Golden Knights at Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks hope to build on one of their best performances in almost three weeks when they host the Western Conference-leading Vegas Golden Knights on Friday. Chicago extended its point streak to three games (2-0-1) with a 5-2 road victory against the New York Rangers on Wednesday in which it allowed just 25 shots and scored three unanswered goals in the third period.
“When it’s the way it is now, definitely it adds some urgency,” Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews told the Chicago Tribune before Wednesday’s win. “You have to think about that and let that sink in. Whether we’re at the bottom or the top of our division, we have to focus on winning every game. We’re not going to skip 10 points ahead (in one night).” The Blackhawks hope to capitalize on a Vegas team - playing for the sixth time in 10 days - that saw its eight-game winning streak come to an end with a 2-1 setback at St. Louis on Thursday. Erik Haula scored the lone goal for the expansion Golden Knights, who allowed 39 shots as their point streak ended at 13 games. Vegas has allowed 14 goals in its last nine contests and may start backup Malcolm Subban (10-2-0) in net after Marc-Andre Fleury faced St. Louis.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, Sportsnet One, AT&T SportsNet-Rocky Mountain (Vegas), NBCS Chicago
ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS (27-10-2): Jonathan Marchessault, who signed a six-year, $30 million contract extension on Wednesday, leads the team with 37 points but saw his seven-game streak come to an end against the Blues. David Perron extended his point streak to five games with an assist to move into third place on the team with 32 points - one behind William Karlsson. William Carrier returned to the lineup Thursday for the first time since Nov. 25 after sitting out with an upper-body injury.
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (19-14-6): Patrick Kane continues to put up points with six in his last five games and leads the team with 40 while linemate Nick Schmaltz is tied for second with 26 after posting six in his last four contests. Jeff Glass, a 32-year-old rookie who is filling in for the injured Corey Crawford, is 2-0-1 in his last three games, stopping 100-of-109 shots in the process, and coach Joel Quenneville told reporters he is giving the team a boost. “This is my chance right now,” Glass told reporters after Wednesday’s win. “We played a strong game as a unit, I just did my part. It was a lot of fun out there.”
OVERTIME
1. Vegas LW Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (four goals in 38 games) missed Thursday's contest to be with his wife for the birth of their child.
2. Four different players scored a goal for the Golden Knights in the 4-2 home victory over the Blackhawks on Oct. 24.
3. Chicago RW Richard Panik, who has gone 11 games without a point, was a healthy scratch on Wednesday.