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The Chicago Blackhawks will take on the Nashville Predators at 6:30 PM CT on Sunday night. The devastation of blows to the Blackhawks line-up has continue to snowball but their success in spite of the missing pieces has nearly ensured a playoff spot.
Identical in points, the Blackhawks rest in 6th place while the Predators remain in 5th for the time being. Nashville will face-off against the Winnipeg Jets looking to pull their lead ahead of Chicago, but if they are not able to win against the Jets, this will give the Blackhawks a chance to surpass them into the 5th spot if Chicago can beat them, regardless of ROW (Total number of Regulation + OT Wins). Any other scenario would still place the Blackhawks in 6th place, because even if they are tied in ROW and points they will still be behind in the season series.
Although there is a very realistic possibility that the Blackhawks place higher than the 6th seed with Detroit floundering and Nashville's mediocrity, the chances are not stacked in their favor after missing a plethora of depth. Among the recent names include Marcus Kruger, who has an apparent concussion that will keep him sidelined day-to-day. Along with him, Duncan Keith's five game suspension certainly will not help, forcing Sean O'Donnell back into the line-up.
Prior to recent development, Jonathan Toews, Steve Montador, Sami Lepisto, and Dan Carcillo all remain sidelined.
Injury woes have not exactly been perfect to the Predators either, although none are as significant as the Blackhawks. Paul Gaustad, Roman Josi, and Colin Wilson have all missed recent games due to injury and are questionable starts for their back-to-back series this weekend.
PREDATOR OR PREY (MEDIA NOTES)
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Identical in points, the Blackhawks rest in 6th place while the Predators remain in 5th for the time being. Nashville will face-off against the Winnipeg Jets looking to pull their lead ahead of Chicago, but if they are not able to win against the Jets, this will give the Blackhawks a chance to surpass them into the 5th spot if Chicago can beat them, regardless of ROW (Total number of Regulation + OT Wins). Any other scenario would still place the Blackhawks in 6th place, because even if they are tied in ROW and points they will still be behind in the season series.
Although there is a very realistic possibility that the Blackhawks place higher than the 6th seed with Detroit floundering and Nashville's mediocrity, the chances are not stacked in their favor after missing a plethora of depth. Among the recent names include Marcus Kruger, who has an apparent concussion that will keep him sidelined day-to-day. Along with him, Duncan Keith's five game suspension certainly will not help, forcing Sean O'Donnell back into the line-up.
Prior to recent development, Jonathan Toews, Steve Montador, Sami Lepisto, and Dan Carcillo all remain sidelined.
Injury woes have not exactly been perfect to the Predators either, although none are as significant as the Blackhawks. Paul Gaustad, Roman Josi, and Colin Wilson have all missed recent games due to injury and are questionable starts for their back-to-back series this weekend.
PREDATOR OR PREY (MEDIA NOTES)
- Sunday’s game is the fifth of six meetings between the Blackhawks and their Central Division rivals, the Nashville Predators. The two clubs will also meet on March 31 at Bridgestone Arena.
- Chicago is 1-3-0 against the Predators this season. MARIAN HOSSA leads the team with seven points (3G, 4A) against Nashville, while PATRICK KANE (2G, A) and BRENT SEABROOK (3A) have tallied three.
- On Feb. 14 the Blackhawks outshot the Nashville Predators 31-19, but fell 3-2 at Bridgestone Arena. BRYAN BICKELL and HOSSA dented the net for Chicago. RAY EMERY turned aside 16 of 19 shots.
- On Jan. 24 Chicago won 63% of the faceoffs (38-for-60) in a 3-1 loss to Nashville. DAVE BOLLAND (PPG) potted Chicago's only goal of the game. COREY CRAWFORD turned aside 23 shots.
- On Jan. 21 the Blackhawks' three-game win streak came to an end in a 5-2 loss to the Predators in Nashville. HOSSA netted both Chicago goals.
- On Oct. 31 the Blackhawks earned their first overtime win of the season with a 3-2 victory over the Predators at the United Center.
- VIKTOR STALBERG netted the GWG 2:18 into the overtime period, his second consecutive contest with the game-winner, and CRAWFORD stopped 24 of 28 shots.
- The Blackhawks posted a 3-1-2 record against the Predators last season, which includes a 2-1-0 mark in Chicago.
- BOLLAND paced Chicago with three goals and five points in six matchups with Nashville last season, while BICKELL (2G, 2A) tallied four points against the Predators in 2010-11.
- In goal, CRAWFORD went 2-1-1 with a 1.48 GAA in four starts against the Predators, including a shutout in the last meeting of the season.
- BRENDAN MORRISON has registered a team-high 33 points (11G, 22A) in 40 career games against Nashville. KANE shares second with 25 points (10G, 15A) in 29 career games against Nashville.
- CRAWFORD is 3-3-1 with a shutout and a 2.39 GAA in seven career appearances against the Predators.
- EMERY is 0-2-0 with a 5.22 GAA in three regular-season appearances against Nashville. He also appeared in six games (2-3-0) against them in the 2011 Western Conference Quarterfinals as a member of the Anaheim Ducks.
- The Blackhawks have compiled a 38-29-12 record in 79 all-time meetings with the Predators, which includes a 22-14-3 mark in Chicago.
- Chicago is 16-9-5 against the Predators in the regular season since the start of the 2007-08 campaign.
- The Blackhawks knocked off Nashville 4-2 in the 2010 Western Conference Quarterfinals in the only postseason meeting between the two franchises.
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