Preview: Blackhawks at Blues

[November 09, 2016]  The Chicago Blackhawks' six-game winning streak has been built on a foundation of a potent 1-2 punch involving reigning Hart Trophy winner Patrick Kane and captain Jonathan Toews, as well as the strong goaltending of Corey Crawford. The Blackhawks look to continue their good fortune on all fronts and avenge a season-opening loss to the St. Louis Blues when the Central Division rivals meet at Scottrade Center on Wednesday.

"If our line can set the tone, or create more, have more shifts in their end, it's going to be good for our team in the long run," Kane told the Chicago Sun-Times. Well, the immediate "short term" has looked good as Kane has collected three goals and five assists during the winning streak and Toews answered his traditional slow start out of the blocks to record four of each. St. Louis' Jake Allen permitted nine goals in a two-game stretch before stopping 22-of-23 shots in a 5-1 victory over visiting Colorado on Sunday. The 26-year-old New Brunswick native has played significantly better at home than on the road, posting a 3-0-1 record with a 0.98 goals-against average and .959 save percentage at Scottrade Center as opposed to 2-3-1 mark with a 3.42 GAA and .864 save percentage away from the Gateway City.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBCSN

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (9-3-1): Veteran Marian Hossa set up a goal before scoring in overtime in a 4-3 win over Dallas on Sunday to increase his point total to seven (five goals, two assists) in his last six games and 1,100 in his decorated career. New linemate Artem Anisimov also tallied to extend his career-high point streak to 11 games, but he was held off the scoresheet in Chicago's 5-2 setback against St. Louis on Oct. 12. Crawford yielded three goals in that contest to fall to 14-5-5 lifetime versus the Blues but has stopped 164-of-169 shots while posting two shutouts during the Blackhawks' current winning streak.

ABOUT THE BLUES (7-4-2): Mired in a five-game point drought, 2012 top overall pick Nail Yakupov is expected to be a healthy scratch for the third straight game - and he's not a happy camper. "It's not my decision I'm not playing," Yakupov said. "Obviously, I couldn't be happy about it. So, it's a coach's decision and nothing I can do about it." An upper-body injury to Joel Edmundson will send fellow defenseman Petteri Lindbohm into the lineup, two days removed from being recalled from the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League.

OVERTIME

1. St. Louis RW Vladimir Tarasenko recorded two goals and an assist in the first meeting with the Blackhawks and has collected 16 points (10 goals, six assists) in as many career encounters.

2. Blackhawks rookie C Tyler Motte is expected to miss three weeks with a lower-body injury, the team announced on Tuesday.

3. The Blues scored three power-play goals in the first meeting with the Blackhawks but are just 1-for-21 in their last six games.

PREDICTION: Blues 3, Blackhawks 2

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