Blue Jackets at Blackhawks
THE STORY: The timing couldn't be more perfect for the Chicago Blackhawks to end their season-high losing streak as they take on the struggling Columbus Blue Jackets at the United Center on Tuesday. Chicago, which is 0-1-1 on its four-game homestand, has dropped four straight contests and five of its last six. But the Blackhawks have won all three meetings with the Blue Jackets thus far this season and face a Columbus club that on Monday replaced coach Scott Arniel with Todd Richards for the remainder of 2011-12. The Blue Jackets are 1-2-0 on their four-game road trip and have lost nine of 11
overall and five of seven away from home.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Columbus), CSN (Chicago)
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (11-25-5): Arniel posted a 45-60-18 record in 123 games after being named the franchise's fifth coach on June 8, 2010. Richards takes over after going 77-71-16 as coach of the Minnesota Wild from 2009-11. Jeff Carter's first season with Columbus continues to be a nightmare as he suffered a separated shoulder in Sunday's 7-4 loss to the Anaheim Ducks. The center, who was acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers over the summer, missed 10 games earlier this campaign with a broken foot and has registered only 10 goals and seven assists in 30 contests with the Blue Jackets.
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (24-13-5): Chicago, which has lost three straight and four of five at home, learned it will be without Patrick Sharp for three to four weeks with an upper-body injury suffered in Sunday's overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings. Sharp, who scored his 20th goal of the season before getting hurt, was placed on injured reserve Monday. "Obviously that's a huge loss for us, but all the teams deal with the same sort of stuff. You can't really use it as an excuse," goaltender Corey Crawford said. To replace Sharp, the Blackhawks recalled Ben Smith from Rockford of the American Hockey League. The right wing had one goal in seven games with Chicago earlier this season.
OVERTIME:
1. The road team has won seven of the last 10 games in the all-time series.
2. Chicago has won four straight meetings with Columbus and has outscored the Blue Jackets 15-6 in the three victories this season.