The Chicago Blackhawks will shoot for a fourth straight
victory when they host the San Jose Sharks tonight at United Center in a
battle between first-place teams.
The Central Division-leading Blackhawks posted a home win over Toronto on
Friday and can match their longest winning streak of the year with a victory
tonight.
The Sharks, who are leading both the Pacific Division and the Western
Conference with 31 points, have registered a point in 11 straight games, going
9-0-2 over that stretch. San Jose's last regulation setback came in a 5-2 road
loss against Tampa Bay on October 22.
The Blackhawks split four meetings with San Jose in 2008-09, but the Sharks
have still dominated the series in recent years, taking 14 of the last 17
encounters between the clubs. San Jose has also won seven of nine and eight of
its last 11 in the Windy City.
Tonight's test is the finale of a four-game homestand for the Blackhawks,
who are 9-2-1 as the host this year. After this evening's tilt, Chicago will
head out on a six-game road trip and won't play again in the Windy City until
it hosts Columbus on December 1.
The Blackhawks used a solid performance by goaltender Cristobal Huet to edge
the Maple Leafs on Friday. Huet was sharp with 29 saves and Troy Brouwer's
second-period goal wound up as the game-winner in Chicago's 3-2 decision.
Patrick Kane and John Madden had first-period goals for the Blackhawks, who
won their sixth in a row at home.
"Everybody knows how tough it is to win on the road. When we're back here at
our home base we want to pile up the points as much as we can as use our crowd
to our advantage," said 'Hawks defenseman Duncan Keith, who registered two
assists in the victory.
Kane has recorded a point in six straight games and has two goals and six
assists over that stretch. Kane, who will turn 21 years of age on Thursday,
leads Chicago with 18 points this year.
The Sharks played the first of three straight on the road Saturday evening in
St. Louis and posted a 3-1 victory over the Blues. Evgeni Nabokov was solid
with 38 saves and Jed Ortmeyer netted the game-winner for San Jose near the
midway point of the second period.
Dany Heatley potted a power-play goal at 8:23 of the second, just 16 seconds
before Ortmeyer gave the Sharks a 2-1 edge. Joe Thornton added an empty-net
goal and Dan Boyle posted two assists.
"That was the difference in the game," said Ortmeyer of the Sharks scoring 16
seconds apart. "They were all over us as far as the shots and [Nabokov] kept
us in the game. To come out and get a couple quick ones really took the
momentum away from them."
The win helped San Jose rebound from Thursday's 3-2 shootout loss against
Dallas.
The Sharks have an 8-4-1 record on the road this season and will close out
their current swing Tuesday in Nashville.
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