Blackhawks at Coyotes
The Chicago Blackhawks have cooled off after a fast start but have a good chance to get back on track when they visit the an opponent they have dominated of late. The Blackhawks have dropped two in a row and four of six entering Saturday's road contest against the skidding Arizona Coyotes, who are the only team in the league that has yet to record a victory.
Chicago opened the season by pumping in 15 goals in beating up Metropolitan Division heavyweights Pittsburgh and Columbus, but it has netted 12 regulation tallies in six games since. The Blackhawks have allowed more than 40 shots three times in their last six games and rank last in the league with an average of 36.8 surrendered. Any struggles pale in comparison to those of the Coyotes, who secured their lone point in an overtime loss to expansion Vegas in the second game of the season. "We just gotta find a way to outscore the other team one time just to try to relieve the pressure of not getting a win," Arizona's Derek Stepan told reporters. "It's kind of created a little bit of a monster. I want nothing more than this group to find a way to get a win on Saturday."
TV: 9 p.m. ET, NBCSN Chicago, FSN Arizona Plus
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (4-2-2): Chicago has had plenty of opportunities on the power play, going 6-for-39 on the season and 2-for-18 over its last three games after failing to convert on five chances - including a two-man advantage - in Tuesday's 2-1 overtime loss to Edmonton. “The 5-on-3, we had some great looks around the net,” coach Joel Quenneville told reporters. “A lot of loose pucks that we just didn’t find the handle, we’re not anticipating or sniffing them out around the net." Defenseman Duncan Keith has notched an assist in three straight games.
ABOUT THE COYOTES (0-6-1): One positive in Thursday's 5-4 loss to Dallas was the performance of rookie Clayton Keller, who scored twice and assisted on another tally to boost his team-high totals to five goals and seven points. Defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson, who played 10 seasons and won three Stanley Cups with Chicago, will face his former team for the first time. "It's going to be a special game," Hjalmarsson told reporters. "It's going to be a little weird in the beginning. ... It's all new and I'm looking forward to the game."
OVERTIME
1. Coyotes G Adin Hill has started the last two games with Antti Raanta hurt, but coach Rick Tocchet was undecided on Saturday's netminder.
2. The Blackhawks have won their last seven contests against the Coyotes, including their past four visits to Arizona.
3. Stepan, an offseason acquisition from the New York Rangers, scored his first two goals of the season Thursday.