Avalanche at Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks attempt to extend their point streak to five games when they host the Colorado Avalanche on Friday. Chicago improved to 3-0-1 over its last four overall contests and ran its home point streak to six games (4-0-2) with a 5-2 triumph over New Jersey on Monday. Patrick Sharp scored twice and defenseman Nick Leddy registered a goal and an assist as the Blackhawks raised their home record to 13-2-5.
Colorado has earned points in each of its last three games, defeating Edmonton at home before suffering shootout losses at Los Angeles and San Jose. The Avalanche were involved in a wild contest against the Sharks on Monday, scoring twice in a 12-second span with less than two minutes remaining in the third period to take the lead before allowing the tying goal with 19.6 seconds to play. Paul Stastny recorded a goal and an assist as Colorado skated to a 5-1 home victory over Chicago on Nov. 19 in the first of five meetings between the Central Division rivals this season.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, Altitude (Colorado), CSN (Chicago)
ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (23-10-3): Matt Duchene enters with a five-game point streak during which he has registered two goals and eight assists. The 22-year-old posted multi-point performances in four straight contests before settling for a lone assist against San Jose on Monday. Duchene has four tallies and 13 points over his last seven games.
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (26-7-6): Patrick Kane has been unstoppable of late, collecting seven goals and 14 assists during his current 12-game point streak, which matches a career high. The 25-year-old native of Buffalo, N.Y., also posted a 12-game run from Nov. 3-27 during which he notched eight tallies and nine assists. Kane was kept off the scoresheet by Dallas on Nov. 29 before beginning his current streak a day later at Phoenix.
OVERTIME
1. Kane leads the Blackhawks with 49 points and trails Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby by five for the league lead.
2. Colorado D Erik Johnson has scored four goals and added two assists over his last five games.
3. Sharp has scored at least one goal in five of his last eight contests and has 12 points in that span.