Blackhawks at Blue Jackets
The Chicago Blackhawks are hoping some extra rest will help them bounce back from consecutive losses when they open a four-game road trip at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night. The Blackhawks have surrendered six goals in each of their back-to-back setbacks following a record 24-game point streak to open the season. Chicago has won 10 straight matchups with Columbus, but all three meetings this season have been decided by one goal.
The Blue Jackets stretched their point streak to a franchise record-tying eight contests following Tuesday's shootout loss to Vancouver, which ended a season-best five-game winning streak. Columbus' last regulation loss was against the Blackhawks on Feb. 24 and the Blue Jackets also dropped another nail-biter in overtime at Chicago five days later before ripping off the five straight victories.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CSN (Chicago), Fox Sports Ohio (Columbus)
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (21-2-3): Neither Chicago goaltender distinguished himself in the last two games. Corey Crawford was pulled after allowing five goals in the streak-busting loss at Colorado while Ray Emery could not even get through 10 minutes in a 6-2 defeat to Edmonton. Crawford is expected to get the nod Thursday, having defeated the Blue Jackets eight consecutive times while also securing his seventh career shutout last month. Coach Joel Quenneville gave the squad two days off after seven games in 11 days. "I think everybody should get some energy," he said.
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (10-12-5): Netminder Sergei Bobrovsky avoided a serious injury when he took a stick to the eye in the final minute of regulation in Tuesday's loss. Bobrovsky, the NHL's First Star of the week, finished the contest and was at practice Wednesday. He won his only appearance against Chicago as a member of Philadelphia in January 2011, but is expected to get the start after allowing only five goals during his last six games. “There may come a point when we’ll give him a rest,” coach Todd Richards said. “I’m not sure when that is."
OVERTIME
1. The Blue Jackets can set a franchise record with a point in nine straight games.
2. The Blackhawks have won their last five visits to Columbus by a combined score of 23-9.
3. The Blue Jackets have had 11 of their last 12 games decided by one goal.