Kings at Blackhawks
After needing overtime to notch their first road victory of the season, the Chicago Blackhawks open a three-game homestand against the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday night. Chicago and Los Angeles have waged a heavyweight battle for NHL supremacy in recent years, each winning two Stanley Cups in a span of four seasons (2012-15).
The Blackhawks hoisted the Cup in 2013 and 2015 but were eliminated in Game 7 of the 2014 Western Conference finals by the Kings, who won it all in 2012 and 2014. Chicago goaltender Corey Crawford won only once in his first five starts and had a goals-against average of 3.02 before turning aside 30 shots in Friday's 2-1 overtime win at New Jersey. Los Angeles lost No. 1 netminder Jonathan Quick in the season opener and backup Jeff Zatkoff two games later, but rebounded from an 0-3-0 start with four consecutive victories before dropping a 1-0 decision at St. Louis on Saturday night. The Kings won two of three meetings with the Blackhawks last season, including a 5-0 victory at Chicago in mid-March.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NHL Network, FSN West (Los Angeles), CSN Chicago
ABOUT THE KINGS (4-4-0): Peter Budaj opened the season with Ontario of the American Hockey League but found himself as the starter with Los Angeles after the injuries to Quick and Zatkoff. The 34-year-old Budaj has been tested by a slew of tight games, winning his first four starts in overtime or a shootout before the 1-0 defeat in St. Louis. Kings defensemen Brayden McNabb sustained an upper-body injury late in Saturday's game and will be re-evaluated Sunday.
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (4-3-1): Artem Anisimov delivered the game-winner in overtime at New Jersey to boost his goal total to five and team-leading point total to 10. Coach Joel Quenneville said Anisimov did not receive enough credit last season while playing on a line with Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin. "Kane won the MVP and Panarin won rookie of the year, so Anisimov did some really good things," Quenneville said. "He ... gives us a good one-two punch in the middle."
OVERTIME
1. Kane has 10 goals and 30 points in 30 games against Los Angeles.
2. Kings coach Darryl Sutter needs one win to reach 600 for his career.
3. Blackhawks F Richard Panik has a team-high six goals but has been held off the scoresheet in four meetings against the Kings.