Preview: Blackhawks at Sharks

[January 31, 2017]  The Chicago Blackhawks are staring up at the Minnesota Wild in the Central Division but will not have a tough road to make up ground when they play eight of their first nine games after the All-Star break away from home. The Blackhawks kick off a six-game road trip with a visit to the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night.

Chicago surrendered 10 goals in back-to-back home losses entering the break and sits four points behind the first-place Wild, who also have three games in hand and will host the Blackhawks on Feb. 8 and Feb. 21. "We can look at the standings all we want, but we’ve got to play well and try to get as many points as we can,” defenseman Brent Seabrook said after Monday's practice. The Sharks had a six-game winning streak halted with a 4-1 home loss to Edmonton that dropped them into a tie with the Oilers atop the Pacific. Following the matchup with Chicago, San Jose will play five of its next six on the road.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, CSN Chicago, CSN California (San Jose)

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (30-16-5): Bodies were already in short supply at Monday's practice due to Chicago having a four-player contingent at the All-Star Game, and the roster was further depleted with forwards Artem Anisimov and Marcus Kruger both out sick. With their status unclear for Tuesday and defenseman Michal Rozsival placed on injured reserve Sunday, the club called up blue-liner Gustav Forsling from the minors. Rozsival (lower body) is expected to miss two to three weeks.

ABOUT THE SHARKS (31-17-2): Veteran forward Patrick Marleau was named the NHL's Second Star of the Week after collecting five goals and an assist in three games. The 37-year-old Marleau tied an NHL record by scoring four goals in one period -- all in the third -- in a 5-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche. Center Micheal Haley, sidelined for the past five games due to a lower-body injury, could return to the lineup against Chicago but Joonas Donskoi (upper body) will sit out his third straight game.

OVERTIME

1. Blackhawks G Corey Crawford is 8-4-3 with a 2.18 goals-against average versus San Jose.

2. Sharks F Joe Pavelski had 14 goals and 30 points in 34 games against Chicago.

3. Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews had 13 goals and 27 points in 31 games against the Sharks.

PREDICTION: Blackhawks 4, Sharks 3

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