Blackhawks at Canucks
Daniel Sedin and the hometown fans will celebrate a milestone Sunday when the Vancouver Canucks host the Chicago Blackhawks. Sedin will become the third player in franchise history to appear in his 1,000th game, joining Trevor Linden and his twin brother Henrik. “I think it’s special to play all 1,000 for one team,” captain Henrik Sedin said. "It’s very special to play all of those games for one team. It’s going to be a special night for him. I know it was for me. It’s going to be a good night for him."
With the circus taking over the United Center in Chicago, the Blackhawks are putting on quite an offensive show in the first two stops of their six-game road trip. Chicago followed up a 4-3 victory at Calgary on Thursday with a dazzling performance at Edmonton on two nights later, producing a season-high goal total in a 7-1 drubbing of the Oilers. Riding a three-game winning streak. the Blackhawks are trying to navigate a brutal stretch that features 10 of 12 on the road and two home games versus bitter rival St. Louis and league-leading Montreal.
TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, CSN Chicago, RSNP (Vancouver)
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (11-7-1): There were major concerns about the offense when Chicago was limited to two goals or fewer six times in a seven-game stretch from late October through the first two contests of this month. No more. During their current 5-1-0 stretch, the Blackhawks have averaged five goals in each of their victories and are getting production from their big guns. Patrick Kane owns a four-game goal-scoring streak, captain Jonathan Toews has amassed five goals and five assists over the past eight games and Marian Hossa ended a nine-game goal drought with one tally and three assists Saturday to give him 10 points in seven games.
ABOUT THE CANUCKS (13-6-1): Daniel Sedin is having a bounce-back campaign after managing only 47 points in 73 games last season - his lowest output in a non-strike season since 2002-03. He is tied with his brother for the team scoring lead with 20 points in 20 games after registering a goal and five assists over his last five contests. One area where Daniel and Vancouver need to pick up the production is on the power play - the Canucks were among the better teams in the league through their first 10 games, converting on 23.7 percent of their chances, but that mark has dipped to 13.8 percent (4-of-29) over the past 10 contests.
OVERTIME
1. Canucks G Ryan Miller won 10 of his first 11 starts but has surrendered 16 goals while alternating wins and losses in his last four games.
2. Blackhawks backup G Antti Raanta was unable to make his scheduled start Saturday due to illness, so no decision has been made on Sunday's starter.
3. Daniel Sedin has 17 goals and 47 points in 49 games versus Chicago.