Ducks at Blackhawks
The underachieving Anaheim Ducks continue their four-game road trip Thursday against the Chicago Blackhawks, who are enduring their longest losing streak in six years. Anaheim has lost two straight, including a 2-1 setback at Detroit on Tuesday that left it tied for fourth in the Pacific Division with Los Angeles and one point behind third-place Calgary after losing five of its last seven games (2-3-2).
"The last week or so has been frustrating, because we're not competing at the level that we're capable," Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf told reporters. "We have to push for the playoffs right now. We don't have time to wait." Chicago has lost a season-high seven straight (0-6-1) - its longest losing streak since dropping nine in a row (0-8-1) from Jan. 21-Feb. 14, 2012 - and has been outscored 29-12 during the slide. The Blackhawks, who won the Stanley Cup in 2010, 2013 and 2015, are last in the Central Division and barring a miracle will miss the postseason for the first time since 2007-08. "This is probably as tough as I've seen, it's not fun,'' Chicago coach Joel Quenneville told reporters after the Blackhawks fell to 7-13-3 in their last 23 games, including a 4-1 loss at New Jersey on Dec. 23 when Corey Crawford allowed three goals on seven shots and hasn't played since because of an upper-body injury. "Every day we're trying to find a way to get the team enthused, I know it's not easy, it's hard to be positive. We can't accept that this is the way it is."
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, Prime Ticket (Anaheim), NBCS Chicago
ABOUT THE DUCKS (27-20-11): Adam Henrique continues to pay dividends with 13 goals and 20 points in 33 games after coming over from New Jersey, scoring twice in the last four games and serving as a key member of the penalty-killing unit since his arrival. John Gibson (19-15-6, 2.58 goals-against average, .922 save percentage) is 1-1-1, 1.97, .931 in three games since returning from a lower-body injury. Jakob Silfverberg (12 goals, 26 points) has only one assist in seven February games as he continues to struggle validating his career 2016-17 season in which he recorded 23 goals and 49 points.
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (24-25-8): Patrick Kane (team-high 53 points) hasn't hit the scoresheet in four games as he remains stuck on 499 career assists. Kane shares the club scoring lead with Alex DeBrincat, whose 21 goals are third among NHL rookies after scoring in each of the last two contests. Two-time Norris Trophy winner Duncan Keith (25 assists) hasn't recorded a point in six games and has yet to score this season while a team-worst minus-13.
OVERTIME
1. Chicago waived G Jeff Glass on Wednesday, perhaps an indication that Crawford is nearing a return.
2. Anaheim has accumulated 624 penalty minutes this season - second-most in the NHL to Nashville (645) entering Wednesday - and its plus-97 differential (527 penalty minutes against) is the second-worst in the league to Edmonton (110).
3. The Blackhawks prevailed 7-3 on Nov. 27 in the first of three meetings this season behind DeBrincat's first of two career hat tricks. The clubs meet again March 4 in Anaheim.