Blackhawks at Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks wrapped up a five-game road trip with an unprecedented victory and now open a four-game homestand against a team mired in one of the worst slides in the league. The Ducks closed out their trek by winning four in a row, punctuated by a stunning come-from-behind victory, and can avenge an early-season loss against the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night.
Anaheim closed out its road trip with a 6-5 win at Washington, becoming the first team in league history to beat the defending Stanley Cup champion after facing a four-goal deficit. "They're in the moment now, and it's our job to keep them in that moment," Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said after his team was the first to erase a four-goal deficit on the road and win in regulation since March 3, 1999. The Blackhawks fired coach Joel Quenneville on Nov. 6 in the midst of an eight-game skid but they continue to struggle under replacement Jeremy Colliton. Chicago has dropped four in a row to fall to 3-8-2 under Colliton and has lost 15 of 18 (3-12-3) since a 6-2-2 start to the season.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, WGN (Chicago)
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (9-14-5): Chicago's 3-2 home loss to Calgary represented a marked improvement -- it was the first time in seven games the team allowed fewer than four goals, including 19 in the previous three defeats. "We're seeing improvement in parts of our game at times and then it just seems like we make other mistakes and all the good things that we're doing are never good enough," captain Jonathan Toews said. "It's frustrating when you don't get the results." Chris Kunitz has been scratched six times in eight games and could be sitting again after his game misconduct for elbowing led to two goals.
ABOUT THE DUCKS (14-10-4): Forward Daniel Sprong, acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday, skated on a line with Nick Ritchie and Adam Henrique during Tuesday's practice while Ondrej Kase was paired with Kiefer Sherwood and Carter Rowney on the fourth line. Sprong had only four goals in 42 games with the Penguins but he amassed 32 goals and 65 points in 65 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League last season. "He's provided offense at the American Hockey League level," Carlyle said. "It's an opportunity for us to add a player we feel can play in our top nine and provide scoring."
OVERTIME
1. Blackhawks F Brandon Saad scored twice in a 3-1 win over the Ducks on Oct. 23, giving him nine goals in 17 games against them.
2. Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf has four goals and 10 points over his last eight games.
3. Blackhawks C Dylan Strome has two goals in four games with Chicago after scoring three times in 20 contests with Arizona.