Blackhawks at Predators
Artemi Panarin has the surging Chicago Blackhawks knocking on the door of the penthouse of both the Central Division and Western Conference. Winners of six in a row and 11 of their last 12, the Blackhawks could move to the top of standings on Saturday with a victory over the host Nashville Predators.
Panarin scored his first goal since Feb. 10 to extend his point streak to four games on Friday before converting in the third round of the shootout to seal a 2-1 win over the New York Islanders. The reigning Calder Trophy winner was held without a point in Chicago's home-and-home series split with Nashville in October before notching an assist in the Blackhawks' 3-2 victory on Dec. 29 and scoring a goal in a 5-2 triumph on Jan. 8. While Chicago has scored 50 goals in its last 12 contests to move within one point of first-place Minnesota, Nashville netted 46 during an 11-game stretch before being limited to defenseman Ryan Ellis' tally in a 2-1 setback against Montreal on Thursday. Ellis sustained a lower-body injury in that contest, leaving his availability for Saturday's tilt in question.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, CSN Chicago, FSN Tennessee (Nashville)
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (41-18-5): Corey Crawford made 31 saves in his return from a two-game absence due to illness and could find himself back in the crease with backup Scott Darling's upper-body injury prompting the recall of Jeff Glass from Rockford of the American Hockey League. Artem Anisimov (lower body) and rookie Nick Schmaltz (illness) were held out of Friday's lineup, although coach Joel Quenneville told reporters that both could be back on the ice versus Nashville. Anisimov has collected nine points (four goals, five assists) in his last 11 contests while Schmaltz has recorded two goals and seven assists during his five-game point streak.
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (32-23-9): Filip Forsberg has scored 10 of his team-leading 26 goals in his last seven games, and his 14 points in that stretch gave him 49 on the season, pulling him into a tie with Ryan Johansen for the club lead. Johansen also has remained hot, notching eight of his team-leading 39 assists in his last six games while setting up five tallies in four contests versus Chicago this season. "At the end of the day, it's been very exciting, the way we play," general manager David Poile told reporters of his team's offense. "We are in the entertainment business. I think if I was a fan, I'd never leave early from one of our games."
OVERTIME
1. Nashville D P.K. Subban has recorded 13 points (one goal, 12 assists) in his last 11 games while RW Viktor Arvidsson has notched 12 (eight goals, four assists) in his past 12 contests.
2. Blackhawks D Duncan Keith brings a three-game assist streak into Saturday's meeting with the Predators, against whom he has set up five goals in four contests this season.
3. Nashville is 7-for-15 on the power play over its last four games and 5-for-15 in the season series versus Chicago.