reach the milestone. "(A lot) of history, lot of good history for him," Quenneville said of Hossa's tenure in Ottawa. "I don't know if he'd say it, but I think he would love to do it (there)."

ABOUT THE SENATORS (5-2-1): Ottawa received a reprieve of sorts Wednesday when the NHL announced it would not impose additional punishment on defenseman Eric Gryba, who received a match penalty and game misconduct for a hit to the head of Blue Jackets center Artem Anisimov. "I thought he put a great hit on him," Senators forward Clarke MacArthur said. "Things happen fast. They thought it was a head shot, but I'm sure it will be quickly erased." MacArthur sparked the victory over Columbus with a pair of goals and one assist, the first time he had multiple tallies in a game since Dec. 9.

OVERTIME

1. Senators G Craig Anderson made 43 saves in Sunday's loss to fall to 5-2-2 with a 3.23 goals-against average versus Chicago.

2. Hossa has tormented his former team with seven goals and 19 assists in 18 games against Ottawa.

3. The Blackhawks have won four of the past five meetings but dropped a 5-3 decision at Ottawa in March.

PREDICTION: Blackhawks 4, Senators 2

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