Blackhawks at Kings
After traveling a long and winding road to stave off elimination, the Chicago Blackhawks need to repeat the feat in Game 6 of the Western Conference final on Friday to keep alive their quest for back-to-back Stanley Cup titles. Veteran Michal Handzus burned his former team by scoring 2:04 into double overtime as Chicago snapped a three-game losing streak with a 5-4 triumph over the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday. "You see the momentum in this series, how it can shift," Patrick Kane said following his mammoth four-assist performance. "L.A.'s had a lot of it. I think it's our turn now to hold on to it and keep that momentum."
Chicago has struggled with packing momentum into a suitcase, winning just two of its eight road games this postseason. The Blackhawks dropped both contests at Staples Center in the series, losing a 4-3 decision in Game 3 before suffering a 5-2 setback two days later. "They're still do-or-die; we're still one win away from moving on," Los Angeles rookie Tanner Pearson said. "So I think it's going to be the same attitude going in. Hopefully, we come out with a victory."
TV: 9 p.m. ET, NBCSN, CBC, RDS
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS: After securing just one point in the first four contests, Kane adapted well as coach Joel Quenneville shuffled up his line with his team facing elimination. The reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner was paired with Brandon Saad and Andrew Shaw in Game 5, and the trio combined for nine points (one goal, eight assists). "I thought Saad and Shaw were effective (in Game 4) - Kane can add to the mix," Quenneville said. "They had a good couple of periods there, generated some zone time and chances and scored a nice goal."
ABOUT THE KINGS: Anze Kopitar recorded his league-leading 23rd point by notching an assist on Marian Gaborik's NHL-best 11th goal during the first period on Wednesday. The 26-year-old Slovenian has recorded at least one point in 16-of-19 games in the playoffs. As for Gaborik, his goal total trails only Hall-of-Famers Wayne Gretzky (15, 1993) and Luc Robitaille (12, 1991) for the most in franchise postseason history.
OVERTIME
1. Chicago has scored just one power-play goal on the road in 24 opportunities during the postseason.
2. Kings C Jeff Carter notched an assist on Pearson's goal midway through the second period on Wednesday. Both players are riding six-game point streaks.
3. Kane's four-assist effort was the team's first in a playoff contest since Steve Larmer in 1990.