Preview: Blackhawks at Blues
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[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.
[to top of second column] |
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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