Blackhawks at Sharks
THE STORY: Two of the top teams in the Western Conference do battle Wednesday night when the Chicago Blackhawks visit the Sharks in San Jose. Both teams will be looking to improve their fortunes in their respective locations, with the Central Division-leading Blackhawks struggling on the road and the Pacific powerhouse Sharks off to an underwhelming start at home. Chicago enjoyed a day off in Las Vegas after being taken to the cleaners in consecutive one-sided losses to Calgary and Edmonton that wiped out a four-game winning streak. The Blackhawks will need to be better on the penalty kill, having allowed 14 goals in their last 27 shorthanded situations to drop to second-last in the NHL in that category. That could spell trouble against the Sharks, who are third in the league with a 22.4-percent power-play efficiency.
TV:10:30 p.m. ET, Comcast SportsNet Chicago, Comcast SportsNet California
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (12-6-3): Chicago is one of the least-penalized teams in the NHL - but when it gets into penalty trouble, it really suffers. In the last three games in which the Blackhawks have given up five or more power plays, it has surrendered 11 goals in 18 opportunities. Discipline was a major factor in Saturday's 9-2 drubbing at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers. Chicago was shorthanded seven times in that one and allowed four power-play goals.
ABOUT THE SHARKS (12-5-1): Consecutive victories over Detroit, Dallas and Colorado have San Jose neck-and-neck with the Los Angeles atop the Pacific. Wednesday kicks off a two-game mini-homestand before the Sharks visit the rival Kings to wrap up the month. San Jose will have forward Ryane Clowe in the lineup after he was fined $2,500 by the league but not suspended for a slash on Dallas defenseman Stephane Robidas on Saturday night.
OVERTIME:
1. Chicago coach Joel Quenneville didn't mince words when asked about Saturday's blowout loss. "That was thoroughly embarrassing (and) humiliating across the board," he told reporters.
2. San Jose had won the previous three meetings before Chicago exacted its revenge with a 6-3 triumph in their last encounter March 14.
3. The Blackhawks are a pedestrian 5-5-1 away from home this season, a far cry from the 7-1-2 record they boast at the United Center.