Blackhawks at Ducks
The Chicago Blackhawks are having another successful run on their annual "Circus Trip" but they must withstand a rugged back-to-back finish to the six-game trek when they visit the Pacific Division-leading Anaheim Ducks on Friday. The Blackhawks have won six of eight after a 3-2 victory at Colorado, topping an opponent that beat them four times last season. "It’s a good start to the second half of the road trip," forward Patrick Kane said. "It’s a lot better being 3-1 through the first four games than 2-2."
Anaheim is riding a three-game winning streak following a stretch in which it had won only once in seven games (1-1-5) and has had 11 of its last 12 decided by one goal, including each of the past three victories. Since dropping their season opener, the Ducks have failed to earn a point in only two of 22 contests and have played a league-high nine games that were settled in overtime or a shootout. Anaheim has won six of its last eight against the Blackhawks, including a 1-0 victory at Chicago on Oct. 28.
TV: 4 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), Prime Ticket (Anaheim)
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (13-8-1): Patrick Kane is starting to heat up following an 11-game stretch in which he supplied only one goal and four assists. Kane has four goals and 11 points over his past six games and assisted on all three tallies against Colorado. "Sometimes you find some different ways to play the game, and sometimes you're playing some players that are feeling it too," Kane said. "We've had some success. It would be nice to see more pucks go into the net, but the power play has been good and it seems for the most part we've been scoring in a good amount of games."
ABOUT THE DUCKS (14-4-5): Kyle Palmieri did not make his season debut until Nov. 16 due to a high ankle sprain but is making up for lost time, scoring three goals in his first five games. Palmieri, who notched 14 goals and 31 points in 71 games last season, scored what proved to be the decisive tally against Calgary on Tuesday with what was termed a "goal-scorer’s goal” by coach Bruce Boudreau. "You can look at the Sidney Crosbys, the (Alex) Ovechkins. They find ways to score these things," Boudreau said. "Kyle is a goal scorer. He always has been, so he finds ways.”
OVERTIME
1. The Blackhawks are riding a six-game streak with a power-play goal.
2. Ducks D Francois Beauchemin (upper body) is not expected to play Friday.
3. Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said F Patrick Sharp (right knee) will not rejoin the team until it returns home.