Preview: Maple Leafs at Blackhawks

[February 15, 2016]  The Chicago Blackhawks hope to avoid finishing a four-game homestand without a victory Monday as they host the Toronto Maple Leafs, who have earned the least amount of points in the NHL (49). The Blackhawks, who are in a virtual tie with Dallas for the Central Division lead, fell to 0-2-1 in their last three contests with a 3-2 overtime loss to Anaheim on Saturday.

“We just haven’t quite had the speed and momentum, that jump we’ve been looking for,” Chicago captain Jonathan Toews told reporters. “(Saturday) was a little bit better, but I think top to bottom, all four lines need to be better.” The Blackhawks likely will be without veteran Marian Hossa, who left the game against Anaheim with a leg injury. Toronto has been ravaged by injuries of late but snapped its three-game slide with a solid 5-2 victory at Vancouver on Saturday. “We finally started to get the bounces and got rewarded for all our shots and traffic and doing the right things,” Maple Leafs goaltender James Reimer told reporters. “It was a good feeling.”

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, NHL Network, TSN4 (Toronto), CSN Chicago

ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (20-25-9): Forward Brendan Leipsic, acquired last season in the deal that sent defenseman Cody Franson to Nashville, scored in his NHL debut on Saturday. With several forwards out with injuries, Mark Arcobello was recalled recently and has registered 12 shots in three games, converting two of them against Vancouver. Leo Komarov tops the team with 18 goals and 35 points, but the Maple Leafs could be without their next three leading scorers if Nazem Kadri (28 points) can’t return from a lower-body injury.

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (36-18-5): Chicago's normally lethal offense has been limited to a total of four goals in the last three games and is just 3-for-31 on the power play over the past 11 contests. Patrick Kane leads the NHL with 78 points, including 33 goals, and stands three assists shy of 400 for his career while linemate Artemi Panarin leads all rookies with 52 points – six in his last four games. Defenseman Brent Seabrook scored both goals on Saturday to reach double digits for the first time in his career and is fourth on the team with 35 points.

OVERTIME

1. Kane recorded his first career regular-season hat trick in the 4-1 win at Toronto on Jan. 15.

2. Maple Leafs D Jake Gardiner has registered two goals, two assists and a plus-two rating in his last three games.

3. Toews has notched five points and a plus-5 rating over his last five contests.

PREDICTION: Blackhawks 5, Maple Leafs 1

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