Predators at Blackhawks
The league-leading Chicago Blackhawks attempt to complete a sweep of their home-and-home series against the Nashville Predators when the Central Division rivals face off at the United Center on Sunday. Chicago extended its point streak to four games with a 1-0 triumph at Nashville on Saturday as Bryan Bickell scored and Ray Emery made 20 saves. The Blackhawks have outscored the Predators 6-2 while winning the first three meetings of the season, with Emery and Corey Crawford each posting a shutout.
Nashville has won only once in its last six contests (1-3-2) and has scored a total of six goals over its last five games. Offense has been a problem for the Predators all season, as they rank 27th in the league with 93 tallies - better than only the Columbus Blue Jackets (91), New Jersey Devils (90) and Colorado Avalanche (89). The current rough patch has put Nashville in danger of missing the postseason as it trails eighth-place St. Louis by four points in the Western Conference while having played three more games than the Blues.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Tennessee (Nashville), CSN (Chicago)
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (15-16-8): Saturday's loss marked the seventh time Nashville has been shut out this season. Captain Shea Weber has led the team in ice time in 31 of his 39 games. The defenseman's next goal, his 107th, will tie him with Jason Arnott for third place on the franchise list. The Predators assigned Ryan Ellis to Milwaukee of the American Hockey League prior to Saturday's loss. The defenseman had been recalled Thursday and registered four shots on goal in 20:11 of ice time against Columbus that evening.
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (28-5-4): Emery rebounded nicely from his first loss of the season as he registered his 13th career blanking and second of the season on Saturday. The veteran has sandwiched shutouts around his only setback, a 2-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on March 29. Patrick Sharp missed his 13th consecutive game Saturday due to a shoulder injury while center Dave Bolland also sat out with a foot injury. Both will take at least one more game off as neither reportedly made the trip to Nashville.
OVERTIME
1. Chicago has yet to lose in regulation to a division rival (12-0-1).
2. Emery is not fond of Nashville's style of play. "That's a team that you've really got to play some boring hockey against," he said.
3. The road team is 4-0-1 over the last five games in the all-time series.
PREDICTION: Blackhawks 3, Predators 1